QSA is the second LGBTQ organization founded in the nation, with a birth year of 1969! In addition to building a strong, diverse, and respectful community for queer individuals, QSA also seeks to build a Rutgers student body that pushes their own understanding of the intricacies of sexuality. QSA functions with the hope that in educating ourselves and our peers, we can learn to treat each other with a dignity that is beyond the polarities of “gay” and “straight”, a dignity that is human.

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Why use the word "queer"?

 Queer can be an extremely heavy word. Historically, it has used to describe someone who is socially abnormal, and to insult many. However, we felt that it was time to reclaim the identity as a strength rather than weakness. We want to stand for those that took pride in the term, and rejected social normatively to fully express themselves. In doing so, we also want to challenge those around us to face the source of their discomfort, and push for a greater understanding of the history of our identities.

Today queer can be used as an umbrella term so that no one feels that their identity is ignored, and that they feel left out.