The New Mexico State University LGBT+ Programs are offering virtual programs for students during the COVID-19 quarantine. 

Despite NMSU’s Pride Season events not taking place this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, NMSU LGBT+ Programs Director Zooey Sophia Pook said there will continue to be four weekly virtual programs for students to “participate in and to celebrate the diversity here at NMSU.” 

“We are going to create a rich and expansive online experience for our students that will benefit the community well into the future,” Pook said. 

Of the four programs, there is an LGBT+ Support Group that is held on Thursdays at 5 p.m. In the group, students discuss topics like coming out and familial relationships. The group also participates in activities as well as check-ins to see how everybody is doing. 

Co-facilitator of the group, Lily Mathison, said now that the group is online-based, check-ins will be a larger focus of the group. Mathison also talked about the importance of maintaining the group through the pandemic. 

“LGBT+ students are more likely than many other students to have strained relationships with family members, often because of their LGBT+ identities,” Mathison said. “Continuing the support group offers continued connection with the community they were part of here on campus and allows them to get support for struggles now that they are back home.” 

Mathison added that there are group members who are “still growing in their LGBT+ identities,” and the group is there to support them as well as each other. 

At their first online meeting, Mathison said they had a larger turnout than they ever did when the group was holding in-person meetings. 

“It was a lot of work to move the group online, so it’s very rewarding to have group members show up and take advantage of it,” Mathison said. “It’s been an honor to co-lead this group and I’m thankful we get to continue doing so by moving it online.” 

If you are interested in joining the LGBT+ Support Group, you can email Mathison at [email protected]. 

The other three virtual programs being offered are Gender Diverse Aggies meetings, Gay Anime Club meetings, and a discord server for The AgGays. GDA meetings are held on Wednesdays from 6-7 p.m., and Gay Anime Club holds their meetings from 7-9 p.m., also on Wednesdays. If you’re interested in GDA, you can contact [email protected]. Those interested in Gay Anime Club can contact [email protected], and those interested in The AgGays discord server can contact [email protected]. 

Pook said LGBT+ Programs focus “is and always will be the wellbeing and success of our students,” and that now it is even more important. 

“We want our students to be successful in this new online format at NMSU, and we’re going to be there to continue to provide them the resources they need,” Pook said. “Social distancing is not going to mean isolation if we have anything to say about it.”