Amid an increasingly hostile political climate, queer students at Cal State Monterey Bay (CSUMB) may have a hard time balancing their studies with seeking out a community where they can be themselves. The world of STEM – the familiar acronym for science, technology, engineering and math – where outliers are traditionally dismissed rather than celebrated, is no exception.
That search for community drove Erin Doran, a third-year biology major, to join Out in STEM, or oSTEM, shortly after the chapter was founded in 2023. A nationwide nonprofit with over 150 chapters, oSTEM is dedicated to empowering queer people to succeed both academically and professionally in science, technology, engineering and mathematics.
“It’s frustrating to watch people feel like they can’t express themselves, they can’t be open in science, they can’t be out,” said Doran, now the club’s president at CSUMB. She was pleasantly surprised by the liveliness of their most recent biweekly meeting, which would typically draw smaller crowds. The event featured a slideshow of queer couples throughout history, a valentine crafting activity and the gentle, jazzy tunes of Icelandic musician Laufey.
oSTEM has seen participation wax and wane over the years – most notably, Doran says, in response to the 2024 election. “Right after the election, I would say we had a lot more fear about being an open organization. And so I think tonight is kind of a good marker for that, actually, that we’re getting our numbers back up again, which is really nice.”
Alex Valenti is a fourth-year molecular biology major and secretary for oSTEM. They felt it was especially important for the club to celebrate Valentine’s Day, a holiday known for bold, colorful expressions of love.
“There’s never been a better time to be loud and expressive about love and about who you are. That’s the whole queer community – love is love,” Valenti said. “And so to make valentines for…whoever you call your support system or your loved ones, whether it be partners or otherwise, I feel like it’s such a good celebration of queer joy.”
Valenti shares Doran’s commitment to increasing queer visibility and representation through oSTEM. They also emphasize that the pressure and academic rigor associated with STEM studies are more manageable for queer students when they have role models they can look up to.
“In STEM, you put in a lot of hours. You’re [getting] almost six years of education in four, and so being able to see someone who looks like you, so you don’t have to carry all that on yourself…I think it’s just a big release for people, at least for me, to be like, OK, it is possible,” said Valenti.
Many schools don’t yet have oSTEM chapters on campus. Many queer students may not feel safe embracing their identities at a time when anti-LGBTQ sentiments seem to be on the rise. The answer? According to oSTEM, the same tactics that have helped normalize the queer community for decades: being loudly, unapologetically themselves.
“Harness that fear, harness that strength. Realize [that] it’s strength. They’ve been strong enough to get this far,” Valenti said. “Harness the bravery into so much energy it just collapses the closet. There’s just so much happiness on the other side.”