Northwestern University - Professor Watchlist

Northwestern University

Evanston, IL

Northwestern University is the home of a faculty and student center called the Institute for Sexual and Gender Minority Health and Wellbeing (ISGMH). According to the institute’s “History” section:

“[ISGMH] was founded in 2015 and is the first university-wide institute in the country focused exclusively on research to improve the health of the sexual and gender minority (SGM) community…it was founded with the support of the Office of the Provost, the Office of Research, and the Feinberg School of Medicine.”

In June 2024, Campus Reform reported that Northwestern University’s student body government called for LGBT-identifying students to have segregated housing on campus. The article links to a “Pride House” resolution that declares, among other things:

“Whereas, one of the goals of All Gender Housing is to address tensions often felt by queer and transgender students in finding a compatible roommate. All Gender Housing exists allows[sic] any two students to live together regardless of their gender identity—preventing the creation of an LGBTQ community in All-Gender Housing areas.”

Campus Reform said, that according to Northwestern University’s student government survey data, about 25% of students identify as LGBTQ+. The university also features a “Gender and Sexuality Resource Center” to support gender-confused students.

Northwestern University’s Pritzker School of Law is also in the process of defending students’ so-called LGBTQI+ rights, including the right to legally change one’s name to match their gender identity.

On October 15, The Daily Northwestern wrote:

“Law students are working at the clinic this semester to help four clients through the process of changing their names…’ All of our clients identify as nonbinary or transgender, and thus are seeking to change their names so that their legal name reflects better who they are,’ said Pritzker Prof. Kara Ingelhart, the clinic’s director.”

The source also said a 711 license is required for students who want to represent a client this way and are only “allowed to practice under a licensed attorney.” Campus Reform also covered this story, highlighting that the purpose of this project was “the universal right of gender-self-determination” and the “transformative justice principles as necessary alternatives to the criminal punishment system.”