AUSTIN, Texas — Students at St. Edward's University in South Austin are protesting the removal of a Pride flag from an on-campus coffee shop.
A university spokesperson told KVUE when the coffee shop underwent a remodel last summer, the space was cleared for a full redesign. The flag was then moved to a "location where we celebrate all identities in Equity Hall," home to the university's School of Behavioral and Social Sciences.
St. Edward's said is "actively working with our students on ways to visibly highlight our welcoming environment for all students on the hilltop," but some LGBTQ+ students remain upset about the flag's relocation.
Student protests and social media accounts
In fact, since the flag's initial removal from the coffee shop, more than 600 students have signed a petition to bring it back.
In addition, an "All Out Pride" peaceful protest was scheduled from 10 a.m. until 6 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 27, at the university seal. Demonstrators were encouraged to wear rainbow colors and bring flags to show their support.
St. Edward's students have been raising awareness about the flag's removal through the Instagram account @wheredidtheprideflaggo. Among other things, the Instagram account links to a questionnaire where students can answer the following questions: "What did the pride flag mean to you? How does it make you feel to see it gone?" Responses have been compiled in a series of posts on the account.
Students have also raised $565 through a GoFundMe page to create an installation on campus and gather 1,000 Pride flags to place on the university lawn. Some of the funding will also be donated to an LGBTQ+ support group.
Why students and staff say the flag's relocation matters
Adam McCormick, an associate professor of social work at St. Edward's, said the flag's relocation to Equity Hall feels to some students like they're being hidden from view.
"I have worked in Equity Hall – my office is in Equity Hall – for nine years. Nobody comes to Equity Hall," McCormick said. "And so, the flag being put in Equity Hall, I think for a lot of students, I think they feel like their kind of being pushed into a closet in a lot of ways. And it’s really important that the flag be front and center on our campus. And to put it in Equity Hall doesn’t make them feel seen or heard at all.”
Nic, a freshman criminal justice and social work student at St. Edward's, echoed McCormick's sentiments.
"Meadows Coffeehouse is where everyone goes, and that’s originally where [the flag] was," Nic said. "And they moved it all the way to Equity, where nobody goes except the students of the Behavioral and Social Sciences School.”
Nic also said that the flag's former location at the coffee shop offered a beacon of hope to LGBTQ+ students considering enrolling in St. Edward's, but now that beacon has been removed.
"During university tours, Meadows Coffeehouse is one of the hot spots where students would come to tour before coming to St. Edward’s. And for a lot of students, seeing the flag in Meadows was a really big drive for them to come here because even though this is a Catholic institution, we’re still accepted as queer students," Nic said. "But Equity Hall, where the flag was moved, isn’t toured at all. So it’s just not shown.”