Rutgers student creates club for LGBTQ+ students at Douglass Residential College

Rainbow Pines, an organization seeking to provide a safe space for LGBTQ+ students enrolled in the Douglass Residential College, was first launched last summer and has since grown to include more than 40 members.

Jillian Bandel, a School of Arts and Sciences junior, founded the organization after attending Douglass’ BOLD Summer Leadership Academy, which allowed her to become more immersed in discussions about social issues pertaining to the LGBTQ+ community and other marginalized groups.

Inspired by her experience, Bandel said she contacted Douglass Residential College and the Center for Social Justice Education and LGBT Communities to propose an organization that could meet the needs of LGBTQ+ students at Douglass, which ultimately led to the creation of Rainbow Pines.

She said that the organization strives to provide an inclusive environment for LGBTQ+ students at Douglass. One student involved with the club is Emily Borowski, a School of Arts and Science senior.

“I’ve struggled with coming to terms with the fact that I’m a lesbian for most of my time at college, and attending Rainbow Pines meetings made me feel validated and less alone,”  she said. “I’ve really enjoyed being in a space where I can be myself and being able to speak openly about what I’m going through.”

Borowski said that through Rainbow Pines, she has been able to build friendships with her fellow members that will last beyond graduation as well as gain more comfort in her identity as a member of the LGBTQ+ community.

In addition to being an inclusive environment for LGBTQ+ people, Bandel said that Rainbow Pines hopes to be an educational resource for them and allies as well when learning about LGBTQ+ issues. To accomplish this, Rainbow Pines engages its members through weekly meetings that focus on topics ranging from LGBTQ+ relationships to queer identity in the workforce.

Borowski said during her time with Rainbow Pines, one thing she has learned is that there is no “right time” to come out.

“Coming out has been something that I struggled with ... for a long time and I couldn’t figure out why it was so difficult for me,” she said. “Rainbow Pines helped me work through those feelings and come to accept that it’s okay for me to come out when I feel most comfortable, not because I feel an obligation to.”

Bandel said that Rainbow Pines’ largest project so far has been the Period Inequality Project, which seeks to raise funds for the donation of menstruation products to the Essex LGBT Reaching Adolescents in Need Foundation, Rutgers Student Food Pantry and the United Nations Population Fund. The project is in cooperation with the Rutgers Period Equity Project, the Reproductive Health Universal Taskforce and UltraViolet.

With respect to the organization’s other missions, Bandel said that Rainbow Pines hopes to preserve Douglass’ history of LGBTQ+ students for future generations. That is why the organization has a historical liaison position on its executive board, who is tasked with researching LGBTQ+ presence in archives as well as planning alumni events, she said.

“Queer people have been around the entirety of the college, whether closeted or not,” Bandel said. “We think it’s important to start bringing it to light.” 

She said she also hopes that Rainbow Pines can be an inclusive space for non-binary and gender-fluid students at Douglass who may feel isolated due to its image as a “woman’s college.”

“I want students to know that the Rainbow Pines is open for any gender minority,” Bandel said. “Come as you are, your identity is accepted.” 

Creating Rainbow Pines during the ongoing coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic has presented difficulties, she said, with the organization needing to establish an executive board, draft a constitution and find members — all while contending with challenges, such as Zoom fatigue.

Despite these challenges, Bandel said that working with Rainbow Pines has given her a sense of community and connection to Rutgers during the pandemic, making it one of her best experiences at the University. She said that her work has also taught her the difficulties of being a student leader, including delegating tasks and executing plans. 

“It’s hard learning how to be that leader figure ... it feels like it’s your baby, it’s your community and you want to see it succeed in every aspect,” she said. “While it’s like ‘oh, it’s so hard to do this,’ it’s worth every minute of it, just because you can see it grow and bloom and blossom.” 

Similar to Bandel, Borowski said her experience with Rainbow Pines has been positive, primarily due to the welcoming nature of its members. She said she is thankful for the organization and the community it has provided her.

“I’m so grateful to have found a community that supports my identity, especially during the pandemic when I’ve felt isolated from my friends and family,” Borowski said. 

Bandel said her favorite part of Rainbow Pines has been making connections with her fellow members outside of the organization’s events. Being someone that members can trust and confide in has been a rewarding experience, she said. 

“We really open up to each other in really beautiful ways that you know we trust each other, you know we’re there for each other,” she said. “Those moments, those little moments have been my favorite.”