UPENN HONORS NON-BINARY AUTHOR AS FIRST SCHOLAR FOR NEW RESIDENCY

The University of Pennsylvania announced a commitment to creating the first LGBT residency at any university in the country. The residency is dedicated to “championing LGBTQ+ communities and scholarship” and is made possible by an anonymous $2 million donation.

The LGBTQ+ Scholar in Residence provides new resources to bring prominent leaders to Penn. The residency will launch this April with inaugural scholar ALOK who will be guest teaching and leading various aspects of campus life.

ALOK is an internationally acclaimed non-binary author and creator of #DeGenderFashion, an initiative to degender fashion and beauty industries.

“It’s a profound honor to be the Inaugural LGBTQ+ Scholar in Residence at the University of Pennsylvania,” said ALOK to PennToday. “In the face of escalating malalignment, we see a widening chasm between the reality of LGBTQ+ lives and the misrepresentation of our communities in media and society. As LGBTQ+ scholars and artists, we must continue to debunk anti-LGBTQ+ misinformation while also harnessing the power of LGBTQ+ storytelling to create a more inclusive and magnificent world.”