Walk toward the main library at the University of Tennessee at Knoxville, and you can’t miss the Pride Center. A bright rainbow flag stands on the lawn in front of the building where the center makes its home. Nine more colorful flags — representing different sexualities and gender identities — decorate the facade. They share space with a vibrant orange Pride Center banner, adorned with rainbow stripes and a simple message: "You belong here." "Even if you’re too scared to walk into the building, you can see every day that we’re not going anywhere," said Audrey Parker, a rising junior here who has been active as a center volunteer. "We’re here with you, silently fighting just to exist."

July 15, 2016 ・ From Chronicle of Higher Education