Gender and Sexuality Campus Center
Student Affairs

Support & Crisis

Drop In

You are always welcome to come by the office, 9:00am-5:00pm, Monday and Friday, 10:00am-7:00pm Tues/Weds/Thursday, to relax, study, nap, print documents, and play board games. We have a small quiet room and a conference room too for quiet study, practicing presentations, meetings, and more.

Do you have questions about identity, coming out, accessing resources, or navigating hard situations?  Come by anytime to talk with student staff in our casual open space, or drop in any of the professional staff offices for some confidential conversation and advising. Whitney, Katherine, and Tiffany are in the GSCC, and Warren is around the corner on the first floor of the Red Gym.

Want to make an appointment? We can chat with you over the phone, in the office, or anywhere on campus. Call the office at 608-265-3344, email lgbtq@studentaffairs.wisc.edu, or contact any of the staff individually: About Us

Smiling people
JoJo, Keith, and Matthew at the QPOC Conference
What do you love about your identities? written on white paper

Coming Out

When you’re ready to tell that first person about your sexual or gender identity – or any people anytime – give yourself time to prepare. Think through your options and make a deliberate plan of who, what, why, and how.

Remember that if you don’t choose to come out now, or ever, your identity and experiences are still legitimate and valuable. You get to decide what is right for you.

Docs & resources

Reporting Bias

UW-Madison has a bias reporting system and a Bias Reporting Team that responds to every report submitted.

You can submit a report about any event that happened to you or that you witnessed anywhere on or off campus. You can provide as much or as little information as you wish, and you may submit anonymously.

When you submit, you can ask for follow-up or you can report just so the University can be aware of the incident for data collection purposes.

GSCC staff can help you fill out a report form at any time. We encourage you to report as much as you’re comfortable to help make the campus more inclusive and responsive.

See the Report Bias page for FAQ and more details on the process:

Report Bias

Crisis resources

Mental health emergencies

UHS offers 24-hour crisis intervention services for enrolled students or for those who are concerned about an enrolled student. If you are feeling desperate or thinking about suicide, or you’re afraid for the well-being of someone you know, you can call UHS at 608-265-5600 (select option 9).

If your situation is immediately life-threatening, please call 911 or get yourself safely to the nearest hospital emergency room (the three local hospital ERs are listed below):

  • UW Hospital Emergency Room: 600 Highland Avenue, 608-262-2398
  • Meriter Hospital Emergency Room: 202 S. Park St., 608-267-6206
  • St. Mary’s Hospital Emergency Room: 707 S. Mills St., 608-258-6800

Below are additional helplines and text lines for you. You’re important to us!

Sexual Health Emergencies

If you have experienced a sexual assault, we encourage you to seek out the campus resources that are here to help you.

For support for survivors of all forms of sexual violence, including medical and legal advocacy, support groups, and short-term counseling contact the 24-hour crisis line at 608-265-6389. Students may use the Campus or Community Office.

More Resources

Reporting & institutional support

Survivors of sexual or domestic violence have the option to access confidential sources, who are not mandatory reporters, including: UHS Counseling and Consultation, UHS Violence Prevention & Survivor Services, UHS Clinical Medicine, a Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner, Domestic Abuse Intervention Services, the Rape Crisis Center, the Employee Assistance Office, and if you are a McBurney Disability Resource Center client, then McBurney staff are protected too.

The Gender and Sexuality Campus Center staff are mandated reporters and non-confidential employees. We will help you set up an appointment to report to the Office of Student Assistance and Support (OSAS) or any other agency if you choose to. We are here for you. It is your right to always have someone with you when reporting- one of us can join you or you can invite a friend or support person.

Crisis loans

Crisis loans are available through the Office of Student Assistance and Support (OSAS). Common uses for a crisis loan include:

  • Unexpected Medical Expenses
  • Car Repair
  • Travel Expenses for Family Emergency
  • Replacement of items due to theft/fire damage

A copy of the application form is available to download from the website below. Let GSCC staff know if we can help you with this form or by connecting you with the Dean of Students office staff. You’ll want to work with DoS0 to have a short meeting to submit the form, and if you are eligible for the loan, it will be processed within a few days.

Crisis Loan information page

Emergency housing

If you are in a housing crisis, like consistently sleeping on friends’ couches or in a car, these are some resources for you.

Dane County Housing Resource Hotline
help@danecountyhomeless.org
855-510-2323

The Housing Resource Line is a one-stop-shop for an assessment of your current situation. Caseworkers will assess your situation and, based on qualification for financial assistance, you may be eligible to receive help moving into or maintaining housing. Available in English, Spanish, and Hmong.

The Tenant Resource Center is here for you and has a campus resource office (Student Activity Center, 333 E. Campus Mall #3158). They also have letter writing templates to landlords and additional resources:
Your Rights as a Tenant
Get Help as a Tenant
Resources for Tenants

The TRC also has multilingual housing counselors and has resources en Español and lus Hmoob.

Helplines

The links below are a good step toward getting immediate support when you’re having a hard time. The first four are all specific to serving LGBTQ people, and the Journey line is local to Madison.