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Celebrating OUTLaw and Gay Pride at UB Law
Published June 3, 2021
The LGBTQ community and its progressive allies have been fighting for equality, equity and justice for more than 50 years. Ever since the confrontation between police and gay patrons of the Stonewall Inn in Greenwich Village in 1969, the Pride movement of LGBTQ people to demand fair treatment in society has grown bit by bit to become a global campaign across countries, cultures and creeds.
Despite what began as a raucous retaliation in NYC growing into a worldwide phenomenon of protests, parades and other festivals, the movement of Gay Pride still has a long way to go. Harmful legislation like “Don’t ask, don’t tell” and more recent anti-trans bills have been unfortunate blemishes on the path forward, but the overall sentiment to change bigotry into acceptance and improve discussion around LGBTQ rights continues to remain strong.
In this post, we’re highlighting UB’s OUTLaw program and profiling one of UB’s own LGBTQ advocates, Elias Fox Schmidt ‘22, who was recently elected President of OUTLaw.
The University at Buffalo School of Law shows solidarity with those in the LGBTQ community—both on and off our campus—by promoting a positive atmosphere for LGBTQ students. OUTlaw is a UB organization that sponsors activities, panels, social events and services to build a network for supporters and members of the LGBTQ legal community. "The programming OUTLaw sponsors and organizes is one of the most important aspects of the organization's work,” says Professor Michael Boucai, one of the advisors of OUTLaw alongside Vice Dean for Career Services Lisa Patterson. “It performs a valuable pedagogical service to UB Law and the entire University. It’s hard to overstate our institutional commitment to supporting LGBTQ students.”
While the COVID-19 pandemic put a slight wrench into OUTLaw’s 2021 Annual Dinner, they were able to hold a Virtual Awards Celebration and Cocktail Hour this spring and are charging full steam ahead with new event planning. If you’re interested in joining their mailing list or learning more about OUTLaw, visit their webpage. You can also get involved in the conversation through their new social media channels on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
OUTLaw Profile
OUTLaw’s primary objective is to “educate our colleagues about the legal issues surrounding sexual orientation and gender identity.” Founded as the Lesbian Gay Law Student Organization in the early 1970s, the group changed its name to Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual Law Students in 1992, and to OUTLaw in 1995. OUTLaw has since grown to incorporate nearly 50 student members who help fight for social justice on and off campus. We are delighted to feature a profile on the incoming OUTLaw President, Elias Fox Schmidt ’22.
Congratulations on being elected President of OUTLaw! What made you decide to run?
Thank you! I’m very honored to be OUTLaw’s president. The prospect of law school as an LGBTQ person can be terrifying and it’s no secret that the legal field isn’t particularly diverse or reflective of marginalized communities and identities. But I feel that law students have a unique opportunity to change that by creating student organizations, such as OUTLaw, to provide a positive and supportive space within law schools for marginalized people and allies, all while promoting diversity, acceptance, inclusion, equity, and justice within the legal profession. As a trans and gay law student, I know that the legal field, especially in Western New York, is particularly scarce when it comes to lawyers who are openly trans.
As OUTLaw President, I want OUTLaw to meet the needs of trans students, particularly trans students of color and disabled trans students, in order to provide all LGBTQ law students with the support and resources required to succeed in law school and the legal profession. With the recent hyper-visibility of trans identity and the influx of legal (and physical) attacks on trans people (specifically trans children and trans women) nation-wide, trans people need support and community now more than ever from our cisgender (non-transgender) LGBTQ siblings and allies.
As President, what traditions for OUTLaw do you hope to continue? Do you have any new ideas you’d like to implement?
I want to continue previous traditions while implementing some great new ideas coming from our E-board! Some of our new ideas include more social and educational events, new social media for engagement with OUTLaw members, community events that serve the local LGBTQ community, and more events in conjunction with other student groups at UB Law. And of course, OUTLaw just wouldn’t be OUTLaw without our annual Spring Dinner & Awards Celebration. Unfortunately, we couldn’t host our annual dinner this year, but OUTLaw is ready to see everyone again in 2022!
How has OUTLaw shaped your experience at UB Law thus far? Can you talk about when you joined and what experiences that opened for you?
I joined OUTLaw at the beginning of my 1L year. When I first started law school, I was terrified of being openly trans. I had no idea if I would be accepted by my professors, classmates, or potential employers. In fact, when I was first coming to terms with my trans identity in my early teens, attending law school wasn’t even something that I thought would be possible for me. I was (rightfully) afraid that if anyone knew I was trans, I would have all of the professional opportunities that my cisgender peers were offered stripped away from me. These fears stayed with me all through undergrad, through the law school application period, and up until the beginning of my 1L year. However, at the beginning of that year I joined OUTLaw where I met amazingly supportive friends, faculty, and staff who helped me to become more confident in being open about my trans identity and in using my voice to advocate for trans-inclusion and trans rights.
In addition to OUTLaw, what are some other rewarding associations that UB and/or the WNY area offers for the LGBTQ+ community or other minority communities?
UB Law has some amazing minority student organizations, including the Black Law Students Association (BLSA), the Latin American Law Students Association (LALSA), and the Asian Pacific American Law Students Association (APALSA). All of these clubs provide so much support to UB Law’s minority students and do great work within the law school and legal community. I really hope that OUTLaw is able to do more work with these organizations in the upcoming academic year.
What advice would you have for future LGBTQ+ law students at UB—particularly those looking to get involved in OUTLaw or various other law school activities?
Being an LGBTQ law student can be daunting, but know that you are not alone. There are LGBTQ people and allies within UB Law who will support you and provide whatever resources and community they can to help you thrive in law school. And if you’re thinking about getting involved in OUTLaw or another law school organization, do it! Student organizations like OUTLaw are an amazing way to make friends, network with legal professionals, and get make a difference in both the law school and legal field.
And if you want to start a student organization that UB Law doesn’t already have, don’t be afraid to start your own. You can feel free to reach out to OUTLaw at any time for collaboration or for membership for your club as well. Our E-board is happy to provide any sort of support for other student-led organizations, especially minority student organizations.
Our thanks to Elias for taking the time to respond to our questions and discuss his experience as an LGBTQ student at UB Law.
While Pride month is a time to celebrate love in all its forms, it is also a time to reflect upon the need for change and transformation in both the legal community and society at large to help LGBTQ colleagues and students find justice and equality. The University at Buffalo School of Law stands strong with OUTLaw members and other LGBTQ allies in saying “Love is Love” and striving for that justice.
Additional Resources
- OUTLaw - School of Law - University at Buffalo
- The Trevor Project — Saving Young LGBTQ Lives
If you or someone you love is having difficulty coping in a stressful or harmful situation, reach out to a trained counselor for support at The Trevor Project.
