From launching new initiatives to strengthening traditions, 2024–2025 was an affirmation of LGBTQ and women’s lives on campus.
FALL SEMESTER HIGHLIGHTS
We hit the ground running in September with the annual First Day of Classes Barbecue, cohosted with the Gender, Sexuality, and Women’s Studies (GSWS) Program. This year saw record attendance.That same week, students, faculty, and staff were invited to the SWAG Open House, where attendees painted succulent pots, shared rainbow cake, and were welcomed into the community.
September marked the continuation of the semester with the first Quinner, the monthly queer community dinner, and the first Gender Matters meeting of the year, a dedicated space for trans and gender-nonconforming students. Under the leadership of three SWAG student directors, Gender Matters has blossomed into a thriving, weekly, student-led initiative.
From thrift store outings to swim excursions, the program has offered a growing breadth of activities and community-building opportunities. Later in the month, SWAG held Desserts and Drag alongside Student Activities, featuring performances by Portland’s Curbside Queens.
The center also launched the Feminist Collective, a student-led hub for feminist organizing and discussion, which met biweekly to explore the concept of “living a feminist life.”
In October, LGBTQ History Month marked the return of OUTtober, an annual tradition. SWAG kicked things off with a Queer Gender Reveal Party, complete with rainbow cupcakes and a photo booth for Polaroids with friends and allies. Other OUTtober highlights included:
- A special OUTtober Quinner open to staff and faculty
- The beloved Pancake Breakfast during Family Weekend
- A panel discussion, Voices for Trans Liberation, featuring Eli Bundy ’27, Yusur Jasim ’25, poet Maya Williams, and Gigi Gabor of the Curbside Queens
- Queer Writers’ Night, in partnership with The Quill, a Bowdoin creative writing publication
- The second annual Pride Prom, which turned Jack Magee’s Pub into a fun and affirming party
SWAG rounded out the semester with meaningful events like the BIPOC Lavender Brunch, an LGBTQ-inclusive sexual health workshop with educator Cassandra Corrado, and a community Thanksgiving Dinner graciously hosted by alum and admissions officer Ky Putnam.
SPRING SEMESTER HIGHLIGHTS
Spring brought even more energy and impact. In February, SWAG partnered with student activities to cohost a campus conversation with Ronan Farrow, which drew a full house of students engaging with him about journalism, privacy, and accountability.In honor of Women’s History Month, SWAG launched Women Holding Things, a photo project inspired by Maira Kalman’s book, exploring what women carry, both literally and metaphorically.
The center also hosted The Sanctuary Project, a grief workshop centering women of color, in collaboration with the Women of Color Coalition and the Center for Multicultural Life.
Other spring highlights included:
- A letter-writing campaign for trans youth, offering support and solidarity
- A lecture by the owner of Dandy Ram Farms, on rural life, farming, and queer identity
- An intergenerational Community Quinner, where Brunswick locals and Bowdoin students came together in conversation
- A full day of programming with celebrated author Carmen Maria Machado, in collaboration with GSWS, made possible by generous support from the Santagata Fund
As the semester closed, SWAG celebrated graduating seniors with Lavender Graduation, an affirming send-off honoring their leadership and courage.
The center also saw the return of its annual Women’s Leadership Celebration and brought Poker Power to campus to teach negotiation, strategic thinking, and confidence-building through the lens of poker. As featured in Bowdoin News, this event was a huge success in developing leadership skills across gender lines.
Finally, SWAG ended the year with its traditional GSWS/SWAG Year-End Celebration. This year, the center showcased photos from its Women Holding Things project, and Ladd House came alive with the GSWS Senior Capstone Presentations, a finale to a phenomenal year.
“We’re so proud of everything the SWAG community has accomplished this year,” said SWAG director Natalie Turrin. “Thank you to all the students, staff, faculty, and alumni who continue to make this work possible. We can’t wait to see what next year brings.”
