The second “Out There” conference, which draws together academics and administrators involved in lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) issues at Catholic universities in the United States and Canada, will be held on DePaul University’s Lincoln Park Campus in Chicago Oct. 19 and 20.

The first “Out There” conference took place in 2005 at Santa Clara University in California. The DePaul conference is expected to attract faculty, staff and students from dozens of Catholic colleges and universities nationwide. Presenters at the conference will represent a broad cross-section of Catholic schools large and small, including Georgetown University, Loyola University Chicago, and St. John’s University.

Two full days of workshops and panels will address a wide variety of topics, such as: providing appropriate student and social services to support LGBTQ students; issues in queer pedagogy on the Catholic campus; campus climate surveys; fair employment considerations for LGBTQ faculty and staff; and student research and activism. Other sessions will consider the relation between Catholic and LGBTQ identities from theological and ethical perspectives and feature researchers and theologians from DePaul, Loyola, Northwestern University and the Chicago Theological Union.

“We will be presenting a program that addresses a wide range of issues of relevance to LGBTQ faculty, staff and students,” said Gary Cestaro, director of LGBTQ studies and associate professor of modern languages, who is co-chairing the event at DePaul with Elizabeth A. Kelly, professor of women’s and gender studies. “We are thrilled to welcome our colleagues from Catholic colleges all over the country to DePaul for serious discussion on these issues of common concern.”

Other highlights of the program will be a screening of the award-winning documentary “Freeheld” by New York filmmaker Cynthia Wade, who will attend and lead a post-screening discussion, and a performance by Chicago’s acclaimed About Face Youth Theatre.

Note to Editors: Reporters planning to cover any part of the conference should contact John Holden at 312/362-7165 or jholden2@depaul.edu in advance.