*Note: Corrections were made to this story on 4/14/23 to acknowledge that Whitworth’s hiring policy does not include both sexual orientation and gender identity as a protected class, instead of just sexual orientation as the article had previously listed.

On Tuesday, April 4, Whitworth students were greeted with rainbows and affirming chalk messages drawn on Whitworth’s sidewalks. These messages were initiated by Westminster Round to show their support for changing Whitworth’s hiring policy, although many other students have joined the effort.   

Whitworth’s hiring policy does not include sexual orientation or gender identity as a protected class, which means Whitworth reserves the right to consider these characteristics in decisions made regarding people’s careers at Whitworth.  

John Dotson, vice president of Westminster Round, said the members of Westminster Round had been gifted chalk during their Monday meeting.  

“We were told to go make rainbows and pride flags all over campus, which we then very enthusiastically proceeded to do,” he said. 

Students have continued to decorate the campus with rainbows and affirming quotes in the past eight days.  

Emma Moore, the junior class representative for Westminster Round, said, “We just wanted to focus on messages of love and support and solidarity and making sure that queer students and faculty felt seen and supported by our campus.” 

Westminster Round has found chalk to be a great way to communicate with the campus.  

“It’s entirely non-destructive. It’s very visible while remaining also very unobtrusive,” Dotson said.  

Chalking sidewalks isn’t the only thing Westminster Round is doing to show solidarity with queer individuals on campus. They are also making solidarity pins, which are safety pins with beads attached in a rainbow pattern. People have been stopping by the Honors Lounge to help make these pins or pick up an already-made one  

Westminster Round plans to continue drawing affirming messages on campus as long as the dialogue surrounding the hiring policy continues.  

“[I] think it’s really important to just keep morale up around campus, especially for queer students and faculty who are feeling like really unseen and unsupported during this time,” Moore said.  

 “All we want is for people to look and to listen, and to know that we are here,” Dotson said.