Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, in-person classes at Temple University have transitioned online, prompting instructors to make adjustments to their in-class assignments. This is especially true for 7-week courses, which last for half of a given semester. The special projects class in the department of communication studies, also known as the LGBTQ “Pride class” which began in the second half of this semester, is no exception. Class instructor and Director of the Department of Communication Studies Scott Gratson has come up with a unique alternative to quizzes. Now, students are taking their studies of the Pride movement to Instagram, where 11 groups of students have created separate pages that provide information about the LGBTQ community and the Pride movement, which culminates in Pride celebrations throughout the month of June every year.

Although the class focuses primarily on New York City Pride, the largest Pride celebration in the world, the curriculum encourages a global approach, especially due to Pride Month event cancellations elsewhere in response to the spread of COVID-19. Each of the 11 pages is backed by a group of students and all have adopted different strategies to explore the Pride movement, its history and news about notable LGBTQ community members around the world. Each student in a group has to post on their group’s page three times a week, which gives visitors to the page a variety of content from different contributors. Students have so far explored topics such as LGBTQ history, fashion trends sported or created by LGBTQ people and resources for more information on LGBTQ causes and movements. 

“It’s just been really nice to see [students] exploring so many different facets of the community, things I didn’t even think of,” Gratson says.

Though they just launched last month, the pages have collectively received hundreds of followers and positive feedback not only from Gratson, but also from prominent members of the LGBTQ community. Actress and equal rights activist Laverne Cox reposted a post from one of the class’s pages that featured one of her quotes. 

“There’s definitely a similar pattern to [the pages], similar themes to some of them, but then when it gets to the particulars, it starts getting really varied,” Gratson says. “And what I think is also nice is it’s making Pride more of this global experience instead of being a physical experience which is one of the big concerns with so many marches being canceled.”

Several students in the class work directly with NYC Pride including Sydneé Carter, a sophomore in the Communication Studies Program and a student director for the department’s recruitment; and Bleu Acosta, a senior communication studies student who acts as the student director of the department’s social media pages. The two students, both NYC Pride interns, also work together in the same Instagram Pride project group for the class, which they and three other students named The Pride Factor. Because of the page’s success, the group has decided to continue posting on their Instagram page at least until the completion of Pride Month. On the page, Carter posts about LGBTQ art and artists, but has also learned quite a bit from her groupmates' and classmates’ posts, especially those about LGBTQ history. 

While Carter takes on the role of a community ally, she says that the Pride class and this Instagram project have helped better educate her about the LGBTQ community so that she is more equipped to represent NYC Pride and advocate for the Pride movement. 

“I thought it was important for me that if I’m gonna be working and planning this huge march, I should know about the history and people who have paved the way for the people who are marching now,” Carter says.

Similarly, Acosta appreciates the accessibility of the project. Her experience in social media marketing has helped distinguish The Pride Factor’s appearance, which she says was directly inspired by both the LBGTQ rainbow flag and a rainbow-pattern poncho Gratson wears frequently to campus. 

“This whole project in a sense and what it is and what it’s doing — and especially for people our age group, ages 16-24 — is social media, social media, social media,” she says. “So to take something that’s such a huge part in this group and to use that as a learning tool I think is really cool.”

Overall, the Instagram Pride Project has helped students learn more about the Pride movement and the global LGBTQ community while using social media to pass that information onto others. Their Instagram pages have summoned the spirit of advocacy and celebration that is inherent in the Pride movement. 

The Instagram handles of the class’s Instagram Pride pages are listed below.

@thepridefactor
@prideandprotest
@lgbtemple
@prideinpublic
@powerofpride2020
@rainbowowlpride
@themfullofpride
@templelgbtea
@queerantinetu
@lgbtqleaders
@prideforthestudents