Out in Social Work members attend the 2024 pride march alongside the College of Social Work and Ohio State. Credit: Courtesy of Allison Browning

After a years-long hiatus, a student organization aimed at fostering inclusivity in the social work field is making a comeback. 

Out in Social Work, which is dedicated to supporting and advocating for LGBTQ+ social workers and clients, returned to Ohio State’s campus this semester for the first time since 2019. 

Allison Browning, a first-year graduate student in social work and the club’s president, said Out in Social Work was active from 2013-19 before going on hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic. She said the club was reestablished this semester at the request of Joe Bowman, an Ohio State field education coordinator in the College of Social Work, who asked Browning to lead efforts to revive the organization. 

“I was really excited to develop that space and be a start of what — hopefully — will continue to be the organization,” Browning said. “As a queer person myself, I’ve felt very moved by the LGBTQ community, and that’s always where my heart kind of gets pulled to. I knew that there really wasn’t a space for queer social workers, when I knew that there were so many.” 

According to the College of Social work website, Out in Social Work serves to “positively affect the culture of the College of Social Work so that all students feel supported among their fellow students, professors, and college administrators.” In other words, the club creates a safe and supportive space for LGBTQ+ students and allies in the college and professional field at large. 

Browning said the club’s ultimate goal is to make campus culture more queer-friendly and build connections with LGBTQ+ organizations at Ohio State and in the broader Columbus community. She noted these efforts are supported through partnerships with the Kaleidoscope Youth Center — a resource for LGBTQ+ youth in Columbus — as well as the National Association of Social Workers’ Ohio Chapter and Ohio State’s Social Work Student Association. 

“We want to provide a solid network of organizational partnerships among other LGBTQ organizations,” Browning said. 

Hillary Shaub, a social worker at Ohio State’s Center for Psychedelic Drug Research and Education and the organization’s staff advisor, said in an email she took on the role in early 2024 to provide guidance, institutional support and mentorship to students. 

As Out in Social Work’s advisor, Shaub said she has helped Browning and other members create a framework that fosters advocacy and leadership while also providing a space where students can simply be themselves. 

“Out in Social Work represents the kind of space that does not ask anyone to change who they are but instead invites them to fully be who they are,” Shaub said. “As a staff advisor, I wanted to support this mission and help cultivate a place where LGBTQIA+ students in social work feel seen, valued and uplifted. The need for a community like this — where students can find solidarity, safety and advocacy — is critical, and I wanted to contribute to sustaining that.” 

Shaub said she also aims to ensure that no one person feels overburdened, emphasizing the importance of teamwork in the challenging field of social work. 

“The weight of uncertainty and systemic injustice can be heavy, and the emotional labor of advocacy is real,” Shaub said. “One of the biggest challenges is ensuring that members do not feel overwhelmed by the responsibility of this work. When challenges arise, we remind each other that we are part of something powerful, that we are not alone and that our well-being matters just as much as our advocacy.”

Browning said a core element of Out in Social Work is its “holding space” events, which are conversation-based meetings that provide attendees with a space to share their perspectives on identity. Browning said these events are essential for queer individuals, providing a space for them to rely on their community for support. 

“There has been a lot of anti-LGBTQ+ legislation designed to exhaust people and divide them,” Browning said. “By choosing to show up and support one another, practicing self-care and forgiveness, you’re actively resisting the larger powers and what they’re trying to do.” 

Browning said the club also provides educational opportunities that allow Out in Social Work members to share insights on LGBTQ+ topics such as intersexuality, the LGBTQ+ acronym and the fundamentals of queer identity through educational discussions. 

Browning said to support Ohio State students at regional campuses and in online programs, meetings are usually held biweekly via Zoom on select Mondays and Sundays at 6 p.m. throughout the semester. She added that membership is open year-round to both undergraduate and graduate social work students, regardless of whether they identify as part of the LGBTQ+ community. 

For more information about Out in Social Work at Ohio State, including upcoming meeting times and holding space events, visit the organization’s Instagram account.