ADVISING AND SUPPORT FOR LGBTQ STUDENTS IN EDUCATION ABROAD CLAIR BRYAN, UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS AT URBANA-CHAMPAIGN CONRAD ZEUTENHORST, UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND- COLLEGE PARK BJ TITUS, UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA

Overview  LGBTQ Identity Development & Considerations  Advising and Supporting LGBTQ Students  Case Studies  Resources

LGBTQ IDENTITY DEVELOPMENT & CONSIDERATIONS

LGBTQ Identity Development Coming Out (D’Augelli) Exiting a heterosexual identity Developing a personal LGB identity status Developin g a LGB social identity Claiming an identity as a LGB offspring Developin g a LGB intimacy status Entering a LGB community Transgender Emergence (Lev) Awareness Seeking info/Reaching out Disclosure to significant others Exploration: Identity/Self- labeling Integration: Acceptance/Post- transition Sexual OrientationGender Identity

Considerations for Study Abroad  Support for identity & recognition, to find others “like themselves” within host community  Additional potential considerations for transgender students:  Counseling  Medication  Personal identification  Airport policy & procedure  Housing  On-site support

Questions to Consider  Personal Health  Will student have access to LGBTQ-inclusive counseling services while abroad?  How will student obtain any important or necessary medication while abroad?  What does student’s insurance policy cover?  Does insurance cover medication for gender transition?  Passports, Visas & Housing  Does passport info align with student’s gender identity?  Does visa application accommodate transgender individuals?  What kind of housing is available to the student?  On-Site Support  Are on-site partners educated and equipped to support needs?  What additional resources and support will be available to the student?

ADVISING AND SUPPORTING LGBTQ STUDENTS

Advocacy for LGBTQ Students  Create EA Office to be LGBTQ-friendly Space  Visual cues → Paint the office in Rainbow!  Train Staff to be LGBTQ conversant  Develop an outreach message geared to LGBTQ students  Mission Statement & Resource Page  Option: Preferred gender selection on intake and application forms  Avoid invasion of privacy, but be open-minded and inviting  Build trust between EA Advisors and students  Connect the student’s academic needs with supporting his/her/their LGBTQ identity  Advisors as advocates

 SCHOLARSHIPS: LGBTQ students may be financially self- reliant, so assist them in locating funding  ACADEMICS: Guide and advise students based on their academic interests and needs  RESEARCH: Do not discount a region because it may not be LGBTQ-friendly  Does it make academic sense for the student?  Dig deeper into the country since research may reveal surprising areas of support  Utilize resources i.e. Resident Directors, list servers etc. Advising

Awareness of LGBTQ Communities Abroad YOU ARE THE EXPERTS! BE AN ALLY!  Create an LGBTQ-friendly space in your offices  Provide cultural and linguistic access to local LGBTQ community  Assist US students in understanding of political, social and cultural context for the LGBTQ community in host-country  Evolving knowledge of clubs and organizations  Student LGBTQ campus groups  Local meet-ups  LGBTQ community centers

LGBTQ Identity  BEING OUT ABROAD: The Who, What, Why, Where, When, and How  Recognize both the value of the LGBTQ identity and the reality of reality  Goals: Successful study abroad and personal health & safety  Be mindful of cultural norms  Use common sense  Find healthy outlets  Support while abroad

CASE STUDIES AND RESOURCES BJ Titus, University of Minnesota

Case Study #1  You are working with a male student who is going to Kenya. He is a friend of one of the student employees in the office. The student employee talks frequently about her friend that is going on the Kenya program and his boyfriend. The male student has not mentioned to you that he is gay, but you would like him to be aware that homosexuality is illegal in Kenya.

Case Study #2  A student that you have been advising for study abroad in a non- traditional location reveals to you that they are transgender. They are concerned about their housing options on-site and would like to know if their host-city has a trans-friendly climate. You are unsure how to answer either, so how do you approach this situation?

Case Study #3  You are planning your Pre-Departure Orientation for for your outbound study abroad students. The orientation includes a discussion on identity abroad, including LGBTQ identities. It has been suggested that having identity break-out groups will enable the students to choose the group with which they identify the most; this would include an LGBTQ identity group. What would be your recommendation?

Case Study #4  The Resident Director for one of your programs contacts you with concerns about accommodating a transgender student’s roommate preferences for an overnight excursion. The student has disclosed their transgender identity to the RD and the RD wants to know if the student’s potential roommate should be informed of the transgender student’s identity. Should the RD disclose this information to the student’s potential roommate?

Resources  NAFSA Rainbow Sig  Diversity Abroad  “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” Committee  U.S. State Department  International LGBTI Association (ILGA)  OutRight Action International  National Center for Transgender Equality  Consortium of Higher Education LGBT Resource Professionals  Your own GLBTA Office on campus, should you be so lucky

In conclusion: Supporting LGBTQ students in study abroad requires cooperation and information sharing between education abroad offices, partners and on-site staff Grounded in the LGBTQ student’s personal and academic goals, education abroad offices act to initiate and connect stakeholders in a student’s successful experience abroad Collaboration, open communication and thoughtful advising are tools in which the field of Education Abroad can support the LGBTQ student community

Clair Bryan: Conrad Zeutenhorst: BJ Titus: Questions?