 Invisibility of LGBT students; facing potential of a hostile campus climate  No easy method of identifying safe, supportive persons on LGBT issues and concerns  Potential isolation and loneliness of LGBT students; inability to identify sources of support

 Want you to be able to direct LGBTQ students to resources  Want you to recognize that LGBTQ students are people who are in a different place than you might be and to provide you with some information  Want to encourage you to be an ally for people – no matter your personal beliefs

Evaluating Yourself: As an ally, it is important for you to understand your own feelings about LGBT people that resulted from growing up and living in a heterosexist and homophobic society. Ask yourself the following: 1) When did you first become aware of sexual orientations other than heterosexual? 2) When did you first realize that not everyone fits neatly into gender categories? 3) What early/recent messages have you received about homosexuality, bisexuality, or people who do not fit traditional gender roles? 4) Do you stop yourself from doing or saying certain things because someone might think you are gay or lesbian?

 People will think I am L/G/B/T  I might be harassed  I will feel overwhelmed  I won’t know what to say or how to say it  Who will I turn to if this happens?

 Respect and openness  Confidentiality and openness  Right to pass  Nonjudgmental approach  Taking care to claim our opinions  Sensitivity to diversity  Acceptance  Have a good time Group Agreement

Rainbow Flag Freedom Rings Pink Triangle Lambda Symbol

ConfusionComparisonTolerance AcceptancePrideSynthesis Adapted from: Cass, T. Homosexual Identity Development, Adapted by Susan Young, SIUC, 1995

Becoming an Ally Our society is heterosexist, so most people grow up with unexamined heterosexist assumptions and attitudes. It takes time to overcome those assumptions, attitudes and the behavior to which they give rise. We call that process "becoming an ally" of non-heterosexual people. The stages that an ally goes through are below: 1. Naïve 2. Acceptance of Dominant Group 3. Resistance 4. Redefinition 5. Internalization

 See Handout  Questions?

 Being LGB is contagious  People who are LBGT can usually be identified by their mannerisms, physical characteristics, clothes, hobbies and jobs.  There is no such thing as the “gay lifestyle.”  Most lesbians want to be men, and most gay men want to be women

 Being LGBT is a mental illness and can be cured by appropriate therapy.  The majority of child molesters are gay men.  The statistics for teen suicides are similar for LGBT and heterosexual adolescents  People are legally protected by the Federal government from being discriminated against solely on the basis of their LGBT identity.

Heterosexism results from the underlying cultural and social assumption that everyone is heterosexual and if not, they should be. Although it is a passive form of prejudice, heterosexism is a potent, oppressive force that disavows LGBT identities and undermines the development of healthy, positive LGBT identities and relationships. Institutionalized heterosexism impacts LGBT people in -very real, tangible ways. Examples of Heterosexism:  The assumption that everyone you meet is heterosexual  The assumption that everyone has or is interested in having a opposite-sex partner  The assumption that all mothers and fathers are heterosexual  The assumption all sexually active women use birth control  The assumption that all unmarried people are “single”, while in reality they may have a same-sex partner  The assumption that all children live in families with male-female couple in parental roles  The use of language that presumes heterosexuality in others, such as “husband” or “wife” instead of gender neutral language such as “partner”  The use of official forms which only allow for designation as married or single

 You are an advocate, educator, resource guide & mentor › Respect privacy and confidentiality › Be a positive listener, avoid trying to sway the person to another viewpoint › Use language sensitive to person’s identity development › Remember professional and personal boundaries

 Provide reference materials and other resources about sexual identity  Be aware of other support services in the area and provide referrals when necessary › ISU Office of Diversity, Residential Life Staff Members, Social Justice Committee Members, Advocates for Equality, LGBTQS Alliance, ISU Counseling Center, Safe Zone Members  Assist individuals in finding legal and official assistance in harassment situations › Public Safety, ISU Office of Diversity

Web Resources:     sglbt.htm sglbt.htm 