Allies support sexual identity rights
Last Friday, the LGBTQA Program within the USU Access and Diversity Center hosted a training seminar for those interested in becoming allies on campus. This program gives students, faculty and staff a way to show their support for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer students.
Millie Struve, a senior majoring in theatre education, attended this seminar.
“I wanted to become an ally for two reasons,” Struve said. “First of all, as a teacher right now and as a future educator, I want to be open and receptive to my colleagues or students so that if they want to come talk to me, I’ll know what I’m talking about and I’ll be able to communicate with them about sensitive topics.”
“But secondly, I wanted to become an ally as a friend,” Struve said. “I have friends in the LGBTQ community, and I think this is an important way to show support for them and to indicate to them that I am someone they can talk to.”
One of the basic goals of the allies on Campus program is to create a network of faculty, staff and students who are committed to providing a “safe zone” for anyone dealing with sexual or gender orientation issues.
According to the LGBTQA program’s portion of the Access and Diversity Center website, “Allies on Campus strive to reduce homophobia and heterosexism through education, advocacy, awareness, and by creating a visible network of allies. The program strives to develop a welcoming and supportive campus environment for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or queer students, faculty, and staff.”
Many faculty and staff around campus display the orange ally stickers on their office doors. These stickers indicate they have received a certain amount of training on LGBTQA related issues and they are comfortable with students approaching them to talk about this subject.
USU’s ally program is based on similar programs at other universities around the nation. Since its beginnings in 2004, USU’s Allies on Campus program has garnered support from every college.
“I would absolutely advise other students, and particularly other future educators, to attend an ally training seminar or maybe even to become an ally themselves,” Struve said. “It gave me a lot of great resources and tools I know I can use in the future. As educators, we want to communicate or connect with all our students. Even for right now, when your friends know you’ve gone through the ally training, it shows them you’re open and supportive and you won’t ostracize them, and that’s important for anyone.”
“To me, being an ally means I’m comfortable discussing LGBTQ issues, I’m committed to respecting all people and creating a safe environment for them, I will educate myself more on these issues in the future, and I support and appreciate the LGBTQ community,” Struve said.
To become an ally, interested students, faculty or staff attend a three-hour training session and then have the opportunity to sign a contract. This contract is the final step in becoming an ally. It is the individual’s chance to declare their personal support for members of the LGBTQA community.
However, there is no pressure to sign the contract after attending the seminar if an individual does not wish to do so. The seminars are open to anyone who wants to learn more about issues facing the LGBTQA community and all interested parties are welcome to attend. Seminars include a panel discussion, resources and referrals and information about the LGBTQA community.
“Some of the statistics they presented surprised me,” Struve said. “For instance, I learned that the average high school student hears slurs about sexuality 26 times a day. I had no idea it was so bad, but now I’m excited to be part of the ally network so I can fight against those numbers.”
The next training seminar is Friday, Nov. 9 from 1-4 p.m. Registration can be completed online through the Access and Diversity Center’s website or in person at the LGBTQA Center in TSC 314.
“As a university, we should support and embrace all kinds of diversity,” Struve said. “We all need to learn to be supportive, to communicate and to be aware of the things some of us face. Listening to different perspectives will enrich our lives and make this campus a better place. After all, we’re all in this together.”
– liz.gabbitas@aggiemail.usu.edu