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[crazybatlady]

We're working on university-wide diversity training, specifically queer-related, and I'm curious about how other Us handle this (if at all).

Also, if you have specific training at your U or in your department (like safe zone training or rainbow LGBT lecturers), I'd appreciate your thoughts.

Thanks!

cbl

[larryc]

We hired an openly gay person two years ago and have another faculty member who might be gay. I have written letters to the student and local newspapers in support of gay rights as have some of my colleagues.  But if the measure of gay friendly is having little stickers on our doors we fail.  Should that really be the measure?

[onion]

We've been subtly reminded by the head of AA/EEO that it's not illegal to discriminate against someone on the basis of sexual orientation/gender expression.

I was asked to remove my "Safe Space" sign from my door.  Other pro-queer things I've had have been vandalized or removed.

This is no help, I realize.  And I also realize the signs are silly, in some sense.  But in an environment where there is nothing, seeing a "Safe Space" sign on a door can make a big difference.

[notaprof]

I have been here for more than a decade and this is one of the most gay friendly places I have ever come across.  Those who do not have at minimum a "live and let live" attitude are not tolerated for long.  We do have a list of faculty, staff and students who are identified as being open to talking to anyone who feels they need support while dealing with LGBT issues as well as people identified as mentors for different ethnic groups. 

We do occasionally have diversity training workshops to deal with diversity of all flavors.  Some have been really lame, and some have been marginally worthwhile.  You just can't accomplish much in a morning long workshop.  Mostly it is the same choir people who attend each time though, unless it is required and then those who most need the training can't learn anything because of their resentment over having to attend. 

[voxprincipalis]

We have several openly queer faculty members, but then again I'm in music where people being open about their sexuality seems to be a) more common, and b) more generally accepted. Off the top of my head I can think of 4 who fit this description (3 men, 1 woman), but there may well be others I'm just not thinking of at the present.

We also have a LGBT student group on campus that is quite active, and they have very proactive and supportive faculty advisors.

We do not have stickers, though. I can't say what the atmosphere is like on other parts of my campus, but I think that at least in music it would be very difficult to make the case that stickers would make a difference. From what I can see our environment is already very queer-friendly; I am not in a position to personally judge, but I would be really surprised if a student felt unsupported about coming out or had any serious social fears about how he/she would be treated on our campus.

VP

[killerapp]

We hired an openly gay person two years ago and have another faculty member who might be gay. I have written letters to the student and local newspapers in support of gay rights as have some of my colleagues.  But if the measure of gay friendly is having little stickers on our doors we fail.  Should that really be the measure?

Well, maybe little rainbow stickers sound trivial, but they actually did make a difference to me as an undergraduate.  My school invited faculty, graduate student instructors, and administrative staff to participate in diversity training and once they completed it, they were given the sticker to post on the door.  That sticker signaled to students that that space was "safe" and inhabited by a faculty member or employee who was supportive of GLTB people.  It's all about visibility and encouraging a more open, "out" atmosphere for people who are so often encouraged to be invisible.  Let's face it, many people, even relatively liberal ones, would prefer GLTB people lived a "don't ask don't tell" lifestyle as they are supportive as long as they don't have to see concrete signs of someone's sexual orientation.

Just seeing the stickers reassured me that I was attending a school that supported me intellectually and would support me if I faced discrimination etc.  Many years later, when I was in graduate school, I completed a similar training program and proudly displayed my sticker.  I think it made a difference to my students as on at least one occasion a student confided that she was having trouble with a homophobic roommate and it was impacting her ability to complete her work.  She told me she was nervous about telling her RA and I asked if she'd like me to assist her in that  conversation.  I did.  She was approved for a roommate change, which is not easy to accomplish, and the quality of her work skyrocketed. 

[prof_mom]

We have 2 gay faculty members and quite a few openly gay graduate students. I don't think we have any stickers up, but I can't imagine a student being afraid to come out to one of us.

A new student came into my office to discuss an issue. He closed the door and asked me to keep his confidence. He told me that he was gay and had been advised to keep it quiet by a former advisor at another university. I told him that I didn't think anyone in our department would care one way or the other and that it was up to him to decide who to tell and when. He came back a few months later and said he had told everyone one at a time and all reacted as I had. I was not surprised.

We have some issues, but homophobia is not one of them as far as I know.

[anthroid]

In a faculty of 19, we have at least 2 lesbians and one gay man (we also have a pretty good ethnic diversity--Latinas, African Americans, and other underrepresented populations), so we exceed the population average.  We are a very open and diverse department and we aim to keep it that way.  It helps that we're all social scientists, I think.

[boogaloo]

I second (third?) the motion that the stickers make a huge difference.  In my undergrad department (a social work related field) the stickers were glaringly absent, and this really did reflect a larger attitude of ignorance and exclusion toward non-traditional families, alternate sexual orientations, etc.  Considering the discipline of the department this really was shocking and noticeable, especially contrasted with counseling and psych down the hall, where they were all hugs and rainbows and dancing teddy bears.

[beacon1]

Queer - Deviating from the expected or normal; strange.

At my office, we do not of yet have a "queer policy" but I will definitely recommend it to the boss. This policy should be designed to encourage "queerness" in its many forms. I was thinking we could even have a "queer day" or maybe even a "queer month" to celebrate the "queer" in us all. On this day, men will dress as women, straights will dress as gays, we will all dance around and frolic... all the while telling queer jokes and singing queer songs. What a queer day it will be indeed!

With all the time that is spent worrying about queer policies, diversity, and gender concerns - Who is educating our children? Anyone reading this thread not in the academic community would think you guys are asleep at the wheel.

[onion]

Queer - Deviating from the expected or normal; strange.

At my office, we do not of yet have a "queer policy" but I will definitely recommend it to the boss. This policy should be designed to encourage "queerness" in its many forms. I was thinking we could even have a "queer day" or maybe even a "queer month" to celebrate the "queer" in us all. On this day, men will dress as women, straights will dress as gays, we will all dance around and frolic... all the while telling queer jokes and singing queer songs. What a queer day it will be indeed!

With all the time that is spent worrying about queer policies, diversity, and gender concerns - Who is educating our children? Anyone reading this thread not in the academic community would think you guys are asleep at the wheel.

The insensitivity expressed in this post is exactly why Universities need policies to address queer issues--for faculty, staff, and students alike.  I feel sad for any LGBTQ people who encounter this attitude.  Now, please, go back under your bridge.

[prof_mom]

With all the time that is spent worrying about queer policies, diversity, and gender concerns - Who is educating our children? Anyone reading this thread not in the academic community would think you guys are asleep at the wheel.

You are correct. It is essential that students learn facts about the world around them. That is all eduction should entail. Educators should not involve themselves in teaching critical thinking skills, issues surrounding diversity, or any other such things.

Thanks for keeping us on track Chief. (Interthreaduality alert).

[beacon1]

Hey, dont attack me... I'm just trying to help you guys out! Seriously, no one outside of the academic circle thinks any of this matters.

Critical thought has been lost on worrying if Fred and Betty got their feelings hurt. Oh, the insensitive troll!

Grow up, Get over it, and for God's sake - go to work!

[larryc]

DNFTT.

[voxprincipalis]

DNFTT.

... unless it's to another T.

VP