1. Creating an LGBTQA-Student
Friendly Environment
Cathlene McGraw
Portland State University
Jennifer Joslin
University of Oregon
Photobyandendquoteflickr/reativecommons
4. Outcomes & Take-aways
Understand key terms & definitions
Understand cultural & legal issues
Understand unique needs of transgender students
Identify 3 steps to improve work with LGBTQA students
Implement an office climate assessment
7. Definitions: Embedded in history
Gay
Term used to identify males who are
attracted to males in a romantic, erotic
and/or emotional sense
Lesbian
Term used to identify females who are
attracted to females in a romantic,
erotic and/or emotional sense
UC Riverside, 2008
http://bit.ly/91DWMn
GLBTQQIA
8. Photos by jbcurio, lara604, K. Kendall, celesteh, Rennett Stowe, dbking;
Flickr/creativecommons
9. Definitions: Embedded in history
Bisexual
A person emotionally, physically, and/or
sexually attracted to males/men and
females/women
Trans-
gender
A person who lives as a member of a
gender other than that expected based
on anatomical sex
GLBTQQIA
UC Riverside, 2008
http://bit.ly/91DWMn
10. Photos by GLN, tiseb, dbking, osseous jerekeys, celesteh;
Flickr/creativecommons
11. Definitions: Embedded in history
Queer
Questioning
A term to describe someone who is
exploring their feelings or identity
GLBTQQIA
UC Riverside, 2008
http://bit.ly/91DWMn
An umbrella term that connotes a
gender-questioning identification or
orientation; often used in place of
labels like gay, lesbian, or bisexual.
12. Graphic by Tim Stewart Winter, Swarthmore; Flickr/creativecommons
13. Definitions: Embedded in history
Intersex
An individual born with anatomy and/or
physiology that differs from cultural ideals
of male & female
Allies
One who is aligned with the LGBTQ
movement & supports LGBTQQI individuals
GLBTQQIA
UC Riverside, 2008
http://bit.ly/91DWMn
Sometimes the LGBTQ community undergoes change and transition and keeping track of the different populations and movements may feel overwhelming to allies and even community members themselves. Over time, the LGBT community has even used different initials to represent a full and diverse community. College and university lgbt centers will evolve and change their names to reflect different ways of conceptualizing their world. Names also present a welcoming face to students and community members.
History of the modern LGBTQ movement –
Popularly identify gay people as a mass; distinguish from pre-civil rights era – away from homosexual – a clinical -- term to define the population. Gay was used interchangeably throughout 1970s to identify both men and women. Early organizational efforts focused on decriminalizing homosexuality and redefining homosexuality medically.
Lesbian as a term grew in popularity in the 1970s & 1980s as the feminist movement gained momentum and traction. Women sought to create their own identity and definitions within the movement. Since 1980, gay has become more identified as a term representing males rather than the population as a whole.
In the early modern era – since the 1960s – the LG population was very much identified as a binary population – comprised of men (who were gay) and women (who were lesbians). Over time, these strict identifications have been called into question.
The 1990s brought increased political organizing as the HIV/AIDS pandemic politicized thousands of people across the homosexual and heterosxual world. Theorists and activists challenged long-standing definitions of gender and gender expression. Increasingly, gender and sexuality and gender identity were examined and re-interpreted and for many, uncoupled.
Uncoupling gender from sexuality and expression – what does that mean? For many it meant that basic definitions that had been long-accepted were brought into question. For generations, being a certain gender, say male, meant that you had one type of gender expression available to you, say masculinity, and you had one sexual choice available, hetrosexuality.
In the 1990s and 2000s, writers, theorists, and activists called these definitions into question and increasingly, individuals rejected this paradigm. Individuals identified as bisexual or as transgender regardless of their anatomical sex (male or female) and rejected traditional gender roles (masculinity and femininity) for more fluid definitions. Mainstream definitions expanded and the LGBT movement continued to redefine traditional gender norms.
Sometimes transgender is used as an umbrella term to describe individuals whose gender identity, sexuality, and gender expression vary from traditional definitions or representations. While we as a society have historically linked gender expression and identity with heterosexuality or homosexuality, individuals who crossdress or perform may or may not be LGBT, or identify as part of that community.
Some of the terms you see on this screen are terms that are familiar to you and some may be less familiar. The use of the term, transgender, to bring together different individuals or communities has not been without controversy. Some groups and activists have resisted an “overarching” term and prefer to use some of the terms you see here (and others) to define their specific community or identification.
This diagram is a take-off on a diagram that has long been attributed to ____________________ at Arizona State.
We’ve already defined Intersex; transexual is someone who experiences intense discomfort due to the belief that their assigned gender is inappropriate given their identity, their expression – in short, the sum of who they feel they are in the world. They may take steps to adapt or change their body or gender expression to match what they feel their true gender is…
Crossdressers enjoy adopting the dress of another gender and do not generally wish to change their sex.
Drag performers & gender benders wear the clothing of another gender, sometimes in an exaggerated manner, and often perform for entertainment or performances in the community.
Catalog: “Introduction to value systems of various cultures, focusing on how values relate to religion, forms of social organization, group affiliation, and patterns of conflict resolution.” St Handbook: “How do values relate to worldview and religion, identity and group affiliation, patterns of conflict resolution and ethical decision-making.”
