After two+ years working at UT Austin, I finally completed my LGBTQ Ally Training through the Gender and Sexuality Center, and received my office placard to display in my window as a subtle reminder to the campus community that my office is a safe space for people of all sexual orientations and gender identities.
For years I have been a strong advocate of LGBTQ ally development programs - having been trained at four other institutions, served as a trainer for two, served on the SafeZone Development Committee at my former institution, and served as the GLBTQA Co-Chair for the National Orientation Directors Association. While these experiences have provided me with a wealth of knowledge and breadth of experiences educating others on creating safe spaces, they also instilled in me the importance of continuing my education and respecting the process.
Because there isn’t a national LGBTQ Ally Development Training Program that could verify one’s experiences in trainings as they move from campus to campus, there’s also not a clear curriculum for what should be included, and therefore there shouldn’t be an assumption that one is an ally based on their previous training experience(s). Additionally, a lot of work goes into putting together the curriculum of a training program, cultures vary from place to place, and knowledge is ever-changing, so I believe in the value of continuing my education and participating in trainings regularly.
As a gay man, I’ve occasionally run into people questioning whether or not it is important for members of the LGBTQ community to display a Safe Space placard, which I have always thought was an odd question. Just because I identify as a part of the LGBTQ community does not make me an expert on LGBTQ issues, nor does it automatically rid me of any homophobia, sexism, or genderism… and quite frankly, I think there are plenty of people in the LGBTQ community who could use a lesson or two in acceptance and support of others. (sidenote: THANK YOU GLEE for addressing this issue head-on in the February 21 episode, “On My Way” - if you missed it, please check it out now!) LGBTQ-identified people learn about their own community in many of the same ways that heterosexual people do, and unfortunately this results in a lot of bad behaviors and terrible treatment of others - what a sad way to welcome someone into a community!
So here’s a picture of my ALLY placard (beside two totally awesome and lovable gender-neutral Valentine’s robots - they’re allies, too). While my hope is that the campus community can safely assume that I will be supportive and encouraging when discussing LGBTQ issues, adding the placard to my office door always helps, and may even encourage more open conversations in my office. It also fits right in with my core value of Authenticity, which is always a good thing.
