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An inclusive campus starts with us!

Be an ALLY:  a member of a majority group who advocates for a member of a minority group.

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HOW TO BE AN ALLY:

LGBTQ+ AWARENESS

Avoid discussing someone else’s sexuality especially if you are unsure if they are open about their identity.

  • Do not out another person’s sexuality before they have done it themselves.

FEEL COMFORTABLE SAYING

"I am not at the liberty to discuss that." or "I don't think it's respectful to talk about (name)'s sexuality at this time.

Respect names and pronouns in front of the person and when speaking about them.

  • If you don’t know, ask! Introduce yourself with your pronouns and then ask the other person for their name and pronouns

  • If you forget to ask for their pronouns when you first meet, don't be afraid to ask them after. They will be glad that you are making an effort to respect them.

FEEL COMFORTABLE SAYING

"Hi! My name is ______ and my pronouns are ___/___/___. What's your name and what are your pronouns?"

  • "Hey! I forgot to ask what your pronouns are. Could you please tell me?"​

  • See list of pronouns below to find ones that describe you!​

Don’t use “gay” to describe things that are not cool, dumb, dreadful, silly, irritating, etc.

FEEL COMFORTABLE SAYING

"I think silly/dumb/stupid is a better word to use than 'gay.'"​

Don’t use “queer” if you do not identify as such. It can be offensive because of the implications the word has had over time. 

Understand the difference between:

  • Gender Identity: How you perceive yourself - may or may not be the same as the sex assigned at birth

  • Sex: Assigned by your biological anatomy at birth

  • Sexuality: your sexual and romantic attraction to other people

Understand the LGBTQ+ acronym:L

Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer...

All are sexualities, with the exception of transgender.

  • Asexual: Do not experience varying levels of sexual attraction

  • Bisexual: Experience attraction to their gender and another gender

  • Homosexual aka Gay/Lesbian: Only experience attraction to individuals of their gender

  • Pansexual: Experience romantic and sexual attraction regardless of gender

  • *Transgender: Identify with a gender identity dissimilar to sex. 

    • *gender identity​

  • Queer: An umbrella term to be used by individuals who identify as LGBTQ+

    • should not be used unless you identify as LGBTQ+ or you've been given permission to describe someone as such.

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The Gender Binary

The Gender Binary contains only male and female and pronouns he/him/his and she/her/hers. Identifying with the sex assigned to you at birth and the pronouns commonly associated with them is called being cisgender*.

*Identifying as cisgender does not imply heterosexuality, or attraction to the opposite sex.

It is possible to be cisgender and LGBTQ+.

Understand Non-Binary/Gender Neutral Pronouns:

Below is a list of possible pronouns of which to identify with or that someone may ask you to use. The gender neutral pronouns correspond with the pronouns you may be most familiar with:

  • He/She: Zie, Sie, Ey, Ve, Tey, E

  • Him/Her: Zim, Sie, Em, Ver, Ter, Em

  • His/Her: Zir, Hir, Eir, Vis, Tem, Eir

  • His/Hers: Zis, Hirs, Eirs, Vers, Ters, Eirs

  • Himself/Herself: Zieself, Hirself, Eirself, Verself, Terself, Emself

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Example:

He dressed himself. (he/him/his/his/himself) 

VS

Ve dressed verself. (ve/ver/vis/vers/verself)

TAKE ACTION. MAKE A DIFFERENCE. BE THE CHANGE.

#STAYLIT

Be sure to check out our other pages!

Sources: 

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Agosto, V. (2014). Ally. In S. Thompson (Ed.), Encyclopedia of diversity and social justice. Lanham, 

MD: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers. Retrieved from 

http://fulla.augustana.edu:2048/login?url=https://search.credoreference.com/content/entry/rowma

ndasj/ally/0?institutionId=2559

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Clarke, J. A. (2019). They, Them, and Theirs. Harvard Law Review, 132(3), 895–991. Retrieved from 

http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=a9h&AN=134123974&site=ehost-live 

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Forsey, C. Gender neutral pronouns: What they are & how to use them. Retrieved Dec 9, 2019, from https://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/gender-neutral-pronouns

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Mahoney, N. (2018). Coming out is still a big deal. Eureka Street, 28(11), 7–9. Retrieved from 

http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=a9h&AN=130717175&site=ehost-live 

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Maza, C. (2016, June 9). Call yourself an LGBT ally? Here’s how to actually be one. The Washington Post. Retrieved from https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/soloish/wp/2016/06/09/call-yourself-an-lgbt-ally-heres-how-to-actually-be-one/

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Ray, D. (2014). Toward a QUEER-INCLUSIVE, QUEER-AFFIRMING Independent School. 

Independent School, 73(4), 70–74. Retrieved from 

http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=a9h&AN=96093890&site=ehost-live 

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