Module 1: Introduction
KALLIE: Hi! I’m Kallie. This is Matt--
MATT: Hey.
JAY: And I’m Jay.
KALLIE: We’re all from different places and different cultures, but something that we have in common is that we all identify as LGBTQ.
JAY: We want to share our experiences with you today because feeling accepted and safe at school is really important, and faculty and staff have the power to set that positive tone on campus.
MATT: First, let’s define that acronym: LGBTQ.
KALLIE: It stands for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer or questioning.
- Lesbian: A sexual orientation of a person who identifies as female and is emotionally and sexually attracted to some other females.
- Gay: A sexual orientation of a person who is emotionally and sexually attracted to some members of the same sex.
- Bisexual: A sexual orientation of a person who is emotionally and sexually attracted to some males and some females.
- Transgender: An umbrella term for people whose gender identity, expression, or behavior differs from their biological sex assigned at birth. “Trans” is short for transgender.
- Queer: An umbrella term used to describe a sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression that is seen as non-conforming. The term can have a derogatory or affirming connotation, depending on context.
MATT: Students attend college for a better education. But sometimes, when they’re harassed or discriminated against, either because they’re LGBTQ or perceived to be, that gets in the way of learning.
KALLIE: Right. A national study across college campuses showed that, in 2012, gay, lesbian, and bisexual students were 3-4 times more likely than heterosexual students to experience discrimination that affected their academic performance.
JAY: They may also deal with additional stress—like rejection from their family, friends, or community when they come out as LGBTQ. In other words, some of us get a lot of messages from our society that who we are isn’t OK.
KALLIE: Because of this stress, gay, lesbian, and bisexual students across the country are significantly more likely than heterosexual students to report intentional self harm, suicidal thoughts, or a suicide attempt in the past year.
MATT: Let’s be clear: being LGBTQ doesn’t cause mental health problems. There is no scientific data that suggests that LGBTQ students are at any greater risk for emotional distress just because they’re LGBTQ. Instead, they’re at greater risk because of social and environmental stressors—like discrimination and violence.
KALLIE: No matter what your personal beliefs are, I hope we can all agree that every student has a right to study in a safe environment. And that academic success shouldn't be compromised by threats, harassment, or stress because a student is LGBTQ.
MATT: Next, in my story, we’ll talk about ways to intervene if you hear biased or homophobic language around campus, like I experienced in my Government and Law class this week.
JAY: Then I’ll share a conversation I had with a staff member, when I tried to change my name on my campus ID. We’ll also talk about what it means to identify as transgender, and how the experiences of students like me differ from gay, lesbian and bisexual students.
KALLIE: Last, we’ll discuss what to do if you sense that a student is really struggling and may be considering dropping out, self harm, or even suicide.
KALLIE: This topic is really personal to me; I had a rough time last year when I was coming out as a lesbian to my family. Having someone to talk to … really turned things around for me.
JAY: Although it may not be your responsibility as a faculty or staff member to solve a student’s problem of discrimination or oppression, you can be an important bridge to connect students in need to supportive--and sometimes lifesaving--resources.