Creating  Affirming  Spaces  

Ally Workshop:

SafeSpace

Welcome!  

• Who  are  your  presenters?  

• -­‐Who  are  you?-­‐Name  &  Gender  Pronouns-­‐Role  at  NU-­‐Your  favorite  movie  or  book?  

Presentation  Objectives

• Define  common  terminology• Explore  sexual  identity  &  orientation  and  gender  identity  &  expression  

• Evaluate  the  impact  of  heterosexism,                                        homophobia,  cisgenderism and  transphobiaenvironment

• Develop  skills  to  create  an  affirming  culture

Goal  StatementThe  difference  between  diversity  education  and  

social  justice  education  is  that  social  justice  education  recognizes  and  addresses  the  power  

and  privilege  that  exist  in  our  society  and  addresses  it.  Diversity  education  only  raises  awareness  about  differences  and  encourages  acceptance  of  differences  without  necessarily  

addressing  inequity.

Common  Expectations

What  does  it  take  to  establish  a  foundation  for  learning?

What’s  in  a  Name

LGBT?  LGBTQ?  LGBTQA?  GLBT?  LGBTQQAA?  LGBTQQAAPI?  LGBTQA+?

Earliest  Messages…• What  kinds  of  messages  did  you  receive  about  these  identities  from  authority  figures  (i.e.  parents,  media,  etc.)?  

• How  did  these  messages  affect  the  way  you  currently  see  LGBTQIA  people?  

• What  kinds  of  messages  about  LGBTQIA  people  do  children  receive  now?  

The  Case  for  TrainingAccording  to  a  2009  study…

• 72%  of  LGBT  students  heard  homophobic  remarks  such  as  "faggot"  or  "dyke"  frequently  at  school.

• 61%  of  students  reported  feeling  unsafe  in  school  because  of  their  sexual  orientation;  40%  felt  unsafe  because  of  their  gender  expression.

• 40%  of  LGBT  students  reported  physical  harassment  because  of  their  sexual  orientation;  27%    were  physically  harassed because  of  their  gender  expression.

The  Case  for  TrainingAccording  to  a  2010 study…

• 1/3  of  LGBTQ  college  students  seriously  considered  leaving  or  left  their  institution  because  they  weren’t  accepted.

• 23%  reported  experiencing  harassment…with  83%  saying  it  was  because  of  their  sexual                                                                                        orientation.

• More  than  half  of  all  faculty,  students,  &  staff  hide  their  sexual  identity  (43%)  or  gender  identity  (63%)  to  avoid  intimidation.

Star  Activity  

Sexual  Identity  and  Orientation

Gender  Identity  and  Expression  

NU’s  Campus  Statistics  

Provided  by  Mary  Desler,  DOSA  Senior  Assessment  Analyst  

• 2.0%   Asexual• 1.9%   Bisexual• 2.7%   Gay• 0.2%   Genderqueer• .32   Trans• 0.6%   Lesbian• 0.4%   Pansexual• 0.5%   Queer• 1.0%   Questioning/Not  sure• 90%   Heterosexual• 0.4%   Other• 2.0%   Prefer  not  to  answer

LGBTQ

 7.5%

 -­‐9.3%

More  Descriptors• A  slightly  higher  percentage  of  LGBTQ  

students  appear  to  be  male  (50%  -­‐ 66%)

• LGBTQ  students  are  equally  distributed  in  all  classes,  i.e.,  freshmen,  sophomores,  juniors,  &  seniors

• LGBTQ  students  are  enrolled  in  all  six  undergraduate  schools;  may  be  slightly  overrepresented  in  SOC

• Six  out  of  ten  LGBTQ  students  are  White

• 5%  of  LGBTQ  students  are  not  “out”

• 16%  of  LGBTQ  students  are  in  fraternities  and  sororities

Identity  Diversity

Orientation  Spectrum

Bi*  Sexual  Oppression

• Do  you  ever  “see”  bi*  identities?  

• Not  a  phase  en  route  to  a  gay  or  lesbian  identity.  

• Assuming  that  everyone  you  meet  is  either  heterosexual  or  homosexual.  

• Thinking  bisexual  people  haven’t  made  up  their  minds.  

• Thinking  bi*  people  are  sexually  promiscuous,  or  incapable  of  monogamous  relationships.  

Asexuality• Asexuality  is  not  limited  to  no  sexual                      

attraction• There  is  a  sexual  spectrum  of  asexuality                                        

and  a  romantic  spectrum  of  asexuality  

Orientation  &  Gender  Continuum

Not  a  third  gender!

Gender  Pronouns  Activity  

Gender  Pronouns  Activity  • How  easy  or  hard  was  it  using  the  gender  pronouns  you  choose?  

Why?  

• What  was  it  like  having  someone  use  a  gender  pronoun  to  describe  you?  

• How  many  of  you  automatically  gender  people  by  he/him/his  or  she/her/hers?    Why  do  we  do  this?  

• How  does  asking  for  gender  pronouns  disrupt  oppression?  

• Where  should  you  put  gender  pronouns?  EVERYWHERE!  

Understanding  and  Ending  Oppression

Heterosexual  Privilege• Openly  express  affection  (in  most  situations).

• Openly  discuss  your  relationship  and  acknowledge  your  partner.

• Expect  to  see  supportive  examples/role  models.

• Belong  to  your  religious  denomination  without  fear  of  being  denounced  for  your  sexuality.

• Easily  find  a  neighborhood  in  which  neighbors  will  accept  you  and  your  family.

• Your  orientation  is  not  tied  to  your  job  security.

Cisgender Privilege• Use  public  facilities  such  as  gym  locker  rooms,  store  changing  rooms,  and  

restrooms  without  stares,  fear,  or  anxiety  associated  with  or  caused  by  verbal  abuse,  physical  intimidation,  or  arrest.

• Strangers  don’t  assume  they  can  ask  you  what  your  genitals  look  like  and  how  you  have  sex.

• You  can  access  gender  exclusive  spaces  such  as  the  “Ladies  Night”  at  a  club/bar,  Fraternity/Sorority  Life,  etc.  

• Strangers  call  you  by  the  name  you  provide,  and  don’t  ask  what  your  “real  name”  is.

• You  have  the  ability  to  flirt,  engage  in  courtship,  or  form  a  relationship  and  not  fear  that  your  biological  status  may  be  cause  for  rejection  or  attack,  nor  will  it  cause  your  partner  to  question  their  sexual  orientation.

• Your  identity  is  not  considered  a  “gender  identity    disorder”  In  the  DSM  IV.

Microaggressions

• Microaggressions are  brief  and  commonplace  verbal,  behavioral,  or  environmental  indignities,  whether  intentional  or  unintentional,  that  communicate  hostile,  derogatory,  or  negative  slights  and  insults  towards  people  of  marginalized  groups.

• Perpetrators  of  microaggressions are  often  unaware  that  they  engage  in  such  communications  when  they  interact  with  people  of  marginalized  groups.

• Intention does  not  always  equal  IMPACT

Microaggressions  Against  Trans*  People

• Not  asking  or  refusing  to  use  chosen  names.  • Not  asking  or  refusing  to  use  chosen  pronouns.  • Comments  such  as  “What  is  it?”,  “Trannie”,  “She-­‐male”• Asking  Trans*  people  about:– Their  “real”  name– Their  genitals  or  how  they  have  sex– Their  hormones  or  surgery  status

• Refusing  to  allow  the  use  of  “they”  or  “zie”  as  a  gender  inclusive  singular  pronoun  in  academic  work  without  addressing  reasons  why.

Microaggressions  Against  Sexual  Orientations

• Assuming  someone’s  sexual  orientation  because  of  their  gender  expression,  or  others  sensory  markers.  

• Assuming  Bisexuality,  Pansexuality,  Asexuality  and  other  sexually  fluid  identities…– Do  not  exist– Are  a  phase  en  route  to  a  gay  or  lesbian  identity  

• “That’s  so  gay”,  “No  homo”,  “I  knew  you  were  (insert  sexual  identity)  already”.  

• What  choices,  conversations  do  you  have  in  this  moment?  

• Have  to  you  affirmed  the  person  in  this  situation?  

• Are  there  proactive  measures  you  could  have  taken  

• In  this  scenario,  what  are  you  comfortable,  uncomfortable,  or  unfamiliar  with?  

• Attend  the  second  Safe  Space  Ally  Workshop:  Social  Justice  &  Ally  Development– Placards  will  be  distributed  after  your  attendance  at  Part  II.

• Training  Evaluation  (e-­‐mailed  shortly)• Attend  Step-­‐UP!  Training    

Next  Steps

Reflection  and  Resources

Never  doubt  that  a  small  group  of  thoughtful,  committed  citizens  can  change  the  world.  Indeed,  it  is  the  

only  thing  that  ever  has.

-­‐ Margaret  Mead”

“