About UCF Allies
At a time when every-day discrimination remains a pervasive threat to members of the GLBT community, the UCF ALLIES Program is an incredibly important project that supports UCF's mission and strategic goal to become more diverse. Staff, faculty, and especially students need spaces in which they can think thoughts, ask questions, develop ideas, and engage with the world. Such locations must be open and full of possibility, rather than closed off and limited by fear, discrimination, or suspicion. Allies provides and makes visible such spaces in which such critical thoughts and open lives are possible and supported.
ALLIES was initiated by Dr. Karen Hofmann who was the multicultural liaison at the Counseling Center. The first Allies "Advances" (workshops) were conducted during the 2002-2003 academic school year. The Counseling Center has now teamed with the Office of Diversity Initiatives and Mr. Michael Freeman to continue to provide this training to all. This program is supported by students, staff, and faculty who are interested in proactively creating a safe environment for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender (GLBTQ) or questioning people in the university community.
Vision: To reduce homophobia and heterosexism, and to promote inclusiveness for all people at UCF regardless of sexual orientation, or gender identity or expression.
Mission: The UCF Allies Program facilitates the positive visibility of safe people and open support for UCF's LGBTQ community in hopes of creating an affirming environment for all people of differing sexual and gender identities, orientations and expressions.
The Allies Program addresses its mission through three specific purposes:
- To promote and maintain positive visibility of LGBTQ friendly people by displaying the official UCF Allies placard, in order to foster an affirming environment that ensures the opportunity for all members of the UCF community to live safe and open lives.
- To conduct frequent educational and awareness training opportunities on various GLBTQ issues for students, faculty, and staff in order to raise awareness and to educate the community about issues facing the GLBTQ community; Advance training sessions will provide the opportunity to sign an "ALLIES contract" and to receive a placard displaying personal support of sexual/gender diversity. These placards will indicate to all that issues of sexual orientation andgender identity and expression can be discussed openly and without fear of discrimination.
- To serve as a connecting resource and liaison to other Allies and to the UCF community by providing resources and information, through the Allies website and list-serve.
- To support the missions of other UCF GLBTQ and Allied student, staff, or faculty organizations and initiatives on campus.
- To be a part of examining and changing UCF policies so that the university becomes more inclusive of and sensitive to the LGBTQ community.
ALLIES include UCF staff, faculty, and students who will display an Ally placard outside their office or residence hall room. This sign identifies them as individuals who are willing to provide a safe space, a listening ear, and show visible support for GLBT people or anyone dealing with sexual orientation issues. Allies are available to answer questions or serve as a resource person.
All Allies will have attended a training workshop called an “Advance” to learn about oppression, heterosexism, homophobia, the coming out process, and the benefits and responsibilities of being an Ally. Every Ally has signed an Allies contract (below) before posting their placard.
Displaying the Ally Placard Means:
- I am an Ally for and with gay, lesbian, and bisexual people.
- I know that I'll be making a difference in the lives of gay, lesbian, and bisexual members of the UCF campus community.
- I am designated as a "safe person" to talk to for someone who is gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender. This means that I am committed to listening, understanding, providing support and to maintaining thier confidentiality. I am also committed to speaking with non-gay roommates, friends, or family members who may have questions and wish to speak with someone about these issue.
- I will work to reduce or confront my own or somene else's homophobia and heterosexism by being open, aware, speaking up, or by demonstrating my support of people in various ways. This may include speaking up when a homophobic joke is told, planning awareness activities, or just being there.
- Though I may be an Ally for the gay, lesbian, and bisexual community, my actions mean little if I simultaneously put down other groups on the basis of their race, culture, gender, social status, or physical and mental abilities.
Benefits:
- You have the opportunity to interact with, learn from, listen to, support, and have an impact on a community with which you may not otherwise interact.
- You may be an important reason that your friend, classmate, roommate, teammate, brother, sister, professor, mother, or father finally decide to come out, or that they are worthwhile. The support of ALLIES help gay, lesbian, and bisexual people develop stronger self-esteem and pride in who they are.
- You will make a difference in the campus environment and in the lives of the members of the gay, lesbian, and bisexual community.
- You will make the campus a better place for everyone. Oppression is a negative force, and as long as it exists, everyone is impacted.
Allies Resource Manual
What Science Says
Research-based answers to ten of the most commonly-asked questions about lesian women, gay men, and their families
Answers to Your Questions
Answers to Your Questions
For a Better Understanding of Sexual
Orientation & Homosexuality
Sexual Orientation and Youth
This group's aim is to provide a safe and supporting environmnet for gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, and questioning individuals to discuss and explore various challenges.
Best Practices for Surveys
This group will focus on developing relaxation, guided imagery, and self-hypnosis skills to improve your ability to manage stress, concentrate, improve memory, increase self-confidence, and develop a more positive outlook on life.
GLMA Guidelines for Care
Gay and Lesbian Medical Association (GLMA) Guidelines for Care of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Patients
Heterosexual Privilege
We live in a society where being heterosexual or perceived as heterosexual carries advantages
and entitlements. Many of these benefits are most often invisible and provide financial,
emotional, and safety entitlements.
LGBT Health and Wellness
Information on some of the health issues that affect the LGBT community.
