2012/2013
www.campuspride.org
Welcome Campus Pride Resource Guide Are you ready to take ACTION?! Campus Pride's "Lil’ Purple Backpack" Resource Guide helps you create a safer, more welcoming place for LGBT people on your campus. This pocket-sized resource is full of student organizing and social justice tips and tricks, how-to’s and action guides for LGBT students, campus and community organizers, student organizations and staff and faculty. Let Campus Pride help you make a positive difference for LGBT and ally issues on your campus. The "Lil’ Purple Backpack" is available online at www.CampusPride.org or in print. And, it’s FREE! If you would like to request additional copies, please email info@campuspride.org. Lead with Pride,
Shane Windmeyer Founder & Executive Director, Campus Pride
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The Do's and Don't's of Campus Organizing .....................................................................pg. 7 Core Values of LGBT & Ally Leadership.............................................................................pg. 9 Queer Tips for Increasing Attendance for Campus Groups.................................................pg. 12 Rate Your School’s LGBT-Friendliness ............................................................................pr. 15 Top 25 List of LGBT-Friendly Colleges and Universities .....................................................pg. 17 Top 10 Trans-Friendly Colleges and Universities .............................................................pg. 18 Top 10 LGBT-Friendly College Athletic Programs..............................................................pg. 19 How to Write Your LGBT & Ally Student Leader Agenda ......................................................pg. 21 LGBT & Ally Student Leader Checklist.............................................................................pg. 23 10 Steps to Planning LGBT Events..................................................................................pg. 27 Money... Money... Money .............................................................................................pg. 30 13 Ways to Put Trans Advocacy Into Action .....................................................................pg. 34 Campus Pride Speaker's Bureau....................................................................................pg. 37 Resources .................................................................................................................pg. 41
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The Do's and Don't's of Campus Organizing The Do’s: Do strive to reach win/win agreements for both the university and the organization. Look for alignments between the university's and organization's missions, visions, values and commitments.
Do seek to understand what motivates people to join the organization. What motivates one member might not motivate another. This is okay! Offer programming that appeals to a wide variety of people. Talk to your less active members and see what they're looking from in your organization.
Do ask for help instead of trying to do it all on your own. Utilize the talents of your organization's members, and reach out to faculty and staff allies. Partner with other organizations. Getting more people involved makes your organization stronger.
Do organize with a playful heart and maintain focus on the 5 P's: Purpose, Passion, Presence, Power and Possibilities. Remember, just because it's work doesn't mean it can't also be fun.
Do share your impressions freely-and hold your opinions. Are you making assumptions about the situation or are you assessing the situation? By using assessment tools, you and other leaders can help the university focus on solutions and create a process for gaining a clear, objective picture of the current situation.
The Don’ts: Don’t judge and make the university feel under attack. The job of a student leader is to help the university be the best it can. The focus is finding solutions, not placing blame. The governing board of the university will give more of themselves when they are focused on the positive. 7
Don’t forget to remain true to the leadership Code of Ethics. Remember these five keys: Respect, Trust, Confidentiality, Credibility and Integrity. Consistently "role model" these values. Don’t work without a timeline. A timeline will auto-magically build in accountability. Set benchmarks for the next meeting or the next step in the process. Start early and delegate tasks. Don’t assume you're without prejudice. All of us have prejudices and are subject to prejudice. Understand your prejudice and exercise your personal power and privilege to foster more diversity. Don’t try to control your organization. Lead your organization! When it feels like you are steering your organization's sailboat, it's time to give up the helm. Empower your organization members to participate and explore for themselves. Remember, change comes from within. Your fellow organization members have great wisdom and feel ownership only when they are part of the solution. Source: Christopher Bylone & Jess McDonald, Campus Pride, 2012.
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Core Values of LGBT & Ally Leadership Openness, Honesty & Integrity: Good leaders do not always tell people what they want to hear. Instead, they challenge people to discuss difficult but important issues. They encourage an environment of openness and honesty. Discussing your organization's problem areas and how to improve them is crucial for the future of your group.
Passion & Enthusiasm:
A good leader engages not just the minds of others but their hearts and souls, too. Utilize the passions and enthusiasm of your members from the first meeting in order to keep them coming back. Encouraging heart and soul also results in more meaningful experiences in the long run, shaping individuals' futures and dreams.
Innovation & Creativity: Leaders dare people to be different and challenge people to try new things. Doing what you have always done will get you what you have always gotten, and tomorrow is about "leading the pack" not being part of it. Don't be afraid to experiment with events and advertising!
Courage & Humility:
To lead an organization takes courage: courage to try new things, to make mistakes, to admit you don't know everything, and to know that what works today may not work tomorrow. Leaders must work with others to create a lasting leadership legacy based on the courage that will touch peoples' hearts.
Trust: If a leader can't trust the people around them, then those people won't trust the leader either. In that case, the organization will not achieve anything of lasting value together. A true partnership is working with others rather than for the leader. Source: Christopher Bylone & Jess McDonald, Campus Pride, 2012
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Queer Tips for Increasing Attendance for Campus Groups Many LGBTQIA student organizations want to increase their membership. Whether your organization is just starting or has been around for years, attracting new members and increasing your visibility on campus is very important to having a successful year.
Creative Advertising Explore policies on posting flyers, chalking sidewalks, and adding your event information to your college's online calendar. Find out if you can hang large, colorful banners on the sides of buildings or from balconies. Pass out candy along with information about meeting times. Consider using table tents in dining halls to reach a broader audience.
Email Reminders Build a contact list by having a table at orientation or another wellattended event early in the school year. Consider getting in touch with other political activism groups and progressive groups on campus (Amnesty International, Young Democrats, Women's/Gender Studies Department) to see if they will send an email out for you.
Online Outreach Create and maintain a fabulous web page and don't forget Facebook and Twitter. Keep them all updated and include each web address on fliers, signs, mailings, etc. This is great way to reach questioning or shy students who are too nervous to stop at a table and get information.
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Reconsider Meeting Times Send out a survey asking members what meeting times and days are best for them. Based on responses, consider moving your meetings to an earlier or later time. You might also think about alternating meeting times, such as meeting at 3 p.m. one week and 7 p.m. the next. It might seem complicated, but it could increase your meeting attendance.
Partner with Other Organizations This is one of the easiest ways to increase your attendance! Find common ground and plan an event such as a voting drive with a political organization or a panel on the experiences of LGBTQ people of color with the Black Student Union or similar group. Reach out to community groups such as PFLAG to pool your resources and reach a broader audience when hosting speakers or other events. You can also plan social outings or service days with other organizations to create new connections.
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Hold Exciting Recruiting Events A Drag Ball, Show or Contest can be exciting and get people involved. Another interesting event is "Live Homosexual Acts," also known as "Queer Zoo." Rope off an area or chalk the sidewalks (get permission!), give out tickets, and show queer students‌going about their daily business! Have "out" members of your group do homework, eat lunch, and chat in this little viewing area to show that they're not so shockingly different from other students after all. You could also hold a Film Festival! You can show both serious dramas and campy classics. There are also lots of foreign language films dealing with LGBT themes.
Free Food A tried and true favorite! Advertise that there will be free food at your event/meeting and make sure there will be enough for everyone. Source: Nicky Rohrkemper & Jess McDonald, Campus Pride, 2012.
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Rate your school's LGBT-friendliness Campus Pride's LGBT-Friendly Climate Index is designed to help students, faculty and staff provide an accurate, in-depth assessment of their college or university's programs, policies and practices for LGBT safety and inclusion. Is your campus doing all it can to create a welcoming environment for everyone? Learn more about out the Index and how to assess your campus's inclusion in eight different areas ranging from counseling and health to policy inclusion at www.CampusPrideIndex.org.
Want to get started? Follow these important tips: 1. Discuss the issues: Bring together a small group of students, faculty and staff to discuss current policies and programs on your campus. Visit the Campus Pride Index to see our assessment categories and do an informal assessment over the course of one or two meetings. 2. Take the plunge: After your initial, informal assessment, have a faculty member take the lead on your new assessment committee and sign up for a free account at the Campus Pride Index. 3. Begin your official assessment: Once your account is approved, have your faculty or staff lead complete the index tool consisting of 50+ self-assessment questions. Keep your team in the loop and be sure to include students, faculty, staff and administrators who reflect the diversity of your campus population (age, race, ability, involvement, etc.). 4. Review your results: When you're done, an assessment review will be returned. Review the results and recommendations and set your campus on a course to increased diversity and inclusion! Learn more and get started at www.CampusPrideIndex.org. 15
Top 25 List of LGBT-Friendly Colleges & Universities Campus Pride is proud to announce the 2012-2013 top 25 campuses for LGBT students, based on data from the Campus Pride Index in partnership with the Huffington Post Gay Voices. The Index rates campuses based on LGBT-friendly policies, programs, and practices. Make sure your campus is on the Index in order to be considered for next year's list!
The list includes (in alphabetical order): Carleton College University of Michigan Cornell University University of Minnesota-Twin Cities Emory University University of Oregon Indiana University University of Pennsylvania Ithaca College University of Utah Oberlin College University of Vermont Portland State University University of Washington. Stanford University The Ohio State University The Pennsylvania State University University of California, Berkeley University of California, Los Angeles University of California, Riverside www.CampusPrideIndex.org University of California, Santa Barbara University of Chicago University of Illinois at Chicago University of Maryland, College Park University of Massachusetts, Amherst
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Top 10 Trans-Friendly Colleges & Universities Campus Pride and The Advocate recently announced the first ever list of the "Best of the Best" transgender-friendly colleges and universities. The list is based on the Campus Pride Index's measures of trans-friendly policies, programs, and practices. These include fully inclusive nondiscrimination statements, gender-inclusive housing and bathroom options, a straightforward way to change name and gender in campus records, recognizing trans identities on institutional forms, and including hormones and surgeries in student health insurance.
The list includes (in alphabetical order): Ithaca College New York University Princeton University University of California, Los Angeles University of California, Riverside University of Massachusetts, Amherst University of Michigan University of Oregon University of Pennsylvania University of Vermont Make sure your campus is listed on the Campus Pride Index in order to be considered for future "Best of the Best" lists!
Learn More www.CampusPride.org Source: Shane Windmeyer, Campus Pride, 2012
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Top 10 LGBT-Friendly Colleges Athletic Programs Campus Pride and Compete Magazine recently partnered to create the first-ever list of the "Best of the Best" colleges and universities with LGBTfriendly athletic departments and programs. The 2012-13 list was compiled from nominations received nationwide, with each reviewed for its LGBTinclusion efforts, practices, and policy implementation.
The list includes (in alphabetical order): Bates College Bowdoin College Bucknell University Columbia University Indiana University Ithaca College Kennesaw State University New York University Stanford University Whitman College The list is one of the first resources of Campus Pride's Out to Play project, created to begin the dialogue of LGBT safety and inclusion in college athletics while providing the necessary research to broaden efforts to combat anti-LGBT conduct, bias and slurs in sports.
Learn More www.CampusPride.org Source: Shane Windmeyer, Campus Pride, 2012
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How to Write Your LGBT & Ally Student Leader Agenda Look at yourself Before you can truly excel at helping others, you have to be sure that you're able to help yourself. Consider what type of leadership style works best for you. You should be enjoying yourself and getting the most out of your leadership experience. Also consider what issues and ideas really drive you. If you're passionate about what you're doing, not only will you produce greater results, but your passion will inspire others.
Educate yourself What does your local community really need? Talk to people and find out what's been done already, if it was successful, and what should be done next. Take the time to understand the climate, politically and socially, both in the local community and at your college. No one is ever criticized for knowing too much about about their advocacy.
Be realistic Remember that as a student, you'll only be there for four or five (or in some cases ten) years. That shouldn't stop you from doing something, but it should impact how you plan. Figure out how you can involve other students who will continue the work after you leave. Also be on the lookout for faculty and staff who are passionate about these issues and make sure to involve them for a greater impact.
Consider all of the issues True equality means equal rights for everyone, not just for you and those like you. You'll sound hypocritical if you ignore the oppression of other people and fail to help them in their time of need. If you support others, they'll be more apt to do the same for your cause. Source: Chad Grandy & Greg Varnum (Triangle Foundation), Jess McDonald (Campus Pride), 2012.
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LGBT & Ally Student Leader Checklist Use this handy checklist to determine how LGBT-inclusive your campus is and which areas could use more attention and resources from student leaders, student organizations, administrators, faculty and staff. Fill-in the blanks at the end with five of your own LGBT-friendly checklist items for your campus. Keep the checklist handy as a guide to measure how much work needs to be done and where to focus your time and energy.
Your Name of College/University:
How to Measure Your Checklist Results: 19+ Yes Responses: LGBT-Friendly Campus; Definitely on a path to progress. 18-10 Yes Responses: More LGBT-Friendly efforts necessary; Apparent areas of success & improvement. 9-1 Yes Responses: Much work to be done; Warrants definite attention.
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TOPIC/SERVICE/PROGRAM
Yes
1. High number of Out LGBT Students? 2. High number of Out LGBT Faculty/Staff? 3. High number of Visible LGBT Allies? 4. Significant number of LGBT social events? 5. Significant number of LGBT educational events? 6. Visible signs/symbols of LGBT support on campus? 7. LGBT & Ally Student Organization? 8. LGBT Resource Center/Office funded by campus? 9. LGBT Pride Week/Coming Out Week? 10. Variety of LGBT Studies/Courses? 11. Safe Zone/Safe Space or Ally Program? 12. LGBT student scholarships available? 13. Nondiscrimination policy inclusive of sexual orientation? 14. Nondiscrimination policy inclusive of gender identity/expression? 15. Same-sex domestic partner benefits available? 16. Inclusive LGBT housing options/themes? 17. LGBT-inclusive health services/testing? 18. LGBT-inclusive counseling/support groups? 19. Procedure for reporting LGBT bias, harassment & hate crimes? 20. First-Year Experience/Orientation inclusive of LGBT issues? 21. * 22. * 23. * 24. * 25. *
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No
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10 Steps to Planning LGBT & Ally Events 1.
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The Big Idea: Get your group together to discuss ways it wants to reach out to the campus community. Actively brainstorm ideas for events and activities. Once you have your idea in place, think about the goals for the program. Do you want to educate, entertain, provide a social opportunity for LGBT students, increase political awareness of LGBT issues, or a combination of several of these things? Setting goals will guide how you ultimately move forward! Working with your Advisor: Talk with your advisor about your idea to get their feedback. An advisor can share with you any potential obstacles as well as the best way to make your idea a success. If you don’t have an advisor, go to the Student Activities office or Multicultural Resource Center for support and guidance. Getting Outside Help: Contact Campus Pride to inquire about the Campus Pride Speaker's Bureau (see page 37). Contact the speaker, talent agency, DJ, movie company or whatever outside person or persons you may need for your event. Ask about availability, logistics and cost. It’s All in the Details: Choose a date, time and place that you think will best serve the audience you are reaching out to. Make a reservation for the space. Decide if you need any technical equipment, microphones, podiums or other needs for the event. Decide on the set up of the room: Do you want the chairs in a large circle or classroom style with tables and chairs? Use an Event Committee: A true team works together, so involve your committee in the planning and execution of the event. Order food, prizes, and giveaways well in advance. Delegate tasks to other committee members; everyone likes to feel like they have contributed to the event’s success. Create your programs and an event evaluation form. Recruit volunteers to work before/during/after the event by passing out flyers, setting up the space, taking tickets or picking up/dropping off the speaker/entertainer. 27
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Publicity 101: Start early spreading the word about your event via Facebook, Twitter and other social media. Be creative with your flyers/posters and online announcements. Everyone is used to seeing 8 by 11 flyers around campus; make your flyers stand out by cutting them into a shape or make it a bright color or bigger in size. Consistency is important, so be sure to include the date, time, place, event title, a short event description, and your group logo on every piece of publicity. One Day to Go: If you are bringing in someone from outside campus, contact the entertainer/agent/movie company the day before the event to be sure everything is in order. This will ensure that you prevent any unnecessary problems caused by misinformation or lack of communication. Do a last minute publicity blitz with small flyers, Facebook blasts, and sidewalk chalk. It’s Show Time! On the day of the event, make sure the room is set up properly and your volunteers are reminded when to be there. Add some special touches to the room with decorations or fun posters. Everyone likes a festive look! Have fun! YouĂve worked so hard, so be sure to enjoy and remember the event. Acknowledge the work of your fellow members. You have created something special and should feel proud.
10. Evaluate for Improvement: After the event is over, pass out a short evaluation form to all participants to get their feedback. Take time to get feedback from your group members as well. Be sure to write everything down and pass it on to the next person who may be planning future events. Feedback guarantees future improvement and success. Source: Regina Young Hyatt, Campus Pride, 2012.
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Money... Money... Money Fundraising money for your student organization can be fun and very rewarding. In some cases, finding money for a student group has its own challenges. Here are some thoughts on how to face the fundraising challenges with fun and opportunity:
Co-Sponsorship This is a way to get more than one group or office involved with your program or project. Even small donations add up and having many co-sponsors strengthens the publicity and outreach of the event. Be sure to look around your community; many non-profit groups and businesses might be willing to sponsor your events and activities.
Funding Requests Put together a proposal and present it to student government, the student activities office, and the dean’s office. Make sure that your proposal is solid, includes information on both your group and the event, and explains why you think the dean (or student government etc.) should give your group the money. Some local non-profits in your community might also offer grants; ask them about grant request forms and the grant cycle process.
Food Sales A tried-and-true favorite! Whether you are selling baked goods, bagels, candy bars or soup & bread, these are pretty self-explanatory. While they might be labor intensive, food sales are also a good way to get publicity for your group and the event you are fundraising for. Just don’t eat all the profits!
Raffle Another way to make some money for your cause is to hold a raffle. With a 50/50 raffle you sell raffle tickets -- the winner gets 50% of the money and our group gets the other 50%. Or you can solicit great prizes from local businesses and sell raffle tickets. You get the money and the winners get cool gifts. (Be sure to check with your campus activities office about this, as the rules regarding raffles may vary from campus to campus.) 30
13 Ways to Put Trans Advocacy Into Action "I felt alone and isolated. No one cared. No one really understood me and what I was going through. I loved school, but I never felt safe there because I was trans. I was threatened, followed, cornered, pushed, spit on, kicked, slapped, punched, beaten, and assaulted. I decided this is not the way I wanted to get an education and so I dropped out."- Keisha, age 21 As educators, students, advocates, and activists, we have to take the lead on trans issues and concerns on campus. After educating ourselves, we must educate others on our campus. To be true advocates, we must empower ourselves and others by identifying power imbalances and creating opportunities to correct those power imbalances through collective action that transforms our educational institutions into safe and supportive environments. The following is a checklist of ways to improve the educational and work environments of colleges and universities for trans students, staff, and faculty.
Update Policy and Forms: 1. Include gender expression and gender identity in official nondiscrimination policies. This helps to provide a safe educational and work environment for everyone, especially in matters of protecting against violence, harassment, and discrimination in tenure, promotion, student admissions and financial aid. 2. Be gender inclusive with all forms, including surveys, administrative forms, and applications. Do not limit gender and sex categories to "male" and "female," but also include "transgender" or "trans."
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3. Develop guidelines to assist trans students, staff, and faculty in navigating your school system, including addressing concerns with bathrooms, residential living arrangements, school identification picture cards, name changes, possible issues of harassment, etc.
Use Appropriate Language: 4. Provide workshops, guest speakers, and professional trainings to encourage use of gender-neutral and trans-friendly language. For example, use parent or guardian instead of mother/father, use partner instead of girlfriend/boyfriend. Do not assume the sexual orientation of a trans person. 5. Respect trans people by using appropriate pronouns and preferred names. When in doubt, ask! (Some people may prefer gender neutral pronouns such as "they" or "ze" instead of he or she, and "their" or "hir" instead of his or her.)
Create a Safe Environment: 6. Include trans literature, brochures, books, magazines, art work, and posters in your lobby or office. This helps people to feel welcomed and more comfortable. 7. Be an ally. Create an atmosphere in which derogatory remarks regarding trans people are not acceptable. 8. Hire openly trans people as staff and faculty who provide valuable knowledge about trans needs, as well as help trans students, and other trans staff and faculty feel represented in your school.
Increase Awareness & Provide Educational Training: 9. Ask for help from trans-specific local and national organizations. Build collaborative relationships between your schools and local centers, organizations, and support groups. 10.Have your campus LGBT center be inclusive of trans people as well. Providing trans-specific services, programs, and resources. Create a safe and welcoming space by training staff to be aware of trans experiences and concerns. This is essential for support, outreach, education, and advocacy. 35
11. Encourage staff and faculty to include trans films, articles, books, guest speakers, and panels in their curricula to provide a place for open discussion, increased awareness, and education about the various issues affecting trans people.
Establish Resources: 12.Designate resource people in your college or university to update and provide trans specific resources for students, staff, and faculty. Make sure your personal or office libraries, as well as your college or university libraries, can provide current books and films on trans issues and experiences. 13.Fund students to attend trans specific conferences to educate themselves, and encourage them to present their findings or share their information with campus organizations and others. Source: Lydia A. Sausa (Collegiate Empowerment, Inc.) & Jess McDonald, 2012
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BOOK NOW www.CampusPride.org • info@campuspride.org • 704-277-6710, ext 0
Speaker's Bureau This year Campus Pride is launching a new online speaker’s bureau of diverse voices, topics and stories from LGBT and ally artists. These artists work directly with Campus Pride and give a portion of proceeds from every booking back to Campus Pride to support our mission of building LGBT and ally leaders and safer, more welcoming campus communities.
Anna Aagenes Executive Director out GO! (Generation Out) Athletes and former out college track and cross-country athlete
Kye Allums First "out" transgender person to play NCAA Division 1 sports; established the Transition Tour to spread awareness and educate about transgender identities and issues
Dale Alexander Groundbreaking singer/songwriter who challenges steretypes about masculinity through his honest pop music
Calpernia Addams Actress, musician, author and activist known for her work in and for the transgender community
Ben Cohen Professional rugby player and ally who created the StandUp Foundation to combat bullying, particularly against the LGBT community
Randi Driscoll Singer/songwriter famous for her song "What Matters" written in response to the Matthew Shepard hate crime 37
BOOK NOW www.CampusPride.org • info@campuspride.org • 704-277-6710, ext 0
Speaker's Bureau Daniel Gray Singer, songwriter, and producer whose infectious dance beats made waves after his recent Island Def Jam album debut
Kara Laricks Former school teacher and winner of NBC's first season of Fashion Star who gained attention for her androgynous clothing design
Joanna Lohman Out professional soccer player and creator of JoLi Academy, which empowers young girls around the world to play soccer and further their education
Pete Mandeau Former men's tennis coach at Harvard who accidentally outed himself to his team in 2003 but found a surprisingly positive reception from coaches and athletes
Johnny McGovern TV personality, nightlife superstar, live music artist and stand up comedian known for his role on LOGO's "Big Gay Sketch Show"
Jaime Nabozny Anti-bullying crusader whose landmark federal lawsuit and film "Bullied" document his experience being bullied during middle and high school for being gay
Robyn Ochs Bisexual activist, educator, and workshop leader whose work focuses on the complexities of sexuality and gender 38
Speaker's Bureau Brian Sims Advocate and policy attorney who is the only openly gay college football captain in NCAA history and Pennsylvania's first openly gay state legislator
Justin Utley "Out" ex-Mormon singer/songwriter and survivor of ex-gay therapy who speaks candidly about his life and experiences through his inspiring music
Shane Windmeyer Leading author and advocate on LGBT campus issues, founder and Executive Director of Campus Pride
Kit Yan Spoken word artist whose engaging performances and powerful messages come from his perspective as a transgender Asian American from Hawaii
Bebe Zahara Benet RuPaul's Drag Race star who followed her heart from Cameroon to the runways of France to US television to inspire us all
BOOK NOW www.CampusPride.org • info@campuspride.org • 704-277-6710, ext 0
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Resources Campus Pride www.campuspride.org
Campus Pride Blog www.campusprideblog.org
Stop The Hate www.stophate.org
Campus Pride In Faith www.campuspride.org/Faith
Campus Pride Index www.CampusPrideIndex.org
Out To Play - LGBT Athletes www.campuspride.org/OuttoPlay
Lambda 10 for Fraternities/Sororities www.lambda10.org
Campus Pride Shop www.campuspride.org/Shop
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