1. +
Progress Through Unity
Diversity/Inclusion
Multicultural Student Leadership Conference
Miami University
Oxford, OH

2. +
Inclusive
LGBT
Dialogue
Why is awareness
of proper LGBT
dialogue important
for student leaders?
How does LGBT
awareness affect
diversity and
inclusivity?
Rebecca Frost
Graduate Student
Student Affairs in Higher Education
Academic Support Graduate Assistant | Rinella Learning Center

3. +
Structuring Intergroup Dialogue
1. Creating an
environment for
dialogue
2. Situating
dialogue:
Learning about
the differences
and
commonalities of
experience
3. Exploring
conflicts and
multiple
perspectives
4. Moving from
dialogue to
action

4. +

Identify areas of personal leadership
strength and areas of enhancement
Learning Outcomes

Learn skills that enhance effective and
meaningful communication between
individuals, within groups, and in
communities

Learn skills and techniques to enhance
personal success as well as the mission
of campus student organizations
Diversity/Inclusion
Community Development
“Making diversity work requires a deeper
understanding of the meaning and
consequences of group differences.
Intergroup dialogue…is a promising
approach to helping us understand one
another, explore social and cultural
differences, identify common ground,
and communicate honestly.” Pg.8 Zuniga
Knowledge and
awareness about one’s
own and others’ social
identities
Small-group leadership skills,
ability to lead difficult
conversation and constructively
explore conflicting needs

5. +
Clarifying Attitudes
and Beliefs

In the first questionnaire, the purpose in
responding is to bring to your
consciousness what attitudes or values
you may hold

In the second questionnaire, the purpose
in responding is to sort out the myths and
realities that can lead to greater selfawareness

Both questionnaires are to remain
anonymous
In Two Parts

6. Why is LGBT intergroup dialogue
+
important?
Statistics on Campus Climate for LGBT Students

100% of LGBTQ respondents indicate anti-LGBTQ attitudes
exist on campus

80% of negative and hurtful comments directed towards
LGBTQ students come from fellow students

66% of LGBTQ students report hiding their sexual orientation
or gender identity from other students

65% of LGBTQ report unfair treatment from other students

Nearly 1 in 5 first-year students report being uninterested in
making friends with LGBTQ students

26% of LGBTQ students consider leaving campus

7. +
Situating the Dialogue
Learning About Differences and Commonalities of
Experience

Goal: Develop a shared vocabulary for talking about issues of
social identity and to situate similar and different experiences
within a larger social narrative

8. +
What’s with all the letters?
L
G
B
T
Q
Lesbian
Gay
Bisexual
Transgender
Queer or Questioning
I
Intersex
A
U
P
Asexual or Ally
Unsure
Pansexual

9. +
Terms and Definitions

Lesbian: A woman whose primary sexual and affectional
orientation is toward people of the same gender.

Gay: A person whose primary sexual and affectional orientation is
toward people of the same gender; can be as an umbrella term for
men and women.

Bisexual: A person whose primary sexual and affectional
orientation is toward people of the same and other genders, or
towards people regardless of their gender.

Transgender: used most often as an umbrella term, some
commonly held definitions 1. Someone whose behavior or
expression does not match their assigned sex. 2. A gender
outside of the man/woman binary. 3. The condition of having no
gender or multiple genders. 4. Some definitions include people
who perform gender or play with it.

10. +
Terms and Definitions

Queer: This term has different meanings to different people.
Some still find it offensive, while others reclaim it to encompass a
broader range of identities, politics, and histories.

Intersex: People who naturally (that is, without any medical
intervention) develop primary or secondary sex characteristics that
do not fit neatly into society's definitions of male or female.

Asexual: Someone who does not experience sexual attraction
towards other people, and who identifies as asexual. May still
have romantic, emotional, affectional, or relational attractions to
other people.

Pansexual: Terms used to describe people who have romantic,
sexual or affectional desire for people of all genders and sexes.

11. +
Terms and Definitions

Gender: The expression or behavior of a person qualified by
society as masculine, feminine, androgynous or any mix thereof.
Fundamentally different from the sex one is assigned at birth.

Cisgender: a gender identity, or performance in a gender role,
that society deems to match the person’s assigned sex at birth. A
term used to call attention to the privilege of people who are not
transgendered.

Sex: a categorization based on the appearance of the genitalia at
birth.

Gender Queer: A person whose gender identity and/or gender
expression falls outside of the cultural norm for their assigned sex.

12. +
Terms and Definitions

Two Spirit: Many Native American Tribes have three, five or
even seven genders. These dual-gendered people, or “twospirited” are viewed differently in different Native communities.

Bear Community: a part of the queer community composed of
queer men similar in looks and interests, most of them big,
hairy, friendly and affectionate.

13. +
Other Terms

Cross Dresser (CD): A word to describe a person who dresses, at
least partially, as a member of a gender other than their assigned
sex; carries no implications of 'usual' gender appearance, or
sexual orientation. Has replaced “Transvestite”

Drag King: A person (often women) who appears as a man on a
temporary basis generally in reference to an act or performance.

Drag Queen: A person (often men) who appears as a woman on
a temporary basis generally in reference to an act or performance.

FTM (F2M): Female-to-male transsexual/transgender person.

MTF (M2F): Male-to-Female transsexual/transgendered person.

14. +
Sex vs. Gender
Man
Gender
queer
Male
Woman
Gender
(How you
identify
yourself)
Twospirit
Sex
(Assigned
at birth)
Trans
gender
Intersex
Female

15. + Sexual Orientation vs. Gender Presentation
Gay
Same
gender
loving
Two-spirit
Lesbian
Sexual
Orientation
(Attraction)
Queer
Bisexual
Pansexual
Straight

16. + Sexual Orientation vs. Gender Presentation
Feminine
Androgynous
Masculine
Gender
Presentation
(How you
present your
gender)
Femme
Butch

17. +
Exploring Conflicts
Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA)

18. +
Exploring Conflicts
Hate Crimes

19. +
Exploring Conflicts
Safe Schools

20. +
Multiple Perspectives
Physical and Emotional Concerns
Access, comfort, and trust
Coming out
Healing from oppression
Coping with stress, anxiety, and
depression

21. +
Move from Dialogue to Action
Help make spaces “Safe Zones”
on campus
If you see (or hear) something,
say something
Educate yourselves and others
of issues facing LGBT students
Don’t assume anyone’s sexual
orientation or gender identity

22. +
Move from Dialogue to Action

23. +
Ongoing Actions
Confronting
Oppression
Challenging
Heterosexist
Systems
Growing as
an Ally

24. +
That’s So Gay