We are… LGBT

1. We are… LGBT Assessing the Campus Climate for the LGBT Community at Marshall University Casie McGee Graduate Student Marshall University

2. Introduction • Why is campus climate important? • Fear makes learning less likely. • Retention/graduation rates depend on students staying. • Young LGBT people consistently rank highest in suicide rates. • Is campus climate really an issue? This project started as a class project. Thank you to Dr. NegaDebela, Jackie Clark, and Tarabeth Brumfield.

3. Purpose • The purpose of this study was to assess the campus climate at Marshall University for LGBT people. • More specific goals: • Investigating the attitudes and perceptions of the campus climate for LGBT people at Marshall University. • If Marshall students and staff have general feelings of “Safeness” in their sexual and gender identities while attending and working on campus

4. Mixed-Method Study • Online survey consisted of 8 closed-ended survey questions and one open-ended question • Survey sent to approximately 13,000 Marshall University users resulting in 619 responses to the closed-ended portion and 66 to the open-ended portion

5. Participants • 274 Undergraduate Students • 94 Graduate Students • 100 Faculty • 131 Staff • 19 Administrators • 490 Straight • 129 LGBT • 7 Asexual • 36 Bisexual • 59 Gay/Lesbian • 9 “Other” Sexual Orientation • 15 Questioning • 1 Intersex • 2 Transgender • 2 “Other” Gender

10. Stories “I find it very disturbing that sexual orientation is being compared, in some circles, with civil rights. I do not care what your sexual orientation is or whether you are married or not. Marriage should be a personal issue and the government should stay out of it. By forcing individual beliefs and orientations on someone is not the way to obtain acceptance. As the golden rule states, do unto others as you would have them do to you.” Male, Straight, Staff

11. Stories “I am surprisingly very comfortable being myself and not being afraid to show who I really am on campus. There is a large LGBT community on campus at Marshall, especially when compared to other universities throughout the state, and I am VERY thankful for this. I have not personally experienced any form of discrimination other than people staring when I am with another guy holding hands or kissing, which is understandable but it has never turned into a verbally/physically abusive situation. At most we will hear the occasional “f” word and other derogatory terms. But some people just cant accept the way other people are and there is no changing them so its just something I’ve learned to deal with. No matter what I have always felt safe here, especially when confiding in the amazing LGBT friendly staff.” Male, Gay, Undergrad

12. stories “I am beyond sick of this bullshit being forced upon our students. Your efforts of “acceptance” and pride are just as prejudiced and bigoted as the claims and situation implied in this survey. I wish nothing more than to never hear the term LGBT ever again. I have absolutely no feelings of bias or negativity toward people with any sexual orientation, however I have extreme anger toward this movement of having nonsense like this forced upon us. Fuck you for making this survey.” Female, Straight, Grad Student

13. stories “I am very disturbed with all of the LGBT activities and such. It is overbearing, especially for those of us who disagree with the principles. In other words, it’s unfair to us who do not believe its right to keep throwing it in our face, as much so as it would be for me to tell a homosexual that they are wrong. It is like I’m not being accepted for being straight!!!!!! For being normal and biblical and upon God’s ordinance. With that said, I am not a hater or condemner. I live with the philosophy of Jesus; hate the sin, love the sinner. The sin is homosexuality or like such. The sinner is the person dictated by Satan in such activity. I will pray for them. But I am sick of it being thrown in my face!!!!!!! Straight people have rights and beliefs and matter, too!!!!! God bless:)” Female, Straight, Undergrad

14. stories “I have found that Marshall University offers a variety of courses that in some way address sexual orientation in an acceptable and positive way. I have not seen discrimination at Marshall like I have seen in the area high schools. I see that Marshall is making efforts to educate people to accept one another. I also have found that Marshall has a varied community concerning sexual orientation, race, religion, and heritage. These efforts appear to me to be contributing to a successful blending on Marshall’s campus and making a safer and more accepting attitude overall.” Female, Other, Undergrad

15. Stories “To a certain extent I believe what you do in your bedroom with whom is your business. However, I do take my responsibility to protect my students and coworkers from harassment seriously. I am open about my wife of 27 years some students are more open to share their sexuality. Others don’t. I try to make my classroom and my area of influence a safe place for all people.” Male, Questioning, Faculty

16. Stories “I feel that campus does more to accommodate LGBT students than it does to accommodate straight students. We received emails to celebrate world transgender day. What sort of reaction would a LGBT do if we sent emails out for world straight people day. Or if we had straight pride events. We care about each others feeling a little two much. We’re all people and should be treated as such. I believe we should take no sides. We shouldn’tadvertise whatthey do or theireventsjust as wedon’t for straights. Male, Straight, Undergrad

18. References • Bowers v. Hardwick, 478 U.S. 186 (1986). • Brown University Faculty Committee on the Status of sexual minorities. (1989). Lesbian, gay and bisexual students on the Brown University campus: A study in progress. Providence, R.I. • Brown, R.D., Clarke, B. Gortmaker, V., & Robinson-Keilig, R. (2004). Assessing the campus climate for gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgendered (GLBT) students using a multiple perspectives approach. Journal of College Student Development, 45(1), 8-26. • Evans, N.J. and Rankin, S. (1998). Heterosexism and campus violence: Assessment and intervention strategies. In A. MM. Hoffman, J. H. Schuh, and R. H. Fenske (Eds.), Violence on campus: Defining the problems, strategies for action (169-186). Gaithersburg, MD: Aspen. • Goodridge v. Dept. of Public Health, 798 N.E.2d 941 (Mass. 2003). • Jung, B. and Ostrouch, L. (2012). Research report: Campus climate survey for LGBTQ issues. New Paltz, NY: State University of New York at New Paltz. • Kosciw, J. G., Greytak, E. A., Palmer, N. A., & Boesen, M. J. (2014). The 2013 National School Climate Survey: The experiences of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender youth in our nation’s schools. New York, NY: GLSEN. • La Salle, L. A. (1992, April). Exploring campus intolerance: A textual analysis of comments concerning lesbian, gay, and bisexual people. Paper presented at the meeting of the American Educational Research Association, San Francisco, CA.

19. References • Lawrence v. Texas, 539 U.S. 558 (2003). • Rankin, S. R. (2003). Campus Climate for Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender People: A National Perspective. Washington, DC: The National Gay and Lesbian Task Force Policy Institute. www.ngltf.org. • Renn, K. A. (2000). Including all voices in the classroom. College Teaching, 48(4), 129. • United States v. Windsor, 570 U.S. ___ (2013). • University of Minnesota Selection Committee on Lesbian, Gay and Bisexual Concerns. (1993). Breaking the Silence. Minneapolis/St. Paul. • Visser, N. (2015, April 23). ‘Straight Pride’ posters appear on Ohio’s Youngstown State University campus. Huffington Post. Retrieved from http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/04/23/straight-pride-posters-youngstown-state-university_n_7120038.html?ncid=fcbklnkushpmg00000063 • Woodford, M. R. and Kulick, A. (2014). Academic and social integration on campus among sexual minority students: The impacts of psychological and experiential campus climate. American Journal of Community Psychology 55, 13–24. • Woodford, M. R., Krentzman, A. R., and Gattis, M. N. (2012). Alcohol and drug use among sexual minority college students and their heterosexual counterparts: The effects of experiencing and witnessing incivility and hostility on campus. Substance Abuse and Rehabilitation, 2012:3(1), 11-23. • Young, A. L. (2011). Queer youth advise for educators: How to respect and protect your lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgendered students. New York, NY: Next Generation Press.

20. Refences • Young, S. L., & McKibban, A. R. (2013). Creating safe places: A collaborative autoethnography on LGBT social activism. Sexuality and Culture, 18, 361-384. • Zhao, J. (2015, April 20). Pittsburgh high schoolers under fire for ‘Anti-Gay Day’ with ‘lynch list’ targeting pro-LGBT students. Raw Story. Retrieved from http://www.rawstory.com/2015/04/pittsburgh-high-schoolers-under-fire-for-anti-gay-day-with-lynch-list-targeting-pro-lgbt-students/.