ALLIES Benefits, Responsibilities and Contract

Benefits of Being an Ally:

• 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.

1. I am an Ally for and with gay, lesbian, and bisexual people.

2. I know that I'll be making a difference in the lives of gay, lesbian, and bisexual members of the UCF
campus community.

3. 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.

4. 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.

5. 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.

Being An Ally Includes:

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.

I, __________________, hereby have permission to be imperfect with regards to people who are different from me. It's okay that I do not know all the answers about GLBT issues or if, at times, my ignorance and misunderstandings become obvious. I have permission to ask questions that appear stupid. I have permission to struggle with these issues and be honest about my feelings.

I am, however, committed to educating myself, and others, about oppression, heterosexism, and homophobia, and to combating it on a personal level.

I am committed to working toward providing a safe, confidential support network for members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgendered community.

I am committed to treating everyone with the dignity and respect that they are entitled to as human beings.

Signature: _______________________________ Date:________________

Name: _____________________________ Date of Advance: ________________

E-mail: ______________________________ Work Phone: _________________

Dept. Address:___________________________________________________

Faculty______ Staff______

Student_______ Graduate Student________

Anticipated Date of Graduation: ________________________

Do you have an office on campus? If yes, what is your:

Department: _____________________

Location: ________________________

Student Address______________________________________________

Home Phone:__________________

_____Check here if you do NOT wish to include your name & contact information in ALLIES newspaper ads.

_____Check here if you do NOT wish to include your name & contact information on the ALLIES web site.

_____Check here if you do NOT wish to join the ALLIES email listserv.

Please be sure to update your information periodically (especially if it changes each semester)
through the ALLIES website, by using our online update form.