Our Vision:
To reduce homophobia and heterosexism, and to promote inclusiveness for all people at UCF.

Our Mission:
The UCF ALLIES Program facilitates the positive visibility of safe people and open support for UCF's GLBT community in hopes of creating an affirming environment for all people of differing sexual identities.

The ALLIES program addresses its mission through three specific purposes:

(1) to promote and maintain positive visibility of GLBT 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.

(2) to conduct frequent training opportunities for students, faculty, and staff members in order to raise awareness and to educate the community about issues facing the GLBT community; Advance training sessions will provide the opportunity to sign an "ALLIES contract" and to receive a placard displaying personal support of sexual diversity. These placards will indicate to all that issues of sexual orientation can be discussed openly and without fear of discrimination.

(3) to serve as a resource for all members of the UCF community by facilitating exchange across departments and between students, faculty and staff, by providing resources and information, through the Allies website and list-serve and by planning periodic events on campus, and supporting other related UCF initiatives.

By Karen Hofmann, Ph.D.

 

Background and History:

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. This program is supported by students, staff, and faculty who are interested in proactively creating a safe environment for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender (GLBT) people in the university community.

Description and Aims of ALLIES Trainings:

1. The UCF ALLIES Program educates all who are interested in learning more about issues of sexuality and the concerns of GLBT people on campus. It accomplishes this goal by inviting everyone who cares to support GLBT students, staff, and faculty. ALLIES is about alliances and solidarity.

2. The UCF ALLIES Program teaches people to draw on shared insights and understanding and to realize that all people on campus deserve to pursue their lives, work, and education with openness and integrity. It is therefore an important part of UCF’s commitment to foster diversity and mature communication within and across differences.

What people can expect to learn at ALLIES events:

1. How heterosexism and homophobia hurts all of us. Any "ism" assumes that one way of being is better than another based on what a society values. A heterosexist society narrows all people's choices on what is appropriate and acceptable behavior and can be limiting to any person's identity and gender role development.

2. Anybody can be an Ally: Being an ally does not mean that you are GLBT/queer - or that you know everything about sexual politics - or that you have to be a counselor. Being an Ally means that you are willing to listen and understand basic critical information about sexuality and that you are willing and committed to learn more. ALLIES listen with openness and a willingness to learn, and ALLIES strive toward more justice for all people on campus.

3. Learn about sexuality: You will learn a lot about different aspects of how sexuality and sexual identity influence people (including yourself). Sexuality and sexual identity shapes our lives and greatly influences how we view and are viewed by the world. This is not peculiar to gay, lesbian or bisexual people; rather, sexual identity is part of all modern identities (no matter if you are aware of it or not - not being aware of it most likely means that you are not being identified as ‘other’ on the basis of your sexuality). An openness and insistence that we should all be treated with dignity and respect not despite, but including, our various sexual identities, includes heterosexual people as much as people who do not identify as heterosexual.

4. There is absolutely no pressure to agree with anybody, nor is there pressure to do anything in particular (except to express general respect and an openness to learn). You also do not need to become an ally if you do not want to. Attendees at ALLIES Advances have time to think about their decision before signing the contract. The UCF ALLIES Program is not a sales pitch; it is an educational opportunity to effectively support GLBT people and to be a small part of the solution to the problems and damaging effects of heterosexism. The panelists at ALLIES Advances are helpful people who really want everyone present to understand. There are no tests, and you can ask tons of questions. They are willing to answer personal questions about coming out experiences, difficulties and challenges of being GLBT, but also the joys and advantages of being GLBT - and whatever else people ask about.

Written by Claudia Schippert, Ph.D.