Micro-aggressions
- interactions between people which can be triggering on the basis of minority or marginalized status
- intentional or unintentional
- verbal or non-verbal
- Don't expect LGBTQ+ individuals to teach you, they aren't your living dictionary
- Become familiar with terminology and important issues
- Find out what's offensive! Ask what you need to know, not what you want to know
Creating Inclusive Spaces
and the LGBTQ+ Community
It's okay
- About sexual orientation or gender
- Gender-Inclusive Language
- "Do you have a boyfriend/girlfriend?"
- Girls wear dresses, Boys wear suits
- Changes don't happen overnight, just keep trying!
- Understanding our privilege is hard
- Use each "oops, ouch" as an educational moment -take note and move on
The -isms
- racism
- classism
- heterosexism
Intersections in Identity
Tackling
the problems
Our identities are intersecting and complex, the
more diverse our education and knowledge the better prepared we are to create safe spaces
Exploring the LGBTQ+ experience, where our individual privileges lie, and how we can change our behaviors to ensure inclusive spaces
What does a good ally look like? How do allies
transform education into action?
What we'll be discussing today
ACTION PLANS: Five minutes to reflect, then let's share!
- Do it for you, not for the brownie points!
- Attend organizations meetings
- Have conversations about diversity topics and what inclusive looks like
- If you talk the talk, walk the walk
- Challenge your vocabulary on a regular basis
- Speak up when you hear something offensive
- Be the Change
- If you change others will notice! One more conversation about inclusion means one more step toward cultural change!
Challenge your Comfort Zone