The world is a very different place from when I was in college
at the University of Florida in the 1960s. The Stonewall riots in
New York which ignited the national lesbian, gay, bisexual,
transgender civil rights movement had not yet occurred. The
American Psychological Association had not yet removed
homosexuality as an illness. Vermont had not yet created civil
unions. Sexual orientation or gender identity were not yet in the
laws of 14 states. The Episcopal Church had not yet ordained an
openly gay bishop. And colleges and universities had not yet
developed LGBT campus resource centers to support the academic and
personal growth of an invisible population of students.
The UCLA Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Campus Resource Center
was created in 1995 to provide a comprehensive range of education,
information and advocacy services. The center works to create and
maintain an open, safe and inclusive environment for lesbian, gay,
bisexual, transgender, queer, questioning and same-gender-loving
students, faculty, staff, their families and friends and the entire
campus community. This vision continues to guide our work today as
we move into a new center that was specifically designed for our
services and needs.
As with the other eight UC campuses, the LGBT Campus Resource
Center here offers a variety of support groups, a common gathering
space, crisis intervention and consultation with individuals and
groups. We house a growing library with over 1,200 books as well as
referral guides, scholarship materials and housing and job
information. We provide classroom seminars and faculty, staff and
department presentations as well as assist with Safe Zones program,
which is sponsored by the Office of Residential Life.
The death of Matthew Shepard five years ago still reminds us of
the climate of fear in which LGBT students often live. Sadly,
Mathew’s story is an extreme version of what many LGBT
students face each day: discrimination, harassment, verbal abuse
and, all too often, physical violence. Every day, students are
targeted merely because of who they are, or who they are perceived
to be. We must not allow this climate of intimidation to prevail.
All students, LGBT or not, deserve access to safe and respectful
educational environments where they can reach their full
potential.
LGBT students are arriving on campuses every year expecting
their voices to be heard, their concerns acknowledged, their needs
met, and their educational environments welcoming. The LGBT Campus
Resource Center at UCLA not only provides services for LGBT
students but also helps the campus move toward becoming a socially
just and diverse community. It is a place where students,
regardless of sexual orientation and gender identity, have access
to needed materials and may meet others like themselves. Social
change tends to be the central issue for our powerful and
courageous LGBT student organizations on campuses. Those
organizations, as well as the LGBT Center staff, know that basic
issues such as coming out are still critical for most LGBT
students.
Given the typically heterosexist values underlying higher
education, the work involved in proactively addressing LGBT
students and building a campus community inclusive and welcoming of
LGBT faculty, students and staff is often controversial and
demanding. We at the LGBT Campus Resource Center do not have an
easy task. Systematically examining and publicizing the extent of
the problems of invisibility and even inclusion, and thoughtfully
developing comprehensive intervention strategies, are necessary
steps to building support for change.
Steven Leider and I are committed to doing everything possible
to help create a safe and welcoming campus for all of our students,
while valuing the sexual orientation and gender identity of each
one. We invite you to visit us at the LGBT center, which is located
in the new student activities center in suite B36. For further
information or to access our calendar of events, please go to our
Web site at www.lgbt.ucla.edu, call us at (310) 206-3628, or e-mail
us at [email protected].
Sanlo is the director of the UCLA Lesbian Gay Bisexual
Transgender Campus Resource Center and an ASUCLA Communication
Board member.