PUBLICATIONS Inside Illinois Vol. 20, No. 10, Nov. 16, 2000

ALLY network provides safety from discrimination, promotes inclusiveness

Sharita Forrest , News Bureau Staff Writer
(217) 333-1085; slforres@illinois.edu

Photo by Bill Wiegand A good 'label' Pink trangle-shaped pins and door placards imprinted with the word "ALLY" identify faculty, staff and student members of the network who are willing to provide support to people dealing with concerns related to their sexual orientation. Lydia Khuri, program coordinator in the Counseling Center, is co-director of the program.

Pursuing academic, professional and personal goals is tough enough. People shouldn’t have to face additional hurdles because of their sexual orientation.

That’s the philosophy behind the campus’s Ally Network, an organization working toward ensuring that lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender faculty, staff and students find the UI campus welcoming and inclusive – a place where people can be open about their sexuality and free from fear and discrimination.

Pink triangle-shaped pins and door placards imprinted with the word "ALLY" identify faculty, staff and student members of the network who are providing support for people dealing with concerns related to their sexual orientation and to help build awareness of problems such as homophobia and HIV/AIDS.

The network is co-sponsored by the Student Affairs Office for LGBT Concerns and the Counseling Center. Network co-directors are Lydia Khuri, program coordinator in the Counseling Center; Curt McKay, assistant dean in the School of Library and Information Sciences; and Pat Morey, assistant dean in the Office of Student Affairs. McKay and Morey have been part of the network since it began in the spring of 1994. A similar program at Ball State University served as the model for the UI program.

Initially begun as a small campaign in which staff members in Student Affairs were challenged to demonstrate support of the LGBT community by wearing Ally buttons, the program has expanded into a campuswide network of faculty and staff members, and teaching, research and graduate assistants.

"We provide information, raise awareness, and engage in political and social advocacy, and lead through personal example," Khuri said. Morey estimates there are about 100 designated Allies around campus.

Membership is open to anyone. A three-hour training program educates Allies about the history of gay America and familiarizes them with the symbols and terminology used by the gay community. Skill-building exercises such as role playing help Allies learn how to provide support to people dealing with sexual orientation issues. Allies also learn about other resources available to assist LGBT students, faculty and staff members.

Allies meet the first Friday of every month at noon at the Illini Union to share experiences, offer support and learn more about the problems and issues that confront LGBT people, their families and friends.
An Ally meeting last year featured a panel of local religious leaders discussing their organizations’ positions on LGBT concerns. Another program focused on families, exploring from a variety of perspectives the issues and feelings confronting parents, children and spouses of gays.

At meetings Allies also share their own experiences, discussing reactions they may have gotten from displaying their Ally pins and door placards or how they’ve been affected by helping LGBT people who have sought them out.

"When you have someone who’s been threatened or beat up because of his or her sexual orientation, that’s a pretty heavy kind of thing to have to deal with," McKay said. McKay said that displaying his door triangle enables potential students to feel more comfortable asking about the university and local community’s receptivity to LGBT people and helps them better decide if this is an environment that will support them in reaching their personal and professional goals.

Allies also are encouraged to become active in working for societal change – for example by being visible at the Coming Out Day rally on campus. Another upcoming event Allies are being encouraged to support is the Ninth Annual Midwest Bisexual, Lesbian Gay and Transgender Ally College Conference to be held on campus Feb. 16-18, 2001. The conference is expected to draw 1,500 to 2,000 LGBT students to the UI for entertainment and educational workshops.

ALLY network Based in the Office of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Concerns Room 322-A Illini Union 244-8863.