LGBT Safe Zone Aims to Provide More Welcoming U of M Campus

The Daily Helmsman > News LGBT ‘Safe Zone’ aims to provide more welcoming U of M campus

By Chelsea Boozer

News Reporter

Published: Wednesday, February 16, 2011

Updated: Wednesday, February 16, 2011 02:0

When teachers call roll at the beginning of class, it's common for students to clarify the pronunciation of their names.

University of Memphis senior Tenisha Harris has often had to clarify her gender.

Harris, an English major, is a lesbian who wears "boy-like clothing" and a short haircut. She said she is often perceived as a man.

"I constantly reminded (my professor that I am a girl), and it got to a point where he was calling me ‘he' because that's what he looked at me as, I guess," Harris said. "I stopped wasting my time trying to tell him. It didn't really bother me because I looked at him as being the idiot."

Harris said her parents, who are both straight, are supportive of her lifestyle, but other students in the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender community have seen their parents "turn their back on them when they mention the word gay."

The U of M has 12 peer institutions, including University of Alabama at Birmingham, Florida International University and University of Louisville. All have an LGBT Safe Zone.

The Safe Zone program is a nationwide effort that identifies LGBT-friendly faculty, staff and students as resources to LGBT students.

Several individuals from University departments are currently working on a collaborative effort to bring the Safe Zone to The U of M and have formed a

Safe Zone Committee.

Lorna Horishny, administrative secretary in the Career and Psychological Counseling Center and Safe Zone Committee editor, said she hopes the initiative soon garners support from all departments on campus. The committee, dedicated to implementing the zone, will seek support from faculty, staff and students before this semester's end.

"For the last five years, we have been trying to figure out the best way to approach it and give (the program) credibility and show how important it is (to have a Safe Zone on campus)," Horishny said.

When the Safe Zone was first suggested five years ago, it was dismissed because "administration" felt there was no need for it at The U of M, Horishny said.

Tim Smith, student coordinator for Safe Zone Committee and a senior majoring in teaching all learners, said The University lacked information about the Safe Zone at the time and didn't realize its peer institutions had already implemented the program.

"We live in an area, which is reflected on The University, where being gay isn't always OK," Smith said.

The 2009 National School Climate Survey, released last year, reported high numbers of bullying and abuse toward the LGBT community on college campuses nationwide.

Compiled by the Q Research Institute for Higher Education, the survey reported that 84.6 percent of LGBT students said they were verbally harassed,

40.1 percent were physically harassed and 18.8 percent reported physical assault due to their sexual orientation.

Others said they were harassed or abused because of their gender expression: 63.7 percent verbally, 27.2 percent by physical harassment and 12.5 percent by physical abuse.

Harris said U of M faculty and staff aren't aware of the struggles of the LGBT community, and they don't make themselves available to LGBT students.

"I've considered going to another school where there was more openness about the LGBT community," she said. "When people don't feel comfortable, a lot of time that is what they do. The only reason I didn't leave is because I was so far in my major, so I decided to stick it out, and I knew I could." Richard Scott, the Safe Zone Committee's staff coordinator and psychologist for the Career and Psychological Counseling Center, agreed that the retention rates of the LGBT community are affected by how welcome students are on campus.

"If they (LGBT students) are not feeling campus is a safe atmosphere, they are leaving," he said.

Harris said the campus is not as open as it could be.

"College is supposed to be one of those things where you become a part of the college," she said. "I don't feel like I had a chance to do that simply because there is no acceptance for the LGBT community around campus.

Currently, the Safe Zone program won't operate under any particular department or organization when it is implemented — it will stand alone.

However, Horishny said it needs financial and administrative support.

If the program is welcomed, Scott will certify faculty and staff who volunteer to be Safe Zone participants.

"We want people who come to it to want to be well informed allies — those who are openly supportive and affirming toward all faculty, students and staff who are LGBT."

Those certified will have the opportunity to sign a non-binding contract that specifically lists their responsibilities.” The Daily Helmsman > News Visiting preachers provoke peaceful, delicious response

By Chelsea Boozer

Published: Wednesday, September 8, 2010

More than 20 students passed out cookies Thursday in a "silent but friendly" response to Pinpoint Evangelism. They plan to do the same today at noon.

"We felt like [Pinpoint Evangelism] was such an extreme and horrible representation of who Christ actually is and what he actually taught and what we

Christ followers are, that we decided to respond in a silent and friendly way where if anyone wants to talk about why we're doing it, that's cool," said

Richard Dalton, sophomore English major.

"If not, we are just handing out cookies."

Dalton sent a text to about 15 friends saying "the church needs to have a response to the blatant misrepresentation of Christ that's taken place on campus."

After spreading the word, several students got together to make 700 cookies bagged with Bible verses that would more accurately represent Jesus'

"love and how there is no condemnation in Christ," Dalton's text message said.

"Christ is about forgiveness and he is not about condemning," Dalton said. "That was the idea behind this. The Christian community can respond and say 'That's not right', even though it was obvious that [Pinpoint Evangelism] was wrong."

Caleb Henshaw, senior history and political science major, received Dalton's text and participated in the event.

"It was a great idea that could reach a lot of people without force or pressure," Henshaw said.

Though most of the group consisted of students, Josh Ramsay, college pastor at Central Baptist Church in Collierville, Tenn., was also there to support them.

"Many of the students were very upset and thought it was a horrible representation of Christ and his message," Ramsay said.

He said he approved of the "expression of kindness and love" that the students portrayed.

Chase Hairston, senior philosophy major, also texted his friends hoping they would show up to support the cause. It read "John 3:17 - 'For God did not send His son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him.' Don't forget to come pass this message along to our campus today."

"We, as representatives of Jesus on campus, needed to respond to what happened," Hairston said. "My heart is, if anyone was to come away with any concept of Jesus, I don't want it to be what they heard [Pinpoint Evangelism] say. I want it to be that He is all about love."

In about four hours, all of the cookies were handed out.

Jonathon Cruz, junior social work major, liked the message the group put forth.

"He told me about what happened with [Pinpoint Evangelism] and I think this was a really good idea," he said. "This is the true gospel. Jesus is here to save, not to condemn." The Daily Helmsman > News Students stay to serve over spring break

By Chelsea Boozer

News Reporter

Published: Friday, February 25, 2011

Updated: Friday, February 25, 2011 03:02

Instead of going away for Spring Break, 11 University of Memphis students have opted for a "stay-cation," during which they'll volunteer in Memphis and explore the city.

Students participating in the Alternative Spring Break Stay-cation, sponsored by the student involvement office, will join the Metropolitan Inter-Faith

Association in citywide service projects March 7-9.

Angela Norwood, coordinator of student activities and staff leader of the alternative break, said students will be working on three MIFA projects during the break: volunteering with food delivery service Meals on Wheels, helping with neighborhood cleanup in the Vance area of South Memphis, and volunteering at senior citizens' homes.

"We are working on some components that would truly make it feel like a stay-cation by trying to organize an outing or two to Memphis attractions," she said. "Sometimes we don't take advantage of what's right in our backyard."

After volunteering, other activities may include bowling, a trip to the zoo or touring Victorian Village.

Aretha Crowder, senior journalism major, said she is stay-cationing because she likes to volunteer.

"I can benefit from participating in the stay-cation through the opportunity to network with other students while giving back to the local community," she said.

This is the first year the student involvement office has offered an in-city Alternative Spring Break. Outside Memphis, the 2011 Alternative Spring Break will be held March 5-12 in New Orleans, where students will work for Habitat for Humanity.

A record 52 students applied to travel to New Orleans, though due to housing limitations, only 14 students could be accepted. Others who applied were asked to participate in the stay-cation.

"Our applicant pool was an outstanding group of students who were all committed to doing service over spring break," Norwood said. "The thought was that we could still give students a great opportunity and provide some much-needed service right here in Memphis."