The LGBTQA Office to host panel discussion, supporting equality
In the LGBTQA community, there is a debate about what the ‘A’ actually represents. Some argue it stands for asexual while others believe it stands for ally.
Julia Keleher
Julia Keleher, director of the University of Idaho LGBTQA office, said for her, the ‘A’ stands for both.
“The acronym is very long, it’s hard to include every single identity in that,” she said. “But for this office and the work we do here on campus, it’s important that everyone feels included in what we do.”
To meet that goal, the LGBTQA Office will host a panel discussion at 7 p.m. Tuesday in the Bruce M. Pitman Center’s Vandal Ballroom, formerly the Student Union Building, for students who want to talk about what it means to be an ally to members of the LGBTQA community.
Keleher said the panel discussion will invite audience participation on a crucial topic –how UI students, staff and faculty can become better allies to the LGBTQA community.
The discussion panel will include students from the office’s Speakers Bureau, which was established to spread the message across campus about LGBTQA acceptance.
“We’re usually invited into classrooms for students to tell their coming out story and let people ask them questions,” Keleher said. “It provides that peer education about the gay and lesbian community … they are from all over the spectrum.”
Keleher said those of any sexual orientation or gender identity can be an ally for the LGBTQA community.
“I consider an ally to be someone who stands up for me,” Keleher said. “Someone who stands by — stands up and stands for the LGBTQ community. Someone who educates themselves on it, wants to help out and provides that education to others in their community.”
The ‘A’ in the UI LGBTQA represents at least two kinds of people, those who identify as asexual or those who consider themselves an ally. Keleher said asexual is someone who may not experience sexual attraction or be interested in sexual activity in or out of a relationship. As for ally, Keleher said students can come from any background to support equality.
“That would be hard to include everyone because then the acronym would be the whole alphabet,” she said.
Keleher said the other focal point of the discussion is to show students that the issue of LGBTQA rights is still ongoing and it’s not an issue of queer versus homosexual, but an issue of humans accepting one another.
“It’s not to say that there is no place for heterosexuals in our community because there totally is,” Keleher said.”I say if you stand up for me and you stand up for my rights and want to be a part of my community then you already are a part of my community.”
Keleher said the panel discussion would be the first of its type and hopes it is something that becomes regular in the future. She said the students involved, as well as herself, will give the UI community a chance to ask questions about some of the politics and equality issues that have stirred in Idaho and the U.S. over the last few months.
“We want to provide that information and space,” she said. “I feel that people most of the time are not trying to be rude or be anti-LGBT but they need a place to start.”
Keleher said several students have already started to show interest in becoming an ally and have attended LGBTQA office events and gatherings.
She said she she hopes many students attend Tuesday’s panel to ask questions and gain a better understanding of the LGBTQA community.
Danielle Wiley can be reached at [email protected]