I would like to publicly thank President Geoffroy and Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Student Services Coordinator R. Ellen Semran for their commitment to the LGBTAA community at Iowa State.

As an ally, I was pleased that yesterday’s President’s Forum on Diversity focused on ISU’s LGBT community.

I hope the conversations started there will continue to take place across this campus and Iowa State will become a more welcoming place to all different people. There is always room for growth and education.

Regardless of one’s moral beliefs on LGBT people, issues or behaviors, the fact remains that this population DOES deserve to be treated with respect.

Part of respect comes through education.

To quote from the forum’s program, “understand your own feelings about LGBT issues; learn about LGBT communities and cultures; talk with and learn from LGBT friends, classmates, roommates and colleagues; challenge homophobia and heterosexism; don’t make assumptions, and ask about things you don’t understand.”

By being proactive through education and utilizing these items, the ISU community can embrace its LGBT members and recognize the valuable contributions these individuals make to this campus each and every day.

In fact, we could all learn a lot by using these items and substituting in any marginalized group and developing a better understanding of each other.

It’s OK to ask questions. It’s OK to disagree.

What’s not OK is turning a blind eye and passing judgment upon people you don’t take the time to understand.

Step out of your comfort zone and engage in a conversation where you listen instead of judge and see what you learn.

And to all the individuals who attended yesterday’s forum, I hope what you gained there fueled your desire to initiate conversation on ISU’s campus with others. Become an agent for change and growth on campus.

I applaud the Iowa State LGBT community for coming together and presenting a strong case and shedding some light on the culture on our campus.

Let’s keep on talking.

Sara Goers

Graduate Student

Educational Leadership and Policy Studies