Coming out can be a difficult experience for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender students.

For those students who live in the residence halls, it can be even more difficult, said Curt Lund, Safe Zone liaison to Iowa State’s Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Ally Alliance.

“Coming Out in the Residence Halls” is an event intended to facilitate discussion about the problems gays and lesbians who live in ISU’s dorms may encounter.

The discussion will be held Thursday from noon to 1:30 p.m. in Helser Hall’s Chessman Lounge.

The event is part of National Coming Out Days, a celebration of LGBT students running until Friday. The events are sponsored by the Alliance.

Lund, facilitator of the Thursday’s discussion and junior in graphic design, said residence halls can be a difficult environment for gays and lesbians.

“Living in close quarters with a stranger is a tough situation to go through if you’re coming out,” he said. “Also, [living in close quarters] seems to bring out a homophobic attitude often times.”

Lund said he wants residents to be able to find support.

“One of the goals for me is to help others know what resources are available,” Lund said. “We also want to make people among the straight community more aware of LGBT issues.”

Lund said the event will be a discussion in which students can address LGBTAA members and ISU hall directors.

The discussion also may cover topics such as personal experiences in residence halls and whom to contact with problems, Lund said.

Kelly Posey, resident assistant for Mashek House in Wilson Hall, said “Coming Out in the Residence Halls” is definitely a discussion that is needed at ISU.

She said RAs are supportive of residents in many different ways. “You can talk to them and ask them if there is something you can do to ease the process,” she said.

Posey said all residents also can learn from an RA’s actions.

“Students can see actions like keeping an open mind and know that it’s a safe environment,” she said.

Kristen Dunmead, resident assistant for Gwynne House in Wilson Hall, said she hasn’t had any students come to her with LGBT issues.

However, she said there might be situations in residence halls where a person will have problems.

“It’s a difficult situation no matter what,” said Dunmead, senior in apparel design. “It depends on your floor and the types of people. A lot of people have friends that are gay or bisexual, and some have no clue or are misinformed.”

Dunmead said she thinks most residence halls generally are safe environments for those in the gay community.

“Most of the time people are accepting, since more people are coming out,” she said.

Lund said LGBTAA members want to let students know at the discussion that they can talk to their hall directors about specific problems they have.

“Hall directors have made a point to be supportive for students who have trouble with these issues,” he said.