Sine Anahita, coordinator of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Student Services, said she feels the climate of Iowa State toward LGBT students is improving.

“I feel like there’s a significant change in climate,” Anahita said Friday during “Out on Campus: LGBT Visibility.”

About 45 people attended “Out on Campus” at the Memorial Union. A video produced by ISU alumna Catherine Green was shown.

The video discussed experiences of LGBT students on three campuses in the Washington D.C. area. In discussion following the video, Houston Dougharty, associate dean of students, said “ISU has to embrace [LGBT issues] in order to catch up with other schools in the country.”

Dougharty said the climate has improved on campus in the six months he has been at ISU.

“I’ve sensed that the ambivalence I felt in February has shifted to support,” he said.

Reis Pearson, former coordinator of LGBTSS, said coming out on campus is especially hard for students of color.

“I know a lot of African American lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender students who are terrified to come out in their community because they don’t want to lose that part of themselves,” Pearson said.

Fran Scott, hall director in the Towers Residence Association, said most problems with LGBT issues are from first-year students.

“[First-year students] come from small Iowa towns and have had no exposure,” Scott said.

“Even the word sends them into a tizzy,” she said.

Pearson discussed the reaction an LGBT student might experience as a new member of the ISU community.

“I feel that I am grounded, I know where to go [for support],” Pearson said. “As a new student coming to this campus, are they going to feel the same way?”

Anahita said she was encouraged by the growth of LGBT support on campus. “It’s not just Alliance and LGBTSS; it’s everybody,” she said.

“It just feels like a grass-roots upswelling of support to me,” Anahita said.

Dougharty said one step being taken was a pink triangle indicating a “safe zone” to be placed on doors. New pink triangles will be available in November, Dougharty said.