The Pride Center at Cal Poly will hold its first quarterly Ally Training workshop Feb. 3, open to students, faculty, staff and community members interested in becoming allies for the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer and Questioning (LGBTQ) community.
The Pride Center defines an ally as “a person, often straight, who is accepting and supportive of the LGBTQ community.” It’s impossible to figure how many allies are among the Cal Poly community. But each training session usually produces about 10 to 15 allies.
“Too often, when people speak hate, they do it out of ignorance,” said Anthony Rust, a biological sciences junior and Mustang Daily sex columnist. “Ally training is about empowering people in an area they might not be familiar with.”
Ally training is a 2-hour workshop held twice every quarter that empowers people to show support through action, backed by knowledge. Two sessions are planned for Feb. 3 from 10 to noon, and 2 to 4 p.m. in the University Union, room 219. Training is also slated for March 3, but times for that day have yet to be announced.
Prior to Spring quarter 2009, ally training was called Safe Zone training. Since then, the program has been modified and now offers a process of becoming accredited. After attending the two-hour workshop, allies can self-select for their name to be listed on the Pride Center Web site. The Pride Center urges those who have participated in workshops before Spring 2009 to attend the newly formatted training sessions.
Regardless of format, the goal has remained constant: Educate and create a safe resource.
“If you can create one ally and share that knowledge, they become a little point of light,” said Bryn Smith, Americorps Promise Fellow for the Pride Center and MultiCultural Affairs at Cal Poly. “It’s the ripple effect … that’s powerful.”
But just getting to the workshop might be a big step for some. Because participants are predominantly straight, some may not know what to expect.
“It’s not like you have to walk into a rainbow room where we are flying a huge pride flag,” Rust said. “The people that participate are empowered with information. A lot of the time it’s a group conversation.”
Activities are designed to facilitate understanding of common LGBTQ and ally experiences, tackling issues like terminology and homophobia.
There are four levels of ally development related specifically to becoming an ally to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and questioning persons: awareness, knowledge, skills and action. These areas are explored and discussed at each ally workshop.
Nonetheless, language could be the root of confusion when labeling or even identifying one’s identity; so many titles are constantly being created, adopted and then rejected, adding to the chaos.
“Getting the terminology right is one of the most important parts, also one of the most difficult parts,” said Seth Winkenwerder, a Pride Center student assistant.
Smith said the most difficult discussion point during ally training sessions is the question of choice.
“Why did you choose your sexual orientation? … It’s a simple but difficult question that is asked a lot,” Smith said. “I usually respond by asking if (he/she) chose to be straight. People usually say ‘no’ and move on.”
Despite the language barrier and initial uneasiness some experience, straight men and women who want to be allies for the LGBTQ community are not expected to know all the answers.
“You don’t have to be perfect to be an ally, just willing to learn,” Smith said.
For more information about becoming an ally or attending an ally training workshop, visit pride.calpoly.edu or e-mail calpoly.ally@gmail.com.