Study finds LGBTs harassed on campus

A national survey found that a significant number of university employees and students who are lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender experience harassment or an uncomfortable climate.

Campus Pride, a nonprofit that conducted the study, drew from about 5,150 people at about 100 institutions nationwide in the spring of 2009 and found that LGBT respondents on campus felt they experienced greater discrimination than heterosexual respondents.

Results showed that 23 percent of LGBT respondents were likely to experience harassment, compared to 12 percent of heterosexual respondents. LGBT respondents were also more likely to indicate that harassment was based on sexual identity, results showed.

“Discrimination is still a pervasive factor on college campuses,” said Shane Windmeyer, executive director and founder of Campus Pride.

Less than 8 percent of accredited colleges and universities in the country have LGBT inclusive policies, he said.

UNC is one of the institutions that has sexual orientation included in its non-discrimination policy, said Danny DePuy, assistant director of the UNC LGBTQ center.

“Carolina is pretty intentional about being welcoming,” DePuy said.

Gender identity and gender expression were added to the policy in 2008, she said.

UNC’s LGBTQ center, where students, staff and faculty can participate in Safe Zone programs and find resources, she said. The center raises awareness through education, advocacy and support.

She said that 7 percent of those who use the center’s resources are UNC faculty members.

There are also 1,400 Safe Zone allies trained through an educational program where participants learn how to be supportive of all gender identities, Depuy said.

UNC students have been approved to purchase health insurance for a same-sex partner since the summer of 2004, said Terri Phoenix, director of the UNC LGBTQ center.

Brad Becker, GLBT National Help Center helpline executive director in California, said it is fairly rare for his organization to find a college that does not have GLBT policies.

Another Campus Pride initiative is to include college campuses on a website that rates GLBT climates on campus, Windmeyer said.

UNC-CH is not listed on the website, but system schools including UNC-Greensboro and Appalachian State University are on the list. UNC-G received 3.5 out of 5 possible stars while ASU got 3.

Phoenix said the benchmark used by the website is the number of GLBT policies that are implemented, which might not be an accurate measurement at UNC.

The survey offered universities with a list of recommendations to make LGBT students feel more comfortable. They include offering gender-neutral restrooms and gay-friendly roommates.

Contact the State & National Editor at stntdesk@unc.edu.