LGBTQ+ Diversity Dialogue

On Wednesday, April 6^th, The Office of Diversity and Inclusion hosted a Diversity Dialogue designed to raise awareness about issues affecting individuals in the LGBTQ+ community.

During this event, students participated in discussions about LGBTQ+ representation in the media and Reparative/Corrective therapies. While discussing media representation, students explored the impact negative representation has on the personal and professional lives of individuals in the LGBTQ+ community. A discussion of the role the media plays in perpetuating harmful stereotypes was also held. Reparative/Corrective therapies were also discussed and facilitated by Dr. Leigh Baker and James Dinh from the Student Counseling Center. Students were engaged as they discovered “treatments” used to “correct” those in the LGBTQ+ community such as electric shocks, ice-baths, and “corrective” sexual assault. Students gained an understanding of these issues and were provided with resources to spread awareness.

For more information, please contact the Office of Diversity and Inclusion at diversity@tarleton.edu. 

List of Resources provided by Counseling Services:

• The Lies and Dangers of Efforts to Change Sexual Orientation or Gender Identity: http://hrc.org/resources/the-lies-and-dangers-of-reparative-therapy
• National Center for Lesbian Rights. #BornPerfect: The Facts About Conversion Therapy: http://nclrights.org/bornperfect-the-facts-about-conversion-therapy/
• Suicide Prevention Resource Center. (2008) "Preventing Suicide among Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgendered, and Questioning Youth and Young Adult": http://www.sprc.org/library/SPRC_LGBT_Youth.pdf