Organization gives voice to campus LGBT community

Leaders from People Respecting Individuals, Differences and Equality said the organization is making strides in their effort to address lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender issues on campus by raising awareness and influencing University policy.

“The goal of the organization is to be the LGBT outreach and education group on campus,” PRIDE President Lanie Parr said.  “In a conservative area like East Texas, there aren’t many places where LGBT people can feel at home.”

Founded in fall 2003 under the name Campus GLBT Outreach, the organization was the first Gay-Straight Alliance of its kind in East Texas, also making it the first LGBT organization at the University.

“In the fall of 2011, we changed the name to PRIDE to more accurately reflect that we are a collection of individuals with a wide variety of sexual orientations, gender identities, expressions and partnership choices,” Parr said.

Since joining the organization in October 2010, Parr said being a part of PRIDE has made a personal impact on her life.
“I can stand for what I think is right,” Parr said.  “We have to go through the processes before we can help everyone understand that (the LGBT community) is not some taboo thing.”

Parr said a goal of the organization is to be a safe zone for anyone who needs a place that they can be themselves.
“It is important that we have an LGBT group on campus,” Parr said. “When LGBT teens shop for schools, they like to know that there is a safe place they can go.”

Since the founding of PRIDE, several other LGBT groups have emerged in East Texas, such as Tyler Area Gays, as well as Straights and Gays for Equality, Tyler Junior College’s LGBT student organization.

In addition to informing their peers about and raising awareness for LGBT affairs, PRIDE has stimulated change in university policy.

Until spring 2011, the University’s handbook did not include any text prohibiting discrimination based on sexual orientation, making the University the only school in The University of Texas system that neglected to add such a policy, Parr said.

PRIDE approached the University’s Student Government Association, demanding that action be taken to resolve the issue.

SGA supported the revision of the University’s non-discrimination policy and passed a resolution that was enacted Feb. 7,  SGA President Tiffany Allison said.

“I believe it is important to accommodate our students”, Allison said.  “Students came to SGA requesting this change and, as the voice of the students, it is our responsibility to take action in order create a university that accommodates everyone, regardless of race, religion, sexual orientation or any other defining characteristic.

“I am honored that SGA was able to successfully make this change and see it come to fruition so quickly. That was an awesome step for our organization,” Parr said. “We had to get that resolved as soon as we could.”

Parr said PRIDE members participate in several LGBT movements and events each year, including National Coming Out Day, the NOH8 Campaign and the Give a Damn Campaign launched in April 2010 by American pop star Cyndi Lauper.

PRIDE also participates annually in the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life.

PRIDE will be promoting safe sex on campus Dec. 1, known as World AIDS Day, organization officer Megan Allen said.

“We’re currently working on an event called Cocoa and Condoms to spread awareness,” Allen said.  “I’m going to be passing out condoms from the Great American Condom Campaign.”

“We’ll have sex education materials and hot cocoa between the lakes on campus to promote safe sex,” Parr said.  “We will also be going to the World AIDS Day Memorial with Tyler Area Gays.”

Parr said students who are interested in joining PRIDE can email prideatutt@gmail.com for more information.

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