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Southern
Miss ALLIES Program
A Division of Student Affairs
Counseling Center professional staff provide outreach education
and training to Southern Miss staff, including RA’s, and faculty
regarding equal, respectful treatment for persons with different
sexual orientations. A professional staff member also coordinates
the Allies Program, a voluntary association of staff and faculty
who have been trained and chosen to make visible by a posted
office sign their commitment to providing an atmosphere that
is “supportive, respectful, and affirming of students who
identify as gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender.” Allies
make the further commitment that “homophobic and heterosexist
comments and actions will not be tolerated in this office, but
will be addressed in an educational and informative manner.
Ignorance, misinformation, and prejudice will be responded to
with education, accurate information, and understanding.”
The ALLIES Program at Southern Miss was initiated in the Fall
semester of 2000 following a series of incidents in which students
were harassed and threatened because they were perceived as
being gay or lesbian. The intent of the Program is to create
a safer campus climate for all students, regardless of sexual
orientation or identity. It is the belief of the staff of the
Student Counseling Services that every student at Southern
Miss has the right to pursue their education in peace and dignity,
free from harassment, discrimination, and oppression.
By tolerating discrimination and harassment toward gay and lesbian
students, the entire campus community is adversely affected.
These actions serve to create an atmosphere of fear for sexual
minority persons, and they can perpetuate an environment from
which hate crimes may emerge. In addition to the fear experienced
by gay and lesbian students, some heterosexual students, both
men and women, have reported feeling pressured into premature
sexual activity as a way of proving their heterosexuality to
their peers. Ironically, some of the students who were targets
of harassment because they were perceived as gay or lesbian
were in fact heterosexual.
The Mission of the ALLIES Program is to develop and maintain
a network of informed faculty and staff who are willing to be
visibly supportive of students who identify as gay, lesbian,
bisexual, or transgender, and who will work to foster a campus
climate in which all students, regardless of sexual orientation
or identity, may feel safe, supported, respected, and affirmed.
To become an ALLIES Program member at Southern Miss, prospective
ALLIES are asked to attend a two hour training session. During
the training, participants receive information on some of the
challenges faced by gay and lesbian students at Southern Miss. Individuals
who then choose to join the ALLIES are asked to hang an ALLIES
symbol on their office door indicating they will be supportive
of gay and lesbian students, as well as intolerant of homophobic
behaviors by others. All persons interested in receiving the
ALLIES training are encouraged to attend a training session,
and there is no obligation to become an ALLIES Program member.
Participants who attend a training session receive a copy of
the ALLIES Program Manual, which includes useful information
and resources. We have included the entire manual (View
ALLIES Program Manual (PDF)) in a PDF file, and users are
encouraged to copy portions of it for similar purposes or to
link to this site.
Persons interested in attending an ALLIES training or wishing
more information about the ALLIES Program at Southern Miss should
contact the Program coordinator directly via e-mail: Sidne.Buelow@usm.edu |
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CONTACT INFORMATION
AND HOURS OF OPERATION
118 College Drive #5075 Hattiesburg, MS 39406-0001
Telephone: (601) 266-4829
FAX: (601) 266-5146
Email: counseling@usm.edu
EMERGENCY: 911. Ask for University Police. Counselors are also available after-hours in emergency situations call: 601.818.6352.
Hours of Operation and Location:
M-F 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. Kennard-Washington Hall Room 200
Walk-In Services for Students:
M-F 9:45 a.m. - 11:15 a.m. and 1:45 p.m. - 3:15 p.m.
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