At college campuses, cultivating a sense of belonging for all identities is essential for the well-being of students and staff alike.
That is why a group of LGBTQIA+ faculty and staff at Ohio University has worked to foster an environment for themselves and other employees: Out OHIO.
According to the Division of Diversity and Inclusion’s website, “Out OHIO promotes efforts that connect LGBTQ employees with one another, increase visibility and inclusion of LGBTQ people in the OHIO community and build solidarity with people across all identities and lived experience.”
Out OHIO is supported by the Division of Diversity and Inclusion and University Human Resources in an effort to create a greater sense of engagement and belonging among staff.
Paige Klatt, a success advisor for the College of Health Sciences and Professions and a member of Out OHIO, explained that she wants to help foster a place that new staff members can call home.
“It's kind of a nice way to create a bigger group and especially if you're new and you don't have a partner, you don't have any friends in the area, it's kind of a good way to get to know other people,” Klatt said.
Cody Sigmon, an information technology product manager and a member of Out OHIO, said that the group works to create inclusive, accessible events for staff members. One of these events is the Fabulous Front Room First Fridays.
During the first Friday of every month, Out OHIO will welcome LGBTQIA+ community members and allies to The Front Room Coffeehouse for a networking event between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. Attendees will enjoy coffee, wear name tags and chat with colleagues about shared interests and experiences.
“It's really just an opportunity to connect, to chat and maybe even help us brainstorm for how else we can have Out OHIO reflect the interests of OHIO's queer community,” Sigmon said.
Sigmon hopes that Out OHIO will plan more engaging events for staff from hikes to pumpkin patch visits and board game nights.
While student affinity groups are relatively common at OU, similar spaces dedicated to staff are hard to come by, making Out OHIO particularly unique.
“This is kind of common across the board, essentially once you get to this professional level, people forget about like, ‘How do we continue to be inclusive and care about each other and our employees?’" Klatt said.
Sarah Doherty, the assistant director of the LGBT Center and member of Out OHIO, said that being out at work is important, but it is not a shared experience for all queer individuals.
“Not everyone has the privilege of being seen and respected by everyone that they work with, even though that's the goal, that's always the goal,” Doherty said. “That's not everyone's lived experience.”
Doherty explained that self-authenticity is important in workplaces. If someone is suppressing parts of their identity, it is much harder to complete tasks. On the other hand, when employees feel cared for and respected, they are able to increase productivity.
Similarly, when LGBTQIA+ university faculty are out at work, they are able to authentically represent a body of queer students.
“As faculty and staff, that's one of the most crucial things we can do on our level,” said Klatt. “We all should be here for students and making sure that they're having a well-rounded, successful experience, but if they don't feel like they're being seen or heard or have someone they see themselves in, I don't think we're doing them justice.”
Faculty members are an important part of a successful campus community. When staff are able to be themselves, students are able to see possibilities for their future: thriving, happy and successful individuals.
“Every time you see somebody being themselves to the fullest, you're seeing another piece of the beautiful, amazingness that is humanity in the world,” Doherty said. “If faculty and staff are happy and connected and thriving, that's great. That helps everyone see that it's possible to be queer, trans and be thriving and amazing.”
