Title IX is not just about gender-based discrimination but also protects students based on sexual orientation and gender identity.
Title IX and the Clery Act protect all students from harassment, discrimination, and violence based on their gender, gender expression, gender identity, or sexual orientation. LGBTQ+ individuals who feel they are being subject to harassment, discrimination or abuse may talk to the Confidential Advocate and they can provide education, support, and resources. The Advocate is sensitive to the additional confidentiality concerns and potential barriers for survivors. Additionally, students can speak non-confidentially to a number of other people including but not limited to
- The Title IX Office
- The Queer and Transgender Resource Center
- The Dean of Students Office
- CARE Team
- University Ombuds Services
- University Police
- Any other faculty/staff the student feels comfortable speaking to.
What does LGBTQQIA stand for?
Lesbian: Term used to describe woman-identified people attracted romantically, erotically, and/or emotionally to other woman-identified people.
Gay: Term used in some cultural settings to represent men who are attracted to men in a romantic, erotic and/or emotional sense. Not all men who have sex with men identify as gay, and as such this label should be used with caution.
Bisexual: A person emotionally, physically, and/or sexually attracted to males/men and females/women. This attraction does not have to be equally split between genders and there may be a preference for one gender over others. (Pansexual – A person who is person emotionally, physically, and/or sexually attracted to all or many gender expressions.)
Trans: A person whose gender identity or expression differs from conventional expectations for their physical sex. This term was originally coined to describe people who identified with a gender other than the one assigned to them at birth, but who had no plans for medical transition. Trans is now frequently used as an umbrella term for any person who engages in behavior or identification that challenges the gender associated with the person’s assigned sex.
Queer: Originally a derogatory label used to refer to lesbians and gays, or to intimidate and offend heterosexuals. More recently, this term has been reclaimed as an inclusive and positive way to identify all people who do not identify with hetero-normalcy and/or gender-normalcy.
Questioning: Someone who is questioning their sexual orientation and/or gender identity.
Intersex: A person whose combination of chromosomes, gonads, hormones, internal sex organs, and/or genitals differs from one of the two expected patterns.
Asexual: Person who is not sexually attracted to anyone or does not have a sexual orientation. (Aromantic - a person who experiences little or no romantic attraction to others)
About Interpersonal Violence in LGBTQ Communities
Dating/Domestic Violence is a pattern of behavior by one partner in an intimate partner relationship in order to gain and/or maintain power and control over the target.
- Abuse escalates
- Abuse is not always physical. It can be social isolation, stalking, sexual, spiritual, cultural, financial, emotional...
- Abuser feels entitled to having more power and control
Stalking is repeated acts directed at a specific person that places that person in reasonable fear for his/her or others' safety, or causes the victim to suffer substantial emotional distress.
Sexual Assault is sexual touching without affirmative consent.
Rape is sexual penetration without affirmative consent.
Affirmative Consent is an informed, affirmative, conscious decision by each participant to engage in mutually agreed-upon sexual activity. Consent must be voluntary, and given without coercion, force, threats, or intimidation.
Dating/Domestic Violence, Stalking and Sexual Assault occur in any type of relationship regardless of gender or sexual orientation
The dynamics are the same – it is all about Power and Control over another person Intimate partner violence happens in LGBTQ communities as often as in heterosexual communities. (1 in 4). It crosses all ethnic, social, racial and economic lines. Anyone can be a victim of domestic violence, and anyone can abuse, regardless of identity, politics, gender, or experience.
Myths and Facts about LGBTQ Interpersonal Violence
MYTH: If both parties are being physically violent with one another, they both abusers.FACT: What we’re missing from this example is context…why were both people physically violent? Was one person defending themselves? Is one person in danger? The idea of mutual battering implies that both partners are equal in the relationship and that both share the responsibility for the abuse.
MYTH: The batterer is usually more masculine, stronger and larger, while the victim is usually more feminine, weaker and smaller.FACT: Partner abuse is about one person exerting power, dominance and control over another. The abuse can be physical, sexual, verbal, emotional, psychological, and/or financial in nature and may involve the use of weapons and threats as well as homophobic/biphobic/transphobic control. Exerting power does not require the batterer to be larger or physically stronger. LGBT partner abuse is not confined to “gender roles.”
MYTH: Sex offenders are typically gay men.FACT: The vast majority of sex offenders are heterosexual men involved in consenting adult relationships or marriages.
MYTH: Children who are sexually assaulted will sexually assault others when they grow up.FACT: Most sex offenders were not sexually assaulted as children and most children who are sexually assaulted do not sexually assault others.