A   C o m p r e h e n s i v e   M a n u a l

issues that cross race, class and gender

How are people of color represented in

lines.  (For more information and further

your group?

elaboration of these issues please see the

The very first thing to realize is that com 

section on Diversity in Chapter 3,"Man 

ing out and living in the lgbt community

aging Your Group", pp 55 78.)

is qualitatively different for people of

color than it is for white and white ethnic

How are women/ men represented in your

people.  Many of the services provided

group?

for lgbt students, if they even exist, tend

LGBT organizations often fail to equally

to focus on the needs and concerns of

represent both genders.  Again, keep in

European Americans, with little attention

mind that this is fine if your group was

devoted to the additional needs of stu 

formed primarily to support lesbians or

dents of color.

gay men, etc.  However, make sure that

this is clear from the outset.  If your

There are some important issues to

group isn t gender specific, make sure

understand when we talk about lgbt peo 

that the dominant gender is making a

ple of color.  Sometimes lgbt students feel

concerted effort to obtain representation

as if they must choose whether to primar 

from the minority gender.  This will not

ily identify with the mostly straight com 

happen just by sitting there and hoping.

munities of color or the mostly white lgbt

You must actively go and pursue people

community.  It is stressful to deal with the

from the under represented gender.

homophobia of one community and the

racism of the other.  It is hard to feel like

Often it is women who are the under rep 

you belong anywhere when you come

resented gender, and men will be in the

from two or more oppressed groups

majority.  If this is the case, it is important

because it often feels like you must

for men to take a close look at how the

choose which one you feel is more

power/ decision making structure of the

important.  

group is organized, what the group norms

are, and what activities the group has

As a group, it is important to create a wel 

done.  It is not acceptable to have men in

coming environment that allows

all the power positions.  Everyone, and

all parts of someone s

your group as a whole, will be better off

identity to be rec 

if the power is more evenly distributed

o g n i z e d

among both genders.

One good way to meet the needs of the

minority gender is to ask them what their

needs are.  It is important to ask members

of the under represented gender to be

specific about their requests and expecta 

tions.   

and celebrated.  Additionally, it is

important to remember that all stu 

dents of color will not have the same

experience.  For example, Asian Ameri 

can students have a qualitatively different

D e f i n i n g   Y o u r   G r o u p

M     5