The University of Arizona Faculty & Staff for Gay, Lesbian
and Bisexual Equity (commonly referred to as Equity)was established to
investigate the Campus Climate for gays, lesbians, and bisexuals on campus.
The University of Arizona Faculty & Staff for Gay, Lesbian
and Bisexual Equity (commonly referred to as Equity)was established to
investigate the Campus Climate for gays, lesbians, and bisexuals on campus.
Prepared by: Marian Binder, Melissa Herbert, Randy Oberhoff, Boyer Rickel, Cyma Van Petten and Mark Von Destinon
Equity facilitator and contact person: Bruce Fowler
Introduction
In early October of 1990, two University of Arizona employees--one a faculty member, the other on the professional staff, a man and a woman-- pulled into the parking lot of an off-campus dorm. As part of a series of meetings on various topics, they had been invited by a Resident Advisor to discuss homosexuality with the young men in his hall. The meeting room was a lounge with one small table near the windows and an assortment of chairs, places for twenty; but at 8 p.m., the time of the meeting, the lounge stood empty. Apparently, none of the young men had enough interest in the topic to attend. The R.A. hustled room to room, gathering about fifteen somewhat unwilling participants. Seated at the table, the presenters began by explaining that they had twenty years of experience between them in forums like this one, discussing with various groups--students in high school and college classes, public servants such as police and health care workers--matter of sexual difference. When the opened discussion to everyone, soliciting the students' views on homosexuality, the first few comments seemed guarded, if mildly tolerant: "Who cares one way or the other?" "I just don't like to see it." But when the discussion leaders asked if gays perhaps had rights, the tone shifted: "Fags don't belong in the Rec Center." "Yea, I don't want no faggot lookin' at my ass." "If my sister turned out to be one, I'd beat her."
The young men soon seemed intent on outdoing each other, their hostility escalating. The vicious language, he red faces and tense bodies convinced the presenters that no conversation or discussion was any longer possible. They made a quick closing remark and returned to the safety of their car.
Moreover, the experience convinced them they should talk with other University employees about that night, and about attitudes toward those who are gay, lesbian, or bisexual on our campus.
In Spring of 1991, at noon on the fourth Monday of each month, brown bags on our laps, we numbered eleven, then fifteen, then twenty-three. During the following year, more than ninety attended one or more meetings of the University of Arizona Faculty and Staff for Gay, Lesbian, and Bisexual Equity (referred to hereafter as Equity).
At first we simply collected anecdotal evidence, everything from the report of a department head who enthusiastically helped launch an undergraduate gay/lesbian literature course proposed by a graduate student and adjunct faculty member, to instances of fag jokes told by co-workers. If we were to have a meaningful understanding of employee attitudes toward sexual diversity, however, it was clear that one of our first projects would need to be a campus climate survey. In the Fall of 1991, Equity members with expertise in research design developed such a survey, the results of which this report analyzes.
The survey asks forty-two questions (see Appendix 1), gauging participants' attitudes toward gays. lesbians, and bisexuals, their attitudes toward the rights of these individuals on campus, as well as their perception of the University climate for those who are gay, lesbian, or bisexual. A random sample of University of Arizona faculty and staff was selected by taking one out of every fine names on an alphabetized list of employees. The selected--about three thousand--were sent the survey through campus mail and invited to respond anonymously.
If you have comments or suggestions, email me at matkin@ccit.arizona.edu