GLBT support group to hold meeting

Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Student Support Services is sponsoring GenderTalk, a monthly support group offering confidential support to students, faculty and community members exploring the meaning of gender and the differences between gender and sex. GenderTalk will hold its first meeting of the semester at 6 p.m. tonight in Bryan Hall on the top floor of the Student Activities Tower in the Indiana Memorial Union. \nCarol Fischer, an advisor for GenderTalk and a GLBT staff member, hopes the group will appeal to a broad range of students.\n"One of the things the facilitator and I talked about was how to reach the undergrads," Fischer said. "Our office is here to serve the students, and because we weren't attracting the undergrads with the former discussion group, TransDialogue, we decided to change our focus."\nThat new focus will explore issues such as the definition of gender and prescribed gender roles. Fischer said she hopes the group will provide support and answer any questions people may have about issues of gender.\n"I think that students are dealing more with gender issues," Fischer said. "Hopefully it will be a support group. It could be for someone who doesn't have any questions but is just interested in knowing more."\nBarry Magee, associate director of diversity education for Residential Programs and Services, believes that any group that explores issues of diversity is a good thing.\n"I don't think we have enough groups like this to question important issues on anything…(such as) race, gender and sexuality," Magee said.\nCreating a safe haven such as GenderTalk is beneficial to all students, he said.\n"Sometimes we don't always have those opportunities outside of the classroom to discuss who we are," Magee said. "That's a big part of what a college education is about."\nThe group's facilitator, a first year doctoral student who wished to remain nameless, hopes her reluctance to come out is an issue the group can talk about. \n"There was a group prior to this that met until last semester that was called TransDialogue," the facilitator said. "…The word 'trans' tends to make people think about people who are going to have gender reassignment surgery. This is not what this group is about. This group is for people who are not completely comfortable with their gender."\nLike Fischer, the facilitator hopes people who feel completely comfortable with their gender attend and participate in the meeting. \n"Even someone who is totally comfortable with their gender or just wants to be supportive can come," the facilitator said. "Specifically, this is a support group for people to talk about their feelings and their questions."\nFischer said she's very excited about this group and hopes it can function as an extension of another group on campus, GenderC.O.R.E.\n"GenderC.O.R.E. is a student group, of students, by students, for students," Fischer said. "Their main goals are social activities, political activism and education."\nJunior Carrie Colvard, founder and president of GenderC.O.R.E., is also very excited about GenderTalk.\n"It's really cool because GenderC.O.R.E. and GenderTalk will cover everything," Colvard said. "GenderC.O.R.E. provides activism and activities and education. Now you have different groups to go to about (discussing) gender issues."\nColvard said these groups tend to "preach to the choir" about gender issues, but feels it's important these groups exist as to give people an outlet for discussion. \n"It's important to be out there, so people who are dealing with issues of gender know that somebody is there," Colvard said. "Everyone deals with gender and gender roles and being told they need to live up to a certain stereotype. It affects everyone."\nThe facilitator is hopeful GenderTalk will provide acceptance to people dealing with gender issues. \n"It's a very visceral feeling, not feeling like you belong to a gender group. And it's all very isolating," the facilitator said. "I think people will be interested with an open mind to become aware that we are out there and to gain some tolerance and acceptance. Tolerance is so important."\nGenderTalk will meet every third Thursday, once a month, in Bryan Hall from 6-7 p.m.