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Ally Week celebrates LGBTQ community

With rainbow flags unfurled and pamphlets in hand, members of UNC’s lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community have been passing out rainbow ribbons and ally pins in the Pit since Monday as part of Ally Week.

Ally Week is a celebration of the University’s more than 1,400 Safe Zone Allies, who are trained to provide a supportive environment for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender students and to discuss LGBT issues.

The annual event consists of student outreach in the Pit and will conclude with a Safe Zone Ally reception and resource fair today in the Student Union. More than 300 ally pins were passed out throughout the week.

“It’s about making visible the support available on campus for people of all sexual orientations, gender identities and gender expressions,” said Terri Phoenix, director of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer Center at UNC.

Safe Zone Allies are students, faculty and staff who undergo four-hour training sessions conducted by the LGBTQ Center. Those who complete the program are officially certified to provide support for LGBT students.

Phoenix said the program has become increasingly popular in recent years. During the 2005-06 school year — her first at UNC — 125 allies signed up for training. Last semester alone counted 197 new allies.

UNC’s Safe Zone program was created in 1997, and the weeklong celebration of allies has been held since 2001. Celebrations of the LGBT community have happened on campus since Gay Awareness Week began in 1978.

Area businesses have expressed support for Ally Week by offering discounts or free goods for patrons sporting ally pins and ribbons. On Thursday, campus coffeehouse The Daily Grind participated by giving away a free small coffee to allies.

“I thought it was a good thing to support,” said Daily Grind owner Jane Brown.

Students don’t have to be Safe Zone trained to receive a ribbon or pin.

Scott Hudson, senior associate director for operations with the Student Union, has worn a rainbow ribbon on his lapel every day this week.

“I’ve probably been asked a dozen times, ‘What’s up with the ribbon?’” he said. “It’s an opportunity to talk about the program.”

Various Triangle organizations will support Ally Week Friday by coming out to the Triangle Resource Fair, which brings together gay-friendly businesses to tell attendees about their services and present volunteer opportunities.

Attending organizations include The Olin T. Binkley Memorial Baptist Church and the Orange County Rape Crisis Center. N.C. State University’s GLBT Center will also have a table.

Although the UNC Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender-Straight Alliance will participate in Ally Week, the group’s publicity co-coordinator Enrique Perez said he feels allies should be celebrated year-round.

“Allies are essential for the future of the LGBT community,” he said.

Contact the University Editor at udesk@unc.edu.

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