In This Issue Current Issue Archives

August, 2005

GLBT Matters - August 2005 - Full Issue
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Advising GLBT Students on Overseas Study a Challenging Endeavor
Advising gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender students on study abroad is a multifaceted endeavor, one that can depend as much on the student’s individual goals as on the situations facing GLBT students in the countries they choose to visit. Preparation, developing appropriate expectations and the need to address re-entry make for a complex advisory approach.

From the Editor
Expanding one's world by living side by side with those of different religions, cultures and ethnicities can be the most profound and life-changing decision any student can make. For those in a sexual minority, it also is particularly threatening, bringing to fore a list of precautionary measures that need to be taken to ensure a safe yet riveting overseas study adventure.

NAFSA Rainbow SIG: A Resource for Advisors and Students
NAFSA’s Rainbow SIG website is www.indiana.edu/~overseas/lesbigay. The Rainbow SIG is comprised of NAFSA (www.nafsa.org) members. It states as its goals to counsel international students and study abroad students who are gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgendered; to support gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered professionals in international education; and to combat homophobia, heterosexism and transphobia within NAFSA. It holds many resources for educators involved in overseas study, including a recent presentation by Kevin Morrison at Earlham College titled We Don’t Have Those Where I Come From: GLBT Issues in an Intercultural Context.

Web Resources
International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission; The Gully Magazine; Human Rights Watch; Behind the Mask; Amnesty International; New Internatioanlist Magazine; Council on International Educational Exchange

World Map - Sodomy Laws Around the World
A World map images of Legal & Illegal Sodomy Laws

Advising Students to Study in a Gay Mecca Overseas, or Not?
By Eero Jesurun
Advising gay students who want to study abroad can be a challenge for international educators. The growing numbers of programs in many more places of the world have become a reality that requires more training and preparation for advisors on an American campus. In most advising sessions, in addition to locating a good academic program, it is quite another challenge to address the “best” living location for a gay student to meet each individual's needs.

Student Views from Overseas
The following quotes are from Diversity Issues in Study Abroad, a booklet of quotes by Brown University students about their experiences abroad. The quotes were gathered through a survey of students returning from either spring semester/full year 1999–2000 or fall semester 2000–2001 abroad. The survey addressed issues of diversity in study abroad; the excerpts below deal with sexual orientation.

I Want My Queer TV! The Use of Contemporary Media in LGBT Programming and Training
By Andrea “Dre” Domingue
From nationally broadcast television shows to mainstream films and independent projects, queer images are present in today’s media like never before. Within the last year alone, three LGBT-centered television channels were launched in the United States (Q Television, Here! and LOGO) and countless queer characters have surfaced in reality shows, documentaries, sitcoms, drama series and talk shows. It is, of course, affirming to see an influx of queer images in today’s media; it is also important to recognize that these images are not always accurate representations or are exclusive to select populations and identities.