Coming out, visibility, and creating change: empowering lesbian, gay, and bisexual people in a rural university community

Abstract

Personal and professional challenges faced in encouraging the development of a gay community in a rural university setting are described. Community psychologists who are lesbian, gay, or bisexual (LGB) must assess their willingness to be open and the roles they can play in developing helping resources. These issues concern how to encourage the empowerment of others while maintaining a collaborative role in a situation of major personal investment. Two specific challenges-developing informal helping resources for local LGB people and fostering institutional and policy changes to make the university a safer place for LGB faculty, staff, and students-are described. Community psychologists must consider personal risk when they become involved in empowerment efforts with this population.