Megan Karbley, Lesbian 
Graduate Student, College Student Personnel

INVOLVEMENTS AT OU:
Campus Recreation Diversity Task Force, Student Personnel Association 

WHY IS IT IMPORTANT TO BE OUT or TO BE AN ALLY?
Diversity comes in all forms.  Being out not only liberates me, but others as well; showing that LGBT people are everywhere, doing positive things in the community.  

WHY ARE YOU “PROUD”? WHAT ARE YOU MOST “PROUD” OF?
I am proud of the fact that I am still able to break barriers: not a lot people recognize me as gay when they first meet me.  Instead, I am able to challenge their preconceptions of the gay community.

WHAT WAS THE MOST DIFFICULT PART OF COMING OUT?
“Was,” the most difficult part?  It’s still hard sometimes.  Everyday, I meet new people and am in situations where I have to “come out” all over again.  The fear that people might think differently of me is real: the fact that they don’t actually think differently of me has made the process much easier.

WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO OTHERS WHO COME OUT?
Talk to people who care about you.  Be “out” first to the people who matter most.  Ask questions of LGBT people who have gone through the process already.  I can’t stress enough, though, the importance of finding a safe place.  Whether it’s a friend, family member,stranger, or coffee shop; we all need that sense of safety, regardless of who we are.

THOUGHTS FOR NON-LGBT PEOPLE ABOUT LGBT PEOPLE AND CONCERNS:
It matters most in what you say: challenge your language.  You never know when you might open or close the door of an opportunity for an LGBT student to come out to you.  Using inclusive language and showing your support through programs such as SafeZone is an excellent way to challenge yourself to be more inclusive.