LIST YOUR INVOLVEMENTS AT OU:
Senator  for the College of Communication on Student Senate; Vice President of Unify; Member of Phi Alpha Delta Pre-Law Fraternity, International; Resident Assistant in the Read-Johnson Scholars Complex; Member of the Steering Committee for Pride Week 2007.

WHY IS IT IMPORTANT TO BE OUT or TO BE AN ALLY?
I think that it is extremely important to be an Ally so that members of the LGBT community here at Ohio University are aware that they have other people to turn to for support on our campus.  Also, I think it is important for other non-LGBT people to know that there are non-LGBT people who are openly supportive of the LGBT community.  Allies are so important because LGBT people are not going to win the fight for full and total equality without the support and help of non-LGBT people, too.

WHY ARE YOU “PROUD”?  WHAT ARE YOU MOST “PROUD”OF?:
I am most proud of my ability to step outside of my comfort zone during my four years at Ohio University, especially within the LGBT community.  I did not have a lot of LGBT friends in high school, and in a few short years I grew to be a strong advocate of OU’s LGBT community.  I learned to look beyond myself to see the importance of lobbying for LGBT rights in our society, and I am proud to have found both an issue and people that I care about so deeply.

WHAT WAS THE MOST DIFFICULT PART OF COMING OUT?
As an Ally, the most difficult part of coming out was explaining why it was important for me to be an Ally to other non-LGBT people. Some people just cannot understand why I would care about an issue that supposedly has nothing to do with me.  But these people do not realize that LGBT rights affects all of us because a significant portion of our population is being discriminated against based on sexual preference or sexual identity. When some people are oppressed, we are all oppressed.

WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO OTHERS WHO COME OUT?
No matter what, stay true to yourself.  Come out when you feel comfortable and at the pace with which you feel comfortable.  There is no prize for being the most “out.”  Everyone is different, and the most important factor is simply being happy with yourself.

THOUGHTS FOR NON-LGBT PEOPLE ABOUT LGBT PEOPLE AND CONCERNS:
LGBT people are more like non-LGBT people than you may think.  My LGBT friends study, go out to parties, and have relationships with people that they care about just like my non-LGBT friends do.  Do not be shy about reaching out to people within the LGBT community.  In my experience, I have only met warm, welcoming people, some of whom have become my best friends.