Introduction
Creating a positive and inclusive college culture must start at the top. The plan includes capacity building for staff, starting with directors and other administrators. To encourage the participation of administrators in programs for LGBT students, managers should be involved through professional development in large and small groups (Mitton et al., 2021). Leaders will then hold professional development seminars for faculty and other college staff. The objectives of this training are to increase the competence of staff to deal with bullying and harassment based on gender.
Promotion of Positive Behavior
Strategies to support LGBT students should be implemented, including using visible stickers, posters, and other materials that demonstrate to audiences a safe and inclusive space for all students, regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity. Moreover, it is vital to encourage the formation of alliances made up of various representatives of the LGBT community to discuss experiences and exchange ideas in a confidential, caring, safe, and supportive environment. An equally significant aspect is the provision of access to LGBT-related resources and curricula, as well as the integration of LGBTQ topics into curricula and the inclusion of relevant materials in college libraries. Also, the organization’s mission and vision should indicate the college’s commitment to meeting the needs of LGBT students.
Interaction with Family
The family plays a crucial role in the child’s health, development, and well-being and should be involved in creating a safe learning environment for LGBT students. The college staff’s focus on families should include developing family members’ skills to better support and advocate for their children’s LGBT identity. An important aspect is holding seminars and individual consultations to assist parents and guardians on LGBT issues, as well as to develop skills and raise awareness.
Barriers to Effective Communication
The opinion of others about Michael directly affects the level of assimilation of his words and the likelihood of effective dialogue. In the case of Michael, an African American, racial bias is one of the barriers to effective communication. Michael’s interlocutors make value judgments before receiving the communication as a whole. People make unreasonable assumptions about him based on his skin color, which causes negative assumptions about his competence. Thus, personal and psychological barriers are associated with racial prejudice and negative attitudes toward Michael.
Moreover, this creates a second barrier to effective communication – the stress of his work and responsibilities. Michael’s problem is related to the negative attitude towards him from those around him. In this case, there are not internal but external factors that give rise to Michael’s anger, bewilderment, and dissatisfaction. Such a psychological state does not allow him to perform his work qualitatively and prevents effective communication.
The issue of Microaggressions
Microaggressions are brief, often subtle, and unintentional biases related to gender, race, or other differences that people express toward someone. Michael faces micro-aggressions every day when he is told about his exclusivity. Moreover, he is told that he is worthy, unlike many others. Bucher (2014) notes that while the intention behind this statement may be positive, its impact may be harmful. These phrases contribute to the spread of differentiation and division of the community along racial lines. If I were Michael, I would then respond as follows: “I worked hard to get here, and my authority should be enough to not take into account my skin color.”
References
Bucher, R. D. (2014). Diversity consciousness, 4th ed. Pearson Education.
Mitton, J., Tompkins, J., & Kearns, L. L. (2021). Exploring the impact of an anti-homophobia and anti-transphobia program on a teacher education program: LGBTQ pre-service teachers identify benefits and challenges. Alberta Journal of Educational Research, 67(1), 32-52.