A training session will take place this week to increase the support system of the Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Queer community on campus.

The Sooner Ally program will host the cultural sensitivity training session on LGBTQ issues from 9 a.m. to noon June 30 in the Oklahoma Memorial Union, said Kathy Moxley, Women’s Outreach Center coordinator.

“It’s a great way to learn more about some of the students on our campus, and it is a way to show support for the LGBTQ community,” Moxley said.

Participants will learn basic terminology of the community as well as listen to the coming-out experiences of a panel of individuals from the community, Moxley said. In addition, there will be an overview of what it means to be an Ally at OU.

A Sooner Ally is someone who is willing to speak out against prejudice toward the LGBTQ community. Allies also educate others on the needs of the LGBTQ community, Moxley said.

After completing training, each participant can decide whether he or she would like to become an official Ally, and those who join the program will be given a special button, Moxley said. All OU students, faculty and staff can become an Ally, Moxley said.

Sooner Allies should be a visible sign on our campus of someone who is welcoming and affirming, Moxley said.

Training is free, but participants are required to pre-register at lgbtq.ou.edu or call the Women’s Outreach Center at 325-4929. Pre-registration is going on and will continue until the remaining five of the 25 slots are full, Moxley said.