GLBTA chooses ally as next executive director


Marking the first time in recent history an ally has been chosen to lead the group, the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual & Transgender Assembly recently elected sophomore Emily Allen as its next executive director.

“It’s a huge honor,” Allen said. “It’s a testament to the fact that you don’t have to be part of the LGBT community to be in this organization.”

Allen, who is straight, said involvement with the LGBT community began early in her life.

Ready to lead · Emily Allen, a sophomore majoring in psychology and English, was recently chosen to be the new executive director of the GLBTA. - Daily Trojan | Heather Lee

“My brother and my sister are both gay, so I was always very supportive,” she said.

Allen became involved with USC’s LGBT community immediately upon arriving at school, joining the Jewish Alliance for GLBTs and Straights during her first week at USC.

After serving as president of JAGS, she decided she was ready for a leadership position within the GLBTA but worried about the issues she might face as an ally.

“I was worried that people wouldn’t take me seriously for leading the organization because they might not think I’m directly affected,” Allen said. “But I am affected. It’s a huge part of my family and a huge part of my best friends’ lives.”

Allen said she thinks anyone who takes a slight interest in gay rights, whether gay marriage or the right to adopt, has a place at the GLBTA.

“People view GLBTA as an exclusive group for those who fall under that category, but it really is for everybody who is interested in showing their support,” she said.

As executive director, Allen said she hopes to implement an official ally training program to improve collaboration between GLBTA and the Greek community and work more closely with member organizations.

She also hopes to host speakers who are gay or lesbian but also work in an industry or have some kind of experience that would appeal to a larger student audience.

Joshua Morris, incoming assistant director of the GLBTA, said he thinks having an ally in the top position will only help the GLBTA.

“[Allen’s] making the definition of queer broader. She’s putting a different face on GLBTA,” he said.

Morris said he thinks having an ally at the helm will help the group increase partnerships with other student organizations and improve the visibility of the LGBT community.

Vincent Vigil, director for the LGBT Resource Center, echoed this sentiment.

“It’s very significant because, as an ally, some populations on campus would take her advocacy for the community a little more seriously than someone who is of the community,” Vigil said.

In previous years, Vigil said, the group did not do a good job of including allies in LGBT events. Since 2000, however, the GLBTA has worked to be very ally inclusive. Both Allen and Morris are hoping to continue to improve that aspect of the GLBTA during the upcoming year.

“Before, allies just didn’t know that they could be involved,” said Genevieve Flores, the current executive director of GLBTA. “[Allen] will show that this is something everyone can be involved in.”

Flores said that she hopes Allen continues the work that was done this year, especially the outreach to the Greek community.

Though he thinks having an ally lead the GLBTA will be good for the group, Vigil noted that there are some disadvantages, and that Allen will face unique obstacles.

“The challenge will be to continue to identify and understand the experiences of LGBT students on this campus,” he said. “She’s a person of privilege being an ally. She needs to comprehend what it means to be an LGBT student, and the challenge will be to continually think about that.”

Allen said she’s ready for the challenge and hopes to show the USC community that the GLBTA has something to offer everyone.

“It’s not about if you think that you’re a part of the letters,” she said. “People might think that, because they’re not gay, going to the GLBTA events might not be fun. It’s about showing support and learning something new.”

8 replies
  1. Glenn A. Youngman
    Glenn A. Youngman says:

    I was never asked to head this fine organization.

    I would first change the name to LGBTA because women come first and also possibly change the name to LGBTCA the C is for curious for those bi-curious types.

    I think that I, as a transgendered male who is bisexual and curious about a lot of things, I would be the group’s poster child.

  2. trojangirl
    trojangirl says:

    by the way….the organization is changing their name to include allies.
    If the board of mostly LGBT members wants an ally representing them, she has every right to be there.
    In fact, several allies besides Emily are already on the board.

  3. hani
    hani says:

    an “ally” is head of GLBTA?? imagine if a “friendly white” was head of BSA? Absolutely insulting.

    She has NO idea how life is as an LGBTQQIA student is, but now she’s gonna program?? this PISSES me off. absolutely insulting.

    • Joe
      Joe says:

      Yes, heaven forbid somebody who’s not a member of the “identity group” infiltrate an organization dedicated to racism for only one color. That would totally detract from the moral and ethical standard that such an organization tries to live up to!

    • glbt student
      glbt student says:

      hani, seriously? Did you even read the article? Emily has been an active member of the LGBTQQIA for years. She has incredibly personal connections to the struggles this community faces and she has faced those struggles alongside her brother, her sister, and her many LGBTIQQ-identified friends. If anyone understands the complexities of the LGBTIQQA community, it is Emily Allen.

      You clearly do not know her, you don’t know her heart, and you haven’t experienced her passion, commitment, acceptance, and understanding. YOUR immediate rejection of Emily is what is “absolutely insulting.”

      As a member of the GLBT community, I am proud to have Emily Allen as the next Executive Director representing our group at USC. GLBTA is not a homogenous group of people–we are all incredibly different with incredibly different backgrounds, experiences, struggles, opinions, etc. No single person could possibly represent EVERY individual within the community perfectly. And no one should. As a community that is open and accepting of differences and individuality, we should be thrilled to have someone like Emily leading us next year.

      Genevieve Flores did an AMAZING job leading GLBTA, organizing events, creating programming, etc. this year. And I know she is going to do a wonderful job training the next E-board and help a smooth transition take place.

    • GLBTA EBoard Member
      GLBTA EBoard Member says:

      …uh…we ELECTED HER.

      it’s not like she was forced upon us…she won a majority vote by the GLBTA. i guess maybe i don’t know what being LGBTQQIA is like either…? oh wait, I AM GAY.

      how presumptuous of you. emily allen is going to do a great job.

  4. Excited Student
    Excited Student says:

    I personally know Ms. Allen and I am incredibly excited for the advocacy work that she plans on doing for the LGBT community next year. She has the knowledge, compassion, and enthusiasm to be a great leader. Although she does not identify as LGB or T, she was easily the best fit for the position. GO EMILY ALLEN!

  5. Joe
    Joe says:

    Using the term “ally” presented without a definition is kind of unprofessional from a journalism standpoint. Not every reader is up on the latest slang. But don’t worry, I figured it out. When I was in college, we had a different term for the straight girls who hang out with gay guys.

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