The sticker project is an initiative of the Dean of Students office and funded partially through a retention and recruitment grant awarded last fall by the Professional and Scientific Council. The proposal was written by a team of 18 faculty, staff and students, led by associate dean of students Houston Dougharty. While Dougharty is aware of at least 125 Safe Zone-type projects at universities across the country, he said he believes Iowa State is the first Iowa campus with the program. The planning team here has been nicely surprised by the response. The visibility for LGBT people is very low on this campus.
Sexual orientation is an invisible trait.
Dougharty said visibility is the first step toward acceptance. Visibility also helps assure LGBT concerns make it into diversity discussions at Iowa State, he said. Dougharty has heard most of the arguments against the Safe Zone project. This is the only group I know of that has sought this kind of visibility. If it takes 17 different stickers plastered all over my door for everyone to feel comfortable, to feel accepted on this campus, I'd do it.