Maure Smith-Benanti grew up in Provo, Utah and is now the Assistant Director of the LGBTESSP (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender Education and Support Services Program) here at the University of Oregon.
HCO: How did you begin your work and dedication to the LGBTQ Education and Support Services here on campus?
Maure: I have my Master’s Degree in literature and writing, and I started doing LGBTQ work when I came out myself as a student activist. I started doing that at the university [in Utah] that I attended at the time. I began doing that as soon as I came out. I saw social injustice was occurring and immediately wanted to do something to fix it. So I did work on panels, I was involved in my student organizations, and when I was a grad student, the department said I should apply to be grad student senate president, and I thought ‘I shouldn’t do that at all.’ But I interviewed and they offered me the job, and during one of my many meetings as a student government representative one of the LGBT students said, “I don’t feel safe on campus.” It was just that one sentence that really moved me to write some legislation for the university to hire somebody as their LGBT person. At the time, I had no intention of being that person. I was going to finish my degree, but they asked me to do it, and so I did for 3 or 4 years. It was really hard work – I was in Utah, and I finally realized I needed to come to a place where people recognized that it was important work that I was doing, and that it was necessary. So, I’ve been here [in Eugene] for two years. I’ve been dedicated, though, to LGBT work for the last seventeen years.
HCO: What is the biggest thing that the transition from Utah to Oregon has taught you?
Maure: The transition from Utah to Oregon taught me that if you don’t have something to fight against, it’s a lot harder to get people to come together. In Eugene, Oregon it is harder to build community because a lot of people feel like it’s safe to be out everywhere in Eugene which is AMAZING and fantastic. But it is a little bit harder to build community here. I’ve also learned that it takes about 12,000 tons of weight off your shoulders to be your whole self in every part of the town that you live in – to just be out and not worry about it. Anytime I go back or travel to other places that are less progressive it’s sometimes a nasty reminder of what it’s like to live as an out LGBT person in rural areas or in highly religious areas. Sometimes it’s a real shock. When the news is constantly saying things that devalue you as a person, it can be a caustic environment to live in. It can be really difficult and painful. I am really happy to be here; I feel like my work is appreciated and valued, and I don’t have to defend it. And, sometimes it’s a little harder to build community so I think there’s trade offs wherever you live.
HCO: Along with the other LGBTQ groups on campus, what are some major ways in which students can educate fellow students or work as an ally to erase prejudice that can often be engrained in campus culture?
Maure: I think that being an ally is one of the most amazing and difficult positions to be in because as an ally you need to also allow people who are LGBT to also have their own private space. Sometimes that can feel exclusive, and what I think students can try to do as allies is understand the population whom they want to become an ally for. The more you understand the population you want to be an ally to, the less likely you will cause them any harm. Being yourself, educating yourself, and eventually figuring out ways that are safe to stand up for yourself and the group of people you want to be an ally to are really the best ways to be an effective ally.
HCO: For those struggling with their sexual identity or having difficulty fitting in, what is the best piece of advice you could give?
Maure: The best piece of advice I could give a person who is struggling with their sexual orientation, their gender identity, or their ability to fit in is that fitting in is not necessarily all that it is cracked up to be. There are lot of different groups of people that can become your friends who will accept you exactly for who you are, and will not just say, “well, you’re a real human being and it’s OK that you’re gay.” They will say, “it is AWESOME that you are who you are.” They will admire and respect every aspect of who you are. If you haven’t found those people yet, then that might be the problem, and not that you need to change yourself in any way. I think being true to yourself and being authentic is the best way to live, and the best gift you can ever give yourself or another human being. Actually…that answers your other question. How to be a really fantastic ally is to let people be who they are.