Lavender+House+ODU

Old Dominion University will be designating a floor to the LGBTQI community and their ALLIES this upcoming fall semester. There has been a lot of controversy about this topic that has spread throughout the campus and even through the nation.
 * About:**

This hall was petitioned by a group of students with the help of the SAFE SPACE organization. As stated on [|Old Dominion's SAFE SPACE website]: With the members being faculty, staff, and students, the organization as a whole work with students from the LGBTQI community in dealing with problems that may be faced throughout their college career here at Old Dominion. The acronym LGBTQI stands for //**L**esbians, **G**ay, **B**isexual, **T**ransgender, **Q**ueer or **Q**uestioning, and **I**dentifying// within the community//.// More information about the term LGBTQI can be found on [|Wikipedia's LGBTQI page].
 * History of LGBTQI Community on Old Dominion University's Campus:**

The Lavender House floor will be a designated floor in the Virginia House in the Quad area on campus. Just as there are other halls designated for specific purposes, such as one for foreign national students in which American students are partnered with them to help with culture adjustments, the Lavender House is designated for LGBTQI students and their allies. The term "allies" is used to keep SAFE SPACE open to anyone within the LGBTQI community as well as their supporters who may be outside of that community, allowing any of them to volunteer to live in Lavender House ([|ODU Lavender House Website])
 * Location of Lavendar Room and Who Can Live There**

If a LGBTQI student feels threatened and/or does not like their roommate, they could try out the Lavender House for one or two semesters. Even though incidents can occur on any floor in any building on campus, the Lavendar House has been created as an intentional community for LGBTQI students to further the vision of the SAFE SPACE organization for a safe, open, and accepting place where students may freely express themselves.
 * Benefits of Lavender House:**

The application to live in Lavender House is a voluntary application; no student is forced to join the program. Any student or ally interested in joining Lavendar House must fill out an on-campus housing form, as well as an online interest form which can be found on the SAFE SPACE website.
 * The Application Process:**

[|ODU SAFE SPACE's Website] [|ODU Lavender House Website] [|WIkipedia - LGBTQI]
 * //Sources://**