Running Head: Personal Reflection

Sara Hutchins
Professor Jackie Farnsworth
HLTH 1110-002 Social Health & Diversity
April 14, 2015

Service Reflection
Subordinate groups exist when there is a dominant group that oppresses them, and the
United States hosts many of both subordinate and dominant groups. At the beginning of the
semester in my Social Health and Diversity course there was a diagram drawn on the board
bisecting the heading, dominant from the subordinate heading, and beneath them were their
corresponding lists. Christian across from non-Christian, men across from women, cisgender
from transgender, white from people of color, heterosexual and then the subordinate group I was
able to spend my time doing my community service project with and an ally to, sexual
minorities. While completing my service project I was able to be an ally with and for agencies
such as the Utah Pride Center whom supports and serves the LGBTQ community here in Utah
and QUAC (Queer Utah Aquatic Club) who are dedicated to the promotion of adult, amateur
swimming regardless of age, ability, gender identity or sexual orientation (The Club, 2015).
During my community service project I experienced both challenges and rewards, which had an
effect on me and my community.
Challenges I faced while doing this service project were how while serving QUAC I was
asked to time swim races like the 25 yards, then the 50 yards, 100 yards, and so on. I had never
timed any sporting event before so it was a little nerve wracking to do so for my first time,
however, most of the other volunteers had never timed a swim meet either and we were able to
learn together. While volunteering at the Utah Pride Center I faced the challenge of completing
tasks without much direction, and while I enjoyed and understood the importance of what I was
doing it was daunting to try and figure out what the agency itself expected of me, but I did the
best I could and just formed a plan of action for what I thought needed to be completed and what
the agency needed.

At the Utah Pride Center, they have a room where they have collected clothing donations
so that those who identify with a category outside of their gender stereotype can go and pick out
clothes that they are comfortable with and without having to go to a department store where
judgment may occur. This little room also provides clothing for homeless youth, and the Pride
Center has set up a breakfast on Saturday where they can eat and then change into clean clothes
and even shower. Getting to sort clothing and then hang clothes up and organize this area by
types of clothes was very gratifying for me, I thought a lot about how this helps people who feel
judged and discriminated against and this allows them to find clothing that represents their
personal identity. Serving with QUAC was also very rewarding in how everyone was really
excited to be there and there was a lot of energy and everyone was very accepting. I had a lot fun
watching and timing the races, it was about celebrating and showcasing the swimmers talents
who had come from all over the state for the event to support their teams and the community and
to do so in a safe environment without judgment.
I believe that doing service within ones community is incredibly integral to the health of
that community and through my own experiences of doing service with agencies such as Utah
Pride and QUAC I have been given the ability to educate my peers about community service. My
hope is to get others interested in volunteering to help their community and to be able to support
issues that are important and to take a stand and give their time to help get these important
agencies the help they need. Being able to volunteer with these agencies has affected me in such
a positive way that I know if others were given the opportunity to do the same they would have
very gratifying experiences helping others.
I had not had much experience with volunteer work before I attended Salt Lake
Community College, but through a couple of courses I have taken I have been able to take

opportunities to do service projects within my community. This current service project has had a
positive effect on my life by reminding me how good it feels to be serving a cause and to be
doing it as an ally for sexual minorities has been very fulfilling. It has been such an interesting
and educative experience that myself and two others from my group are going to continue
volunteering with Utah Pride even after the requirements for our service project are complete.
This project has shown me how there are many in need of an ally to support them and to stand
for change and equality and I think this is easy to forget when you belong to dominant group
where it is easy to forget and take for granted the cultural privileges given every single day
merely for existing in that dominant group.
A disparity exists in many facets of our culture, where dominance is ascertained and
enforced allowing the continuation and cycle of oppression between dominant and subordinate
groups. Becoming and ally to sexual minorities whom are a subordinate group in our culture has
opened a frame of mind in me that kind of releases me from comforting illusion to focus on the
human rights issues going on in my own community. I believe that people have taken their own
non-action stance to mean that they are no opposed or harbor no ill will to those whom are seen
as different. This, however, is not enough and perhaps with education, greater action, and support
in the community, there could be change made on an institutional level that could create a better
pathway and tolerance for those whom society has previously seen as insignificant and has
forced into oppression.

Works Cited
The Club | Queer Utah Aquatic Club. (n.d.). Retrieved March 5, 2015, from http://quacquac.org/?
page_id=2184