Safe Zone Training Offered

On January 22, 2010, 1:30 to 3:00 PM, in Adamson Hall, Room 127,

the Responsible Sexuality Committee will offer this semester’s training workshop for Safe Zone. This is a UWG program to offer students a supportive environment in which they can explore issues of gender diversity and sexual orientation. Details are listed below.

If you would like to participate or have questions about Safe Zone, please contact  Bridgette Gunnels bgunnels@westga.edu or Daniel Helminiak dhelmini@westga.edu.

 

UWG Safe Zone: What Is It? 

The Safe Zone Ally program is an effort at UWG to increase awareness and acceptance of the diverse gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) community. The purpose of Safe Zone is to create a network of allies for LGBTQ students and, thus, to make the University community a safer and more supportive place.

Safe Zone is modeled on a program started by employees at AT&T and is currently in place at corporations such as Lotus Development, Disney, and Levi Strauss and on college and university campuses across the country. 

The Safe Zone program at UWG, begun in 2004, is a collaborative effort of the Office of the Vice President for Student Activities, the Student Development Center, and the Responsible Sexuality Committee.  UWG includes sexual orientation as a protected category in its equal opportunity and anti-discrimination policies and is committed to creating a community where all people are welcome and feel safe.

Any member of the UWG community is welcome to attend this 1.5 hour training session and, if so choosing, to sign the pledge to become an official Safe Zone Ally. Allies receive a personalized Safe Zone logo to display in their offices or other visible areas. 

Safe Zone Contacts

Dr. Bridgette W. Gunnels, Foreign Languages  bgunnels@westga.edu

Dr. Daniel Helminiak, Psychology  dhelmini@westga.edu

Goals--

§ To develop deeper awareness of personal ideas, stereotypes, and assumptions related to gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, and queer students

§  To increase comfort in addressing LGBTQ issues—such as gender variance, “coming out,” heterosexism, homophobia, verbal harassment, and physical violence—within the university community and in individual students and members of the staff and faculty

§  To create a network of community and campus staff, faculty, and students to support LGBTQ students on campus

§  To provide a space where students can safely explore their sense of sexual identity

§  To facilitate increased awareness of services on campus that support LGBTQ students