Welcome! Before we begin, please jot down the following about the LGBTQ community: any questions you have… stories you’ve seen in the news lately… something.

Welcome!

Before we begin, please jot down the following about the LGBTQ community:

• any questions you have…

• stories you’ve seen in the news lately…

• something you’d like to learn today…

Respecting the Dignity of All People

Created in 2004* by: Tri-C’s Western Campus Lambda Gay Straight Alliance

*Updated annually

Becoming a Certified Safe Zone Ally:

AGENDA

Awareness Activities: Creating Understanding

Educational Environments: Why We Need Safe Zones

Help: Available Resources

Your Role: A Safe Zone Ally

Awareness Activities:

Creating Understanding

Imagery time…

VOCABULARY QUIZ

Gender Identity/ Expression

Sexual Orientation Sex vs. Gender LGBTQ or GLBTQ GSA Reparative Therapy Outing

Pansexual Omnisexual Ally Asexual Intersex Cisgender Transgender Pride Flag

LIFE HEALING

SUNLIGHT NATURE

HARMONY SPIRIT

PRIDE FLAG • Designed by Gilbert Baker in 1978• Original had pink & turquoise (sexuality & art)• Symbol of unity/identity/ support

1980s “Victory over AIDS” flag to honor those lost to the AIDS epidemic

PRONOUN GAME "Playing the pronoun game" involves concealing sexual

orientation in conversation by not using gender-specific pronouns or proper nouns revealing the person’s identity he, she, him, her, his, hers, himself and herself Chris, Dale, Shirley, Maria…

Intentionally mislead others, without lying or drawing the listener's attention to the sex of people in the story

Re-phrasing sentences to avoid the need for identifying words (e.g. "We decided to watch TV," rather than "She decided to watch TV”)

Now, let’s play the game! Answer questions and understand how it feels to hide the sex of the subject(s) in your story…

Educational Environments:Why do We Need Safe Zones?

Tri-C students overwhelmingly report comfort & excitement

in spotting the Safe Zone logo around the College!

Full data re: school climates @ http://glsen.org/nscs

From www.glsen.org (2013)

PERSONAL IMPACT LGB youth are FOUR times more likely than straight peers to attempt suicide*

Those from highly rejecting families are EIGHT times more likely*

1 in 3 LGB youth report having made a suicide attempt*

2009 MA Youth Risk Behavior Survey*

2014 Williams Institute http://williamsinstitute.law.ucla.edu/wp-content/uploads/AFSP-Williams-Suicide-Report-Final.pdf

6,456 responses

37 = average age

A transgender person is murdered every 1.5 days worldwide; since January, 2015 – 11 in the U.S.* (Bri Golec, 22, Akron ~ 2/13/2015)

Questioning youth have higher levels of substance abuse & depressed thinking compared to their straight-identified peers*

18-24 year olds = 45% suicide attempt rate**

Homelessness experienced by 69%**

http://www.transrespect-transphobia.org*Williams Institute Report, 2014**

Positive effects of having an approachable, respectful police officer interaction

2014 Williams Institute http://williamsinstitute.law.ucla.edu/wp-content/uploads/AFSP-Williams-Suicide-Report-Final.pdf

ACADEMIC IMPACT

2013 GLSEN National School Climate Survey

• Lower GPAs• GPA of those experiencing higher levels of victimization &

discrimination vs. those at lower levels (2.85 vs. 3.30)

• Missed school - unsafe/uncomfortable (30.3% missed at least 1 day)

• Cyberbullying – 49% experienced (texts, FB, social media)

• No plan to pursue postsecondary education (8.7% highly victimized b/c of sexual orientation vs. 4.2% lower level)

K-12 & Beyond

How often are hate words used in the cyber world? http://thinkb4youspeak.com/

“It Gets Better” Campaign: Tri-C Student Video

Human Rights Campaign maps of State laws & policies (e.g., employment, marriage equality, adoption, & much more!)

Where do you feel safe? Where can you be yourself?

 RELATIONSHIPS with…

-Oneself (mental & physical well-being; body image)

-Family

-Friends

-Roommates

-Bosses/Colleagues

-Professors/Peers

-Faith Leader/Congregation

EVERYDAY IMPACT

What’s So Different?-Dating: How do you safely meet others

& know who’s searching for the type of partner you are?

-Applications: work, school, health benefits, housing... How/where do you indicate a partner? Your gender? Is it an option? Will being LGBT/ gender non-conforming affect outcome?

-Small Talk: Deciding daily who to tell/how they will react

EVERYDAY IMPACTPLACES: Home, Work, School, Church…

Restrooms: How would you feel if you identified as someone other than your birth sex? (Where) would you feel comfortable going to the bathroom in public?

Discrimination/Bullying/ Hate Crimes: What is being done to reduce the mental health concerns, suicides, & hate crimes affecting LGBT community?

Legal Rights: Often denied marriage, shared health benefits, hospital visitation rights, adoption, etc.

Help:

Available Resources

Sexual Orientation (13%) & Gender Identity/Expression (7%) are protected classes on equal footing with:

Anyone who feels they may have been discriminated against/harassed can file a complaint by contacting the Office of Diversity & Inclusion at 216-987-0204

Additional Resources: Project GO! for Government funding assistance Counseling Center for personal counseling & referrals

•Sex•Race•Religion•Color•National Origin•Pregnancy

•Ancestry•Disability•Veteran/Military Status•Age•Genetic Information•Sexual Harassment

RESOURCES AT CCC…

RESOURCES

Tri-C Lambda GSA site: See the “Resources” & “Safe Zone” pages

Safe Zone Training Manual

www.ccclambda.weebly.com

PFLAG Cleveland = www.pflagcleveland.org

The Cleveland LGBT Community Center = www.lgbtcleveland.org

Pride Clinic @ Metro Health = http://www.metrohealth.org/body.cfm?id=2410

GLSEN - Gay, Lesbian, & Straight Education Network = www.glsen.org

GLSEN School Climate Survey Data = http://glsen.org/nscs

HRC - Human Rights Campaign = www.hrc.org

Equality Ohio = www.equalityohio.org

Gay & Lesbian Medical Association = www.glma.org

EMERGENCY HELP Trevor Project

www.thetrevorproject.orgHelplineOnline Chat

Cleveland Domestic Violence Centerwww.dvcac.org/216-391-HELP (4357)

211 Cleveland: First Call for Helpwww.211cleveland.orgCall 211

LGBTQ & all diversity issues should be discussed the same

Identify LGBTQ contributions in class, where possible (e.g., coming out, sexual orientation, gender identity development, LGBT policies, marriage equality…)

Discuss the power of words, labels, & names

Use “heterosexual/straight” to describe female-male relationships

If discussing sexual orientation with a class, provide a list of definitions a class period ahead of the discussion

INCLUSIVITY STRATEGIES

(Fletcher & Russell, 2001)

Your Role:A Safe Zone Ally

Knowing there are caring folks at school is important!

Safe Zone Allies Make a Difference!

Presence of GSAs & Safe Zone Allies can create a more welcoming environment for LGBT students and allies. 96.1% of LGBT students could identify 1+ supportive staff 26.1% saw 1+ Safe Space (Zone) sticker/poster

Schools with GSAs & Supportive Employees Less likely to hear terminology used in a homophobic way Felt more connected to school community Felt safer Missed less school

2013 National School Climate Survey

AN EFFECTIVE ALLY… Respects everyone

Asks questions rather than assuming

Realizes that coming out is a process, for the person & loved ones

Listens to understand, not to reply, judge, or have all the answers

Understands their boundaries - not an expert or counselor

Doesn’t try to “fix” problems or change people

Realizes the person is out to you…maybe not others

Is comfortable asking questions (e.g., preferred pronoun)

Educates oneself about issues facing the LGBTQ community

Has a sense of humorGLSEN Safe Space Resources

AN EFFECTIVE ALLY… • Is VISIBLE (e.g., displays a Safe Zone Logo, attends events)

• Respects CONFIDENTIALITY

• Knows where to find resources, referrals, & when to refer

• Interacts with and supports LGBTQ family, friends, & coworkers

• Realizes the person coming out is the same person they knew before

• Steps in & stops offensive language

• Uses gender-neutral terms

• Never assumes sexual orientation/gender identity

• Acknowledges how homophobia, transphobia, & heterosexism have operated in their own life and in society at-large

GLSEN Safe Space Resources

1. Congratulations!

You are now one of 325+ who’ve attended SZ

2. Complete the SZ Ally contract, if you agree with the terms

3. You’ll receive your ‘bling’ via Campus Mail within two

weeks of receiving your SZ Contract.

*Only display ‘bling’ in your personal area, unless all others in a shared office have completed training/contracts.