Safe Zone is excited to announce several upcoming events.

We will be hosting our spring book club on Wednesday, February 23 from 3:30-5:00 p.m. We will be reading Angela Chen’s ACE: What Asexuality Reveals about Desire, Society, and the Meaning of Sex. This program is open to all faculty and staff, including adjunct faculty and part-time staff. Books will be provided for free to the first 15 participants who register. Registration is required and space is limited.

We will be offering our next Faculty/Staff Basic Workshop on Thursday, February 24 from 3:00-5:30 on-campus. This workshop is open to all faculty and staff, including adjunct faculty and part-time staff. In this workshop, we cover everything from basic terminology to how to be an ally. The overall aim of the workshop is to help make UMW a more LGBTQ+ inclusive community. At the end of the workshop, participants will have an opportunity to sign our ally form and get a rainbow eagle ally sticker. Registration is required and space is limited.

We will be tabling for Transgender Day of Visibility on Thursday, March 31 from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Weather permitting we will be on the UC patio. Otherwise, you can find us in the lobby of the UC. Please come out and write a message of support. We’ll be handing out resources and swag. All are welcome to stop by the table!

If you have any questions about Safe Zone or would like to register for the workshop and/or book club, then please email Laura Wilson at lwilson5@umw.edu.

On October 20, from 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. in the lobby of the UC we will be celebrating International Pronouns Day. On that day, we will be making pronoun buttons in recognition of how important it is to respect others’ pronouns and to share our own pronouns. All are welcome. We will be giving out stickers and buttons.

Please email Laura Wilson at lwilson5@umw.edu with questions.

The UMW Safe Zone program offers workshops that are designed to educate members of the University community about lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, and queer (LGBTQ+) issues to increase the safety and inclusion of all campus citizens. At the end of each workshop, participants have the opportunity to become a Safe Zone ally for our campus. Safe Zone allies are individuals who will:

1. Be understanding, supportive, and trustworthy if LGBTQ+ individuals need help, advice, or just someone to talk to.
2. Not tolerate homophobic, transphobic, and heterosexist comments and actions and will address them in an educational and informative manner.
3. Have received training and can provide information regarding on- or off-campus resources.

We offer several types of Safe Zone programs every semester for faculty and staff. All faculty and staff are welcome and encouraged to attend these workshops, including adjunct faculty and part-time staff.

• We will be offering a basic training on Tuesday, September 14 from 2:00-4:30 p.m. (in-person on campus). This training focuses on terminology, issues related to privilege, increasing awareness and sensitivity, and how to support the LGBTQ+ population on campus.
• We will be offering an advanced training on Wednesday, September 22 from 1:00-3:30 p.m. (in-person on campus). The advanced training is for faculty and staff who have already completed the basic training and covers more complex topics, including bystander intervention.
• We will be holding a two-part book club for Faculty and Staff on Tuesday, September 28 from 4:00-5:30 p.m. and Tuesday, October 5 from 4:00-5:30 p.m. (in-person on campus). We will be reading Megan Rapinoe’s memoir titled “One Life.” Megan Rapinoe is a star for the United States Women’s National Soccer team and a vocal activist for a range of issues, including LGBTQ+ inclusion, racial justice, and equal pay. We will offer a free book to the first 12 people to sign-up. Participants are expected to attend both book club sessions because this is a two-part discussion.

If you would like to attend one or all of these events, please email Laura Wilson at lwilson5@umw.edu. Registration is required to attend. Please also keep in mind that all participants are expected to wear a mask and to wear that mask correctly throughout the entire Safe Zone program. If you do not comply with this policy, then you will be asked to leave.

Please stop by the Safe Zone table in the lobby of the University Center on Monday, August 30 from 11:00-1:00 or Tuesday, August 31 from 12:30-2:00. We will have helpful resources and awesome swag to give out. If you have questions about the Safe Zone program, please reach out to Dr. Laura Wilson at lwilson5@umw.edu or check out our website bit.ly/UMWsafezone.

If your office, department, or students would like to schedule a training, then please email Laura. If you would like more information about Safe Zone at UMW, to see the list of allies on our campus, or access LGBTQ+ inclusion resources, please visit our website at bit.ly/UMWsafezone. Also, please follow us on Facebook and Instagram @umwsafezone.