Safe Zone Training, conducted by the University of Â鶹´«Ã½ at ²Ñ¨¡²Ô´Ç²¹¡¯s , promotes LGBTQ+ equity and inclusion. Anyone in the UH ²Ñ¨¡²Ô´Ç²¹ community looking to address oppression and be part of a university-wide campaign to build a safe and welcoming campus community for LGBTQ+ people, is welcome to the monthly sessions. These sessions are a campaign of visibility and allyship for LGBTQ+ people. Past attendees of the training said it has allowed them to become more effective advocates for integrating diversity, equity and inclusion in the classroom and in curriculum.
K. Uilani Chow-Rule, assistant professor in the , said it was important for LGBTQ+ students to know they have an ally in the nursing school.
“It is important for instructors to create a safe environment. Students haven’t always had a safe place to ask questions or be at risk for feeling stupid for speaking up. Then add the historic way the LGBTQ+ community has been treated and this adds to the anxiety of students,” said Chow-Rule, who attended a training session in July 2021. “Being an ally and creating an inclusive environment is not the same as agreeing with or adopting their beliefs; it’s about recognizing that we are all human, we all have the agency to choose for ourselves and to respect the choices of others.”
Associate Specialist Aaron Pietruszka attended a training session in October 2021. He said the experience helped him to better understand the challenges that LGBTQ+ students still encounter today, and plans to help promote diversity and inclusion within the , where Pietruszka is a faculty member.
“I enjoyed the ability to interact with the other participants during the training as we discussed challenging scenarios that LGBTQ+ students, staff and faculty might face during their time on the UH ²Ñ¨¡²Ô´Ç²¹ campus,” Pietruszka said. “We all learned from each other during the training, which is a good approach to make a lasting positive impact on behaviors. I think the Safe Zone Training would be useful to experience annually, so I plan to sign up again next year.”
Specialist Thanh Truc Nguyen of the in the said she has always been an ally for LGBTQ+ inclusion and equity, but this workshop helped with actionable strategies and techniques.
“I would say that it is an enlightening workshop,” Nguyen said. “I learned more about our campus-wide policies, our state’s gender designations, the number of gender-neutral restrooms on campus, and met some wonderful people who were brave in sharing their stories.”
Upcoming training sessions
The LGBTQ+ Center has scheduled virtual monthly training sessions through July 2022. Topics covered will include, the difference between “assigned sex,” “gender” and “sexual orientation,” the rights of the LGBTQ+ UH ²Ñ¨¡²Ô´Ç²¹ community, how to maximize gender and LGBTQ+ inclusion in your daily life, and how to be an effective ally or advocate for LGBTQ+ people. For a list of upcoming sessions and to register, .
“Everyone in our UH ²Ñ¨¡²Ô´Ç²¹ community is welcome to attend an upcoming Safe Zone training. While many of the examples are specific to LGBTQ+ communities, many of the strategies for allyship can be used to stand in solidarity with many marginalized groups,” LGBTQ+ Center Director Camaron Miyamoto said.
This program is an example of UH ²Ñ¨¡²Ô´Ç²¹¡¯s goal of (PDF), one of four goals identified in the (PDF), updated in December 2020.
—By Marc Arakaki