June 3, 2022
S.A.F.E. Zone to host advanced workshop on LGBTQ+ Pride Month
S.A.F.E. Zone, in the Department of Diversity and Multicultural Student Affairs, will host the S.A.F.E. Zone advanced workshop "PRIDE: History and Celebration of LGBTQ+ Communities" from noon to 1:30 p.m. Tuesday, June 7, via Zoom.
This advanced workshop centers on LGBTQ+ communities and creating a basic understanding of the history and celebration of June as LGBTQ+ Pride Month. The workshop will focus on the history of LGBTQ+ Pride Month and the landmark events that have helped to shape the ongoing journey of equity and justice for historically excluded sexualities and gender identities. The session also engages the development of meaningful ways to provide an open and affirming educational environment for all students and community members.
Learning and understanding the history of LGBTQ+ communities enables us to promote authentic allyship. Authentic allyship is evident by providing visible support and in-depth knowledge of LGBTQ+ issues and language. Development of more in-depth skills in reaching students in need is essential in helping individuals of historically excluded and erased identities to feel affirmed and welcomed in majority identity spaces. By fulfilling the role of an authentic ally, individuals can recognize that they are not alone, and it models for other students that gay and transgender classmates are their peers, worthy of respect and acceptance.
Register for the June 7 advanced S.A.F.E. Zone workshop.
S.A.F.E. Zone continues to be part of Kansas State University's efforts to create an open and affirming campus since the 1970s. The architects of S.A.F.E. Zone created educational opportunities to teach about discrimination around sexual orientation and other minoritized identities. The expanded S.A.F.E. Zone created a more comprehensive and ever-evolving effort to fit the needs of current K-State community members. S.A.F.E. Zone Allies acknowledge a variety of backgrounds and identities while teaching about navigating exclusionary acts like intimidation, microaggressions and macroaggressions, discrimination, LGBTQ+-related concerns and sexual violence.
For more information, reach out to Debra Bolton, director of intercultural learning and academic success, dbolton@k-state.edu; or Brandon Haddock, student services coordinator, intercultural learning/LGBT Resources Center, bhaddock@k-state.edu.