The University of Wyoming is home to a diverse family of students who live here in unity and co-operation, we welcome students regardless of their religion, race or gender. The university has provided many resources in order to make this institution feel like home.
In support of the LGBTQIA community here in Laramie, the campus has allocated many clubs and organizations that reach out to the members and ensure their well-being. Safe Zone is one of many programs geared toward creating an inclusive environment for the community.
“Safe Zone is a program that operates out of the Campus Activities Center. We offer the students here on campus to be an ally to the LGBT community,” program coordinator, Lindy Westenhoff.
Safe Zone aims to educate individuals on issues related to the LGBTQIA community and through this, provides the tools for participants to become allies. They offer a variety of training sessions that cover topics from inequalities in the everyday lives of LGBTQIA individuals to healthcare issues specific to members of the LGBTQIA communities.
“We offer three standard trainings each semester and two rounds of the training. If you attend all three training then you get a certificate of completion, which is nice to have if you are working with the community or you are a faculty member so you can show students that you offer a safe place for them,” Westenhoff said.
The three standard sessions are LBG 101, Gender Identity and Visible Ally. The LBG 101 provides basic information and background on the community. Gender Identity focuses on gender issues and transgender history. The Visible Ally talks about how you as an ally can contribute to and support the community.
After the completion of all three Safe Zone workshops, participants will not only understand some basic terms and concepts related to LGBTQ+ experiences, but will also have the tools to be a visible ally to members of the community.
“We require all three sessions because they are all really crucial in bringing together all the terminology and in-depth personal activities into something tangible,” added Westenhoff.
They similarly offer more personal session, things that the students may want to talk about. They also work with the Rainbow Resource center located at the Wyoming Union.
They provided sessions on Issues for Representation during the summer and Legal Issues over the spring of 2017. And this semester, Nov. 28, they will be doing a session on the under discussed part for the community.
Safe Zone as mentioned is mostly geared towards allies. While members of the community itself have a lot of resources, this program provide a platform for people who may want to help or support and don’t know how. It gives them an opportunity to express their ideas and learn more about the community and its issues.
“Allies are pretty important in this university, because LGBTQ is not super protected in the state of Wyoming. In terms of protection, Laramie is a little better in these polices. So when people come from all over, we as allies, provide them a welcoming community and an environment where they are free to be who they are,” Westenhoff said.
This program allows for introspection and thought on various aspects of the LGBTQIA community via a discussion about tolerance and acceptance.
They have also worked with the Residence Life and Dining Services, providing this training to over 65 residence advisors.
Allies may not be a part of the community itself, but their support gives the campus a chance to build a safer and more accepting community. Students have an opportunity to learn more about them resulting in an environment of recognition and upliftment.
“I think this program gives us very clear information on the LGBT community, like what it means, how to treat them with respect or simply how to understand them. We need to make sure then we don’t discriminate them, but rather give them our support and Safe Zone helps to provide that,” active participant in Safe Zone, Juan Diego Vintimilla, said.
