Safe Zone LGBTQIA+ Workshops

Learn. Understand. Support.

Creating an inclusive campus community starts with education, understanding, and a willingness to learn.

The Women's, Gender & Sexuality Center (WGSC) at Stockton University offers Safe Zone education to help students, faculty, and staff better understand LGBTQIA+ identities, experiences, and the importance of creating welcoming environments.

Safe Zone training encourages participants to reflect on their perspectives, challenge assumptions, and develop practical skills to support LGBTQIA+ members of the Stockton community.

Whether you're new to LGBTQIA+ topics or looking to expand your knowledge, Safe Zone provides an opportunity to learn, ask questions, and engage in meaningful conversations.

What Is Safe Zone Training?

Safe Zone is an educational initiative designed to increase awareness and understanding of LGBTQIA+ identities, experiences, and issues affecting LGBTQIA+ communities.

Through interactive activities, discussions, and opportunities for reflection, participants explore how individual actions, language, and campus practices contribute to a more inclusive environment.

Safe Zone welcomes students, faculty, and staff of all sexual orientations and gender identities.

The goal is not to have all the answers. It's to develop the knowledge, awareness, and skills to continue learning and supporting others.

What Will You Learn?

Safe Zone training explores several foundational topics:

LGBTQIA+ Identities & Terminology

Develop an understanding of sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, sex assigned at birth, and terminology used within LGBTQIA+ communities.

Understanding Lived Experiences

Explore the diverse experiences of LGBTQIA+ individuals, including identity development, disclosure, belonging, and the ways different aspects of identity intersect.

Recognizing Bias & Barriers

Examine how stereotypes, assumptions, discrimination, and microaggressions can affect LGBTQIA+ individuals and their experiences within educational environments.

Inclusive Communication & Practices

Explore practical approaches to inclusive language, respecting names and pronouns, responding to harmful comments, and creating more welcoming environments.

Allyship & Advocacy

Identify meaningful actions individuals can take to support LGBTQIA+ community members, challenge exclusionary behaviors, and promote inclusion.

Campus & Community Resources

Become familiar with Stockton's LGBTQIA+ resources, university policies, and available support services.

What Does It Mean to Be Safe Zone Trained?

Individuals who complete Safe Zone training demonstrate a commitment to learning about LGBTQIA+ communities and practicing inclusion.

Participants may choose to display a Safe Zone symbol to communicate their participation in the training and their willingness to engage in respectful conversations.

Important: Completing Safe Zone training does not guarantee that an individual or office is a confidential resource, nor does it change university reporting responsibilities.

The WGSC itself is not a confidential resource. Students seeking confidential support related to interpersonal violence may contact Teresa Barone, Coordinator for Student Advocacy, whose office is located within the WGSC.

Safe Zone training is an opportunity for continued learning, not a guarantee of expertise or a substitute for university policies and procedures.

Who Can Participate?

Safe Zone training is designed for members of the Stockton community, including:

• Undergraduate and graduate students

• Faculty and staff

• Student organizations and campus leaders

• Athletic teams

• University departments and offices

Participants do not need prior knowledge of LGBTQIA+ topics to engage in the training.

[adapted from MSUD (as adapted from Rainbow Center, UCONN)]