Program provides 'Safe Zone' for gay community

Dan Hoffman Arizona Daily Wildcat A sign posted outside the Oct. 24 Safe Zone workshop indicates the people inside are allies toward gay, lesbian and bisexual students. During the workshops, students role-play, discuss personal experiences and talk about how open various locations and people are, in both the Tucson and UA communities.

Safe Zone is a University of Arizona program designed to teach students how to be friends and allies of gay, lesbian and bisexual students.

Faculty and students who have attended the workshops say there needs to be more campus emphasis on getting along.

"Some people think the whole diversity education thing has been overemphasized, but people could learn a lot of things and make a lot of people's lives easier" from programs like Safe Zone, said Nick Ray, a lunar planetary laboratory employee, who attended a workshop last Friday.

In its second year at the UA, Safe Zone helps gay, lesbian and bisexual students realize there is a community for them at the University, Ray said.

The program consists of two-hour interactive workshops, which generally have 20 to 25 participants.

Navajo-Pinal-Sierra Residence Hall Director Allison McClure said the purpose of the program is not to create allies, but to help people who want to be allies.

"A lot of students are tolerant, but aren't allies," she said.

The program teaches that although sexuality is an important element of personality, it is not an end-all definition, said McClure, who is also one of the program facilitators.

She added she did not know how many students attended the workshops last year, but said the response was "overwhelming."

Safe Zone is part of the nationwide Safe Campus program, which began about five years ago, said John Fox, hall director at Manzanita-Mojave Residence Hall.

He said Safe Campus was created to provide a safe community for people struggling with GLB issues.

McClure said there has been a lot of interest in the program, adding, "Slowly, but surely, departments are realizing they need this training."

Kathy Wirtz, a UA library supervisor who went through the training last semester, said, "People in leadership roles at the University should go through this and many other programs."

Wirtz said the tools she learned have improved her job skills.

"My goal was to help people feel like they could be themselves," she said, "Hopefully this will help people diverse in any area feel safe around me.

"People don't realize how much influence they have" over others, she added.

Wirtz said she displays the Safe Zone symbol in her office. All people who participate in the workshop receive a laminated paper copy of the symbol, which they can use to identify themselves as an ally.

During the Oct. 24 workshop, Fox gave pointers to help faculty and students be better allies for the GLB community. Among them are:

• working to develop an understanding of people who are different from you

• choosing to align with people who are different from you

• responding to their needs

• promoting a sense of community within the campus community

• teaching others about the importance of outreach

During the workshops, students role-play, discuss personal experiences and talk about how open various locations and people are, in both the Tucson and UA communities.

"Some faculty is good, but some don't realize what they're leaving out," said Ky Lloyd, a resident assistant at La Paz Residence Hall.

Emilee Mead, program coordinator at the University Teaching Center, said, "Tucson is better than a lot of places, but it's not as good as it should be."

Ray said he enjoyed the event and thought others would also because, "It's become more politically incorrect to not be tolerant," but he added the people who need the workshop are the people least likely to attend.

The next workshop is scheduled for Nov. 6, from 6 to 8 p.m., said McClure, who said she has three more planned for next semester, but may add more if enough interest is shown.

For more information on upcoming workshops, contact Kathryn Adams Riester at 621-4318.