SafeZone participants learn self-evaluation during training

Students sat quietly listening as Megan Murray, the Campus Life coordinator of leadership development, sat in the center of the room talking about the politically correct way to address lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender students. The students were all engaged and interested in what Murray was saying, but hesitant at first to ask questions.

These students have pledged to be an ally to the lesbian, gay, bi-sexual, transgender or questioning/queer community and are undergoing SafeZone training, a Southeast Missouri State University initiative to work with students on campus and make people of any sexual orientation feel welcome. SafeZone began on campus in March. It started with training faculty and staff at Southeast and has since expanded to educating students as well. Murray scheduled three student trainings this semester where approximately 25 students have been trained. In the separate faculty sessions offered, nearly 80 people have undergone training.

This summer Murray hopes to increase faculty training significantly and begin the fall semester with multiple training opportunities for students, faculty and staff.

In the training Murray provided background information on SafeZone, advice for handling situations regarding someone's sexual orientation, self-reflection exercises and how to become a good ally.

Senior Southeast student and student government senator Roni Steger first heard about the program through the Southeast portal and then gained interest after seeing a flyer in the Campus Life office.

"I think what appealed to me about the program is we had been discussing aspects of policy changes in student government, and I saw this as a way to promote the students in conjunction with policy changes to work from top down and bottom up maybe to join it all together," Steger said. "You would have advocacy for the students working for themselves making it safe for everybody just within our own community and then policy changes would be in place for the campus and administration."

The first thing Murray discussed in the seminar is what SafeZone is and its mission statement. Southeast's official SafeZone mission statement is to "identify and train faculty, staff and students who are understanding and affirmative to the needs of members of the LGBT community. Its goal is to reduce the incidence of heterosexism and homophobia on campus and thereby help create a campus that is safer and more accepting place for all."

Murray then went into discussing statistics about the LGBT community. She said that suicide rates among homosexual students in college is 22 percent, while heterosexual students are only rated at 4 percent. Murray emphasized this was because of pressures LGBT students are under and the stress involved, not the fact that they are homosexual. She also discussed laws and policies of both the state and at Southeast.

Then the discussion moved to the topic of famous actors, musicians and athletes that are openly part of the LGBT community and how society reacts to those people. Discussion was a key point in the seminar. Murray encouraged students to ask any questions they had or comment on any of the materials. Many of the students were willing to share their own stories and how they react to issues related to sexual orientation in their lives.

Next Murray clarified acceptable terms that were associated with the LGBT community. She continued with explaining how homophobia affects everyone, not just homosexuals and had participants read a personal bias survey so students could fully understand their own bias and possible homophobias. Murray completed the seminar by having students read a personal homophobic assessment and had them read an article called "Daily Effects of Straight Privilege."

Many students found this article to be eye-opening because it made them realize some of the things straight people take advantage of everyday that people of a different sexual orientation may struggle with. An example she gave was using the restroom. Straight students don't think about which restroom to use or whether someone may comment on their usage of that bathroom. A transgender student often has to consider how they look that day and whether they will face issues for using their chosen restroom.

Steger said she most enjoyed the way Murray made students evaluate how they would respond to different questions regarding their sexual orientation and how it would make them feel.

This was only the first of a two-stage seminar that students may attend. The second session deals more with who is a SafeZone ally, how to be an ally and counseling skills. It is after this second training that students receive their official SafeZone decal.

"I would definitely encourage everyone to go through this program because there are so many misconceptions. I think a lot of the phobias are based on fear and the more information anybody has the better off we are all," Steger said.

For more information on the times of trainings, or any questions regarding it, contact Murray via email at mmurray@semo.edu or visit Campus Life in Room 202 on the second floor of the University Center.