Safe Zone+

Safe Zone+ Program

The primary mission of Mason’s Safe Zone+ Program, like our LGBTQ+ Resources Center, is to create a safer, more welcoming & inclusive campus environment, to strengthen community and encourage networking among faculty, staff, and students toward the goal of supporting the well-being of LGBTQ people.

The Safe Zone+ Program is an evolving education and ally development program. Currently, it consists of four workshops that help participants on their own allyship development journeys. The first component is our new Intro to LGBTQ+ Communities session, which is up to 60 minutes long and offers participants an easy access point for getting involved with the LGBTQ+ Resources Center. Intro to LGBTQ+ Communities will also very much prepare participants for the following three individual 3-hour module sessions.

In collaboration with the LGBTQ+ Resources Center in Fairfax, Mason Korea provides full modules each semester to the entire community members.

Upon completion of an Intro to LGBTQ+ Communities session, faculty, staff, and/or other Mason professionally employed participants will fill out a form that will provide the information for their placard and let them opt in or out to being included on a Google Map that will be featured on our LGBTQ+ Resources Center website, showing where everyone who has engaged with our program is located. The idea behind giving the placard for completing this introductory component is that we can build a baseline for folks to be able to display the placard, and enhance overall visibility of LGBTQ+-affirming spaces. We also want to build this visibility in online spaces, thus the Google Map. Once folks have the placard, they can upgrade it with stickers upon completion of the Awareness, Gender, and Ally Skills Building modules.

Mason’s Safe Zone+ Program seeks to:

  • Provide visible support and resources for LGBTQ+ students, faculty, and staff.
  • Provide a way for allies – supportive students, faculty, and staff – to visibly indicate that they are safe contacts for LGBTQ+ people at Mason.
  • Promote increased awareness and understanding about sexual orientation and gender identity across the Mason campus.
  • Promote an open-minded, safe, and welcoming campus environment in which students of all sexual orientations and gender identities can live and learn fully.

Learning Outcomes

Part 1: Introduction to LGBTQ+ Communities (recommended to take FIRST)

By participating in this module, participants will be able to:

  • Identify outdated language
  • Give examples of non-gendered language
  • Distinguish between gender and sexuality
  • Discuss opportunities for allyship to the LGBTQ+ communities

Part 2: Awareness Module (recommended to take SECOND)

By participating in this module, participants will be able to:

  • Describe LGBTQ+ identities
  • Give examples of LGBTQ+ cultural history
  • Apply intersectionality to their own experience

Part 3: Gender Module (recommended to take THIRD)

By participating in this module, participants will be able to:

  • Distinguish between components of gender
  • Explain the relationship between Cissexism, Racism, and Transphobia
  • Identify barriers to inclusion for trans and nonbinary people

Part 4: Ally Skills Building Module (recommended to take FOURTH)

By participating in this module, participants will be able to:

  • Articulate characteristics of good allies
  • Examine scenarios with opportunities for LGBTQ+ equity
  • Distinguish between systemic and interpersonal injustice

Please visit LGBTQ+ Resources Center for more information, or contact Joanna Park (spark214@gmu.edu) at Mason Korea.