What is Safe Zone?
Safe Zone is a program in which an individual displays a Safe Zone symbol on his or her office door or bulletin board to convey a message that he or she is supportive, trustworthy, and sensitive to the needs and concerns of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer or questioning (LGBTQ) members of our community. In addition, the symbol indicates that within that individual’s office homophobic, transphobia, and heterosexist comments and actions will not be tolerated but will be addressed in an educational, informative, and non-threatening manner. The symbol does not indicate whether the individual displaying it is gay, lesbian, bisexual, or transgender; it merely states that he or she is LGBTQ-affirming or LGBTQ-friendly (in other words, an ally).
What does it mean to be an ally?
Washington and Evans (1991) define an ally as “a person who is a member of the dominant or majority group who works to end oppression in his or her personal and professional life through support of, and as an advocate with and for, the oppressed population” (p. 195).
Who should take part in Safe Zone?
Anti-LGBTQ bias and prejudice affects all students and it is therefore everyone’s collective responsibility to work against it. While there are many out and empowered LGBTQ students who are more than capable of standing up for their own rights, straight allies have a special role to play in Safe Zone. A straight ally is any non-LGBTQ person who supports and stands up for the rights of LGBTQ people. It is important for straight allies to demonstrate that LGBTQ people are not alone as they work to improve school climate, and to take a stand in places where it may not be safe for LGBTQ people to be out or visible. Therefore, all members of the Florida Tech community- students, faculty, and staff- are potential Safe Zone participants.
What does it mean to see the Safe Zone symbol?
The Safe Zone signs send a visible message of welcome to LGBTQ people. They also send a message to the entire community and to visitors that respect for LGBTQ people is one aspect of Florida Tech’s commitment to diversity. People displaying the symbol have taken the time to educate themselves about the needs and concerns of LGBTQ people and all viewpoints regarding sexual orientation and gender identity will be addressed in an educational, informative, and respectful manner.
What challenges to a safe environment to LGBTQ people face at Florida Tech?
The Safe Zone Program exists to counter the challenges facing LGBTQ members of the Florida Tech community, such as:
Homophobic remarks and jokes
Defacing of property with anti-LGBTQ remarks & references
Invisibility of LGBTQ students amidst an often heterosexist environment
Lack of visibly-out LGBT faculty and staff, due to fear of reprisal and a legal/political climate which does not guarantee them safety or security
Potential isolation and loneliness of LGBTQ students because of inability to identify supportive allies and resources
Anxiety, stress, and depression often felt among LGBTQ students
Threat of physical injury and/or death of LGBTQ students from incidents of hate
LGBTQ young adults today face a wide variety of experiences and circumstances that can profoundly impact their physical, emotional, academic, and social well-being. Studies have found that a vast majority of LGBTQ youth have experienced verbal abuse targeting their sexual orientation and/or gender expression. Many also report being threatened with bodily harm, having been followed or chased, having had objects thrown at them, having been physically assaulted, or having been assaulted with a weapon.
When asked about their mental health concerns, many LGBTQ college students report feeling sad or depressed, and/or anxious. Coming out to family and friends, being ridiculed for being LGBT-identified, and having one's sexual orientation and/or gender identity discovered by others without their consent are often identified as major stressors by these students.
In one example of such research, every two years the Massachusetts Department of Education conducts a version (MYRBS) of the National Youth Risk Behavior Survey, exploring the health-related attitudes and behaviors of high school students. The 2003 survey found that LGBT students, when compared with their heterosexual peers, were:
over 5 times more likely to have attempted suicide in the past year;
over 3 times more likely to have skipped school in the past month because they felt unsafe at or en route to school; and
over 3 times more likely to have been threatened or injured with a weapon at school in the past year.
Similar findings have come from recent reports issues by the Gay, Lesbian, Straight Education Network (GLSEN) and the National Gay Lesbian Task Force (NGLTF). Thus, it's well documented that many LGBTQ students face significant stressors and hostile environments with the potential to place their mental and physical health (and therefore, success in college!!) in jeopardy.
However, when LGBTQ students can identify and access safe and competent peers and authority figures they can turn to as allies for support, advice, information, and advocacy, the effects of these stressors are countered. The Safe Zone Program is one significant way in which LGBT students learn where they can turn for support and information.
Commonly Asked Questions About Sexual Orientation
Taken from "Psychology and You: Answers to Your Questions About Sexual Orientation and Homosexuality" by the American Psychological Association.
Q: What is sexual orientation?
Sexual orientation is one of the four components of sexuality and is distinguished by an enduring emotional, romantic, sexual or affectional attraction to individuals of a particular gender. The three other components of sexuality are biological sex, gender identity (the psychological sense of being male or female) and social sex role (adherence to cultural norms for feminine and masculine behavior). Three sexual orientations are commonly recognized: "homosexual", attraction to individuals of one's own gender; "heterosexual", attraction to individuals of the other gender; or "bisexual", attractions to members of either gender. Persons with a homosexual orientation are sometimes referred to as "gay" (both men and women) or "lesbian" (women only). Sexual orientation is different from sexual behavior because it refers to feelings and self-concept. Persons may or may not express their sexual orientation in their behaviors. Homosexual orientation is not limited to a particular type of person. Gay men and lesbians are of all ages, cultural backgrounds, races, religions and nationalities. They work in all occupations and live in all parts of the country.
Q: Is sexual orientation a choice?
No. Sexual orientation emerges for most people in early adolescence without any prior sexual experience. And some people report trying very hard over many years to change their sexual orientation from homosexual to heterosexual with no success. For these reasons, psychologists do not consider sexual orientation to be a conscious choice that can be voluntarily changed.
Q: Is homosexuality a mental illness or emotional problem?
No. Psychologists, psychiatrists and other mental health professionals agree that homosexuality is not an illness, mental disorder or emotional problem. Much objective scientific research over the past 35 years shows us that homosexual orientation, in and of itself, is not associated with emotional or social problems.
Homosexuality was thought to be a mental illness in the past because mental health professionals and society had biased information about homosexuality since most studies only involved lesbians and gay men in therapy. When researchers examined data about gay people who were not in therapy, the idea that homosexuality was a mental illness was found to be untrue.
In 1973 the American Psychiatric Association confirmed the importance of the new research by removing the term "homosexuality" from the official manual that lists all mental and emotional disorders. In 1975 the American Psychological Association passed a resolution supporting this action. Both associations urge all mental health professionals to help dispel the stigma of mental illness that some people still associate with homosexual orientation. Since the original declassification of homosexuality as a mental disorder, this decision has subsequently been reaffirmed by additional research findings and both associations. The APA encourages all mental health professionals to work to help persons of all sexual orientations to accept and integrate their inner feelings and to overcome their prejudices and false beliefs about one another.
Q: Can gay, lesbian, and bisexual people be good parents?
Yes. Studies comparing groups of children raised by homosexual and by heterosexual parents find no developmental differences between the two groups of children in their intelligence, psychological adjustment, social adjustment, popularity with friends, development of social sex role identity or development of sexual orientation. Another stereotype about homosexuality is the mistaken belief that gay men have more of a tendency than heterosexual men to sexually molest children. There is no evidence indicating that homosexuals are more likely than heterosexuals to molest children.
Q: Can therapy change sexual orientation?
No. Even though homosexual orientation is not a mental illness and there is no scientific reason to attempt conversion of lesbians or gays to heterosexual orientation, some individuals may seek to change their own sexual orientation or that of another individual (for example, parents seeking therapy for their child). Some therapists who undertake this kind of therapy report that they have changed their clients' sexual orientation (from homosexual to heterosexual) in treatment. Close scrutiny of their reports indicates several factors that cast doubt: many of the claims come from organizations with an ideological perspective on sexual orientation, rather than from mental health researchers; the treatments and their outcomes are poorly documented; and the length of time that clients are followed up after the treatment is too short.
In 1990 the American Psychological Association stated that scientific evidence does not show that conversion therapy works and that it can do more harm than good. Changing one's sexual orientation is not simply a matter of changing one's sexual behavior. It would require altering one's emotional, romantic and sexual feelings and restructuring one's self-concept and social identity.
Although some mental health providers do attempt sexual orientation conversion, others question the ethics of trying to alter through therapy a trait that is not a disorder and that is extremely important to an individual's identity.
Not all gays and lesbians who seek therapy want to change their sexual orientation. Gays and lesbians may seek counseling for any of the same reasons as anyone else. In addition, they may seek psychological help to "come out" or to deal with prejudice, discrimination and violence.
The Basics of Bisexuality
What is bisexuality?
Bisexuality is the potential to feel attracted sexually, romantically, or emotionally to and to engage in sensual or sexual relationships with people of either sex. A bisexual person may not be equally attracted to both sexes, and the degree of attraction may vary over time. A key component of bisexual identity is self-perception. Many people engage in sexual activity with people of both sexes, yet do not identify as bisexual. Likewise, others engage in sexual relations with people of one sex, or do not engage in sexual activity at all, yet consider themselves bisexual.
How common is bisexuality?
It is not easy to say how common bisexuality is; little research has been done on this subject and most studies on sexuality have focused on heterosexuals or homosexuals. Based on research done by Kinsey in the 1940s and 1950s, as many as 15-25% of women and 33-46% of men may be bisexual based on their activities or attractions. In our culture it is generally assumed that a person is either heterosexual or homosexual, so bisexuals are often a hidden population. This is in part because there is not a stereotypical bisexual appearance or way of acting, so bisexuals are usually assumed to be either heterosexual or homosexual. When it is recognized, bisexuality is often viewed as being “part heterosexual and part homosexual”, rather than being a unique identity. In order to increase awareness, bisexuals have begun to create their own visible communities.
What is biphobia?
Most people are unaware of their homosexual or heterosexual assumptions until a bisexual speaks up or comes out and challenges the assumption. Very often bisexuals are dismissed, told they are “confused” and “simply have to make up their mind and choose”. Biphobia is the fear of bisexuality or the assumption of homosexuality or heterosexuality.
What does biphobia look like?
§ Assuming that everyone is either heterosexual or homosexual
§ Supporting and understanding a bisexual identity for young people because you identified “that way” before and came to your “real” lesbian/gay/heterosexual identity
§ Expecting a bisexual to identify as heterosexual when coupled with the “opposite” gender or sex
§ Believing bisexual people haven’t made up their minds or are confused about their sexuality
§ Believing bisexual people spread AIDS/HIV and other STDs to heterosexuals or lesbians
§ Automatically assuming romantic couplings of two women are lesbian, or two men are gay, or a man and a woman are heterosexual
§ Feeling bisexuals just want to “have their cake and eat it too”
§ Using the terms “phase” or “stage” or “confused” or “fence sitter” or “bisexual” or “AC/DC” or “switch hitter” as slurs or in an accusatory way
§ Assuming bisexual means “available”
§ Assuming that bisexuals, if given the choice, would prefer to be within an “opposite” gender/sex coupling to reap the social benefits of a “heterosexual” pairing
§ Being gay or lesbian and asking your bisexual friend about their lover only when that lover is the same sex/gender
§ Feeling that you can’t trust a bisexual because they aren’t really gay or lesbian, or aren’t really heterosexual
Adapted from American University flyer “Did you know?: Bi basics”
The Basics of Homophobia and Heterosexism
What is Homophobia?
Homophobia is defined as the irrational fear of homosexuals, homosexuality, or any behavior or belief which does not conform to rigid sex role stereotypes. It is this fear that enforces sexism as well as heterosexism.
What does Homophobia and Heterosexism look like?
· Interacting with a gay man and thinking only of his sexuality, rather than seeing him as a whole, complex person.
· Changing your seat at a meeting or event because a LGBTQ person is in the chair next to you.