When walking around campus, students may have seen stickers on doors that simply say “Safe Zone.”

What is a safe zone though?

The Gay Alliance SafeZone program looks to increase awareness and and provide skills for all those who want to support those in the LGBTQ community.

Safe zones are not limited to those who identify as part of the LGBTQ community; safe zones aim to also help those who want to advocate for their LGBTQ friends or family.

The Safe Zone training program sessions at Iowa State, which people can register for online, are led by Clare Lemke of the Dean of Students Office and Brad Freihoefer, director of LGBT Student Services.

“We really try to make it as interactive as possible,” Lemke said. “We have different activities that walk people through the concepts of sexuality, sex (biological) and gender. Safe Zone 101 is really about, at the personal level, how do we address and acknowledge our own personal biases that we have when we interact with people in our everyday life.”

Everyone is encouraged not only to participate in the training but also continue to practice what they learn and apply it to their everyday lives.