Safe-space
Encyclopedia
In school
s and education
, safe-space, safer-space, or positive space is a term used to indicate that a teacher
or educator does not tolerate anti-LGBT violence and harassment
and is open and accepting, thereby creating a safe
place for lesbian
, gay
, bisexual, transgender
, and all student
s.
An institution which supports a safe space for GLBTQ students and employees may offer staff
training
on diversity; includes being a safe space in the organization's mission
; develops and posts a value
statement in the organization's office, online, or on printed documents; or, if part of a coalition
, encourages the coalition to include being a safe space in its mission and values.
The concept originated in the women's movement
, where it, "implies a certain license to speak
and act freely, form collective strength, and generate strategies for resistance
...a means rather than an end and not only a physical space but also a space created by the coming together of women searching for community
." The first safe spaces were gay bar
s and consciousness raising
groups.
In 1989 GLUE developed a safe spaces program. During their events including diversity-training sessions and antihomophobia workshops, they passed out magnets with an inverted pink triangle
, "ACT UP
's...symbol", surrounded by a green circle to, "symbolize universal acceptance," and asked, "allies
to display the magnets to show support for gay rights and to designate their work spaces free from homophobia."
In gay-only groups the desire for safe space may represent a, "special ritual
time spent in a ritual space," where, "heterosexuals are cautiously avoided". However, this may allow the comfort necessary for other actions. "Gay and lesbian people may perceive the pub or bar as being 'their' space, and so as somewhere they can 'perform' and be open without the fear of rejection or hostility from the heterosexual majority, which may be perceived as hostile."
"In this situation, the perception of safe gay space can allow the development of a sense of community and confidence, which in turn may contribute to the creation of rights-based movements."
Positive Space initiatives are prevalent in post-secondary institutions across Canada including the University of Toronto
, the University of British Columbia
, and Queen's University
.
School
A school is an institution designed for the teaching of students under the direction of teachers. Most countries have systems of formal education, which is commonly compulsory. In these systems, students progress through a series of schools...
s and education
Education
Education in its broadest, general sense is the means through which the aims and habits of a group of people lives on from one generation to the next. Generally, it occurs through any experience that has a formative effect on the way one thinks, feels, or acts...
, safe-space, safer-space, or positive space is a term used to indicate that a teacher
Teacher
A teacher or schoolteacher is a person who provides education for pupils and students . The role of teacher is often formal and ongoing, carried out at a school or other place of formal education. In many countries, a person who wishes to become a teacher must first obtain specified professional...
or educator does not tolerate anti-LGBT violence and harassment
Harassment
Harassment covers a wide range of behaviors of an offensive nature. It is commonly understood as behaviour intended to disturb or upset, and it is characteristically repetitive. In the legal sense, it is intentional behaviour which is found threatening or disturbing...
and is open and accepting, thereby creating a safe
Safety
Safety is the state of being "safe" , the condition of being protected against physical, social, spiritual, financial, political, emotional, occupational, psychological, educational or other types or consequences of failure, damage, error, accidents, harm or any other event which could be...
place for lesbian
Lesbian
Lesbian is a term most widely used in the English language to describe sexual and romantic desire between females. The word may be used as a noun, to refer to women who identify themselves or who are characterized by others as having the primary attribute of female homosexuality, or as an...
, gay
Gay
Gay is a word that refers to a homosexual person, especially a homosexual male. For homosexual women the specific term is "lesbian"....
, bisexual, transgender
Transgender
Transgender is a general term applied to a variety of individuals, behaviors, and groups involving tendencies to vary from culturally conventional gender roles....
, and all student
Student
A student is a learner, or someone who attends an educational institution. In some nations, the English term is reserved for those who attend university, while a schoolchild under the age of eighteen is called a pupil in English...
s.
An institution which supports a safe space for GLBTQ students and employees may offer staff
Employment
Employment is a contract between two parties, one being the employer and the other being the employee. An employee may be defined as:- Employee :...
training
Training
The term training refers to the acquisition of knowledge, skills, and competencies as a result of the teaching of vocational or practical skills and knowledge that relate to specific useful competencies. It forms the core of apprenticeships and provides the backbone of content at institutes of...
on diversity; includes being a safe space in the organization's mission
Mission statement
A mission statement is a statement of the purpose of a company or organization. The mission statement should guide the actions of the organization, spell out its overall goal, provide a path, and guide decision-making...
; develops and posts a value
Value (personal and cultural)
A personal or cultural value is an absolute or relative ethical value, the assumption of which can be the basis for ethical action. A value system is a set of consistent values and measures. A principle value is a foundation upon which other values and measures of integrity are based...
statement in the organization's office, online, or on printed documents; or, if part of a coalition
Coalition
A coalition is a pact or treaty among individuals or groups, during which they cooperate in joint action, each in their own self-interest, joining forces together for a common cause. This alliance may be temporary or a matter of convenience. A coalition thus differs from a more formal covenant...
, encourages the coalition to include being a safe space in its mission and values.
The concept originated in the women's movement
Feminist movement
The feminist movement refers to a series of campaigns for reforms on issues such as reproductive rights, domestic violence, maternity leave, equal pay, women's suffrage, sexual harassment and sexual violence...
, where it, "implies a certain license to speak
Freedom of speech
Freedom of speech is the freedom to speak freely without censorship. The term freedom of expression is sometimes used synonymously, but includes any act of seeking, receiving and imparting information or ideas, regardless of the medium used...
and act freely, form collective strength, and generate strategies for resistance
Resistance movement
A resistance movement is a group or collection of individual groups, dedicated to opposing an invader in an occupied country or the government of a sovereign state. It may seek to achieve its objects through either the use of nonviolent resistance or the use of armed force...
...a means rather than an end and not only a physical space but also a space created by the coming together of women searching for community
Community
The term community has two distinct meanings:*a group of interacting people, possibly living in close proximity, and often refers to a group that shares some common values, and is attributed with social cohesion within a shared geographical location, generally in social units larger than a household...
." The first safe spaces were gay bar
Gay bar
A gay bar is a drinking establishment that caters to an exclusively or predominantly gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender clientele; the term gay is used as a broadly inclusive concept for LGBT and queer communities...
s and consciousness raising
Consciousness raising
Consciousness raising is a form of political activism, pioneered by United States feminists in the late 1960s...
groups.
In 1989 GLUE developed a safe spaces program. During their events including diversity-training sessions and antihomophobia workshops, they passed out magnets with an inverted pink triangle
Pink triangle
The pink triangle was one of the Nazi concentration camp badges, used to identify male prisoners who were sent there because of their homosexuality. Every prisoner had to wear a downward-pointing triangle on his or her jacket, the colour of which was to categorise him or her by "kind"...
, "ACT UP
AIDS Coalition to Unleash Power
AIDS Coalition to Unleash Power is an international direct action advocacy group working to impact the lives of people with AIDS and the AIDS pandemic to bring about legislation, medical research and treatment and policies to ultimately bring an end to the disease by mitigating loss of health and...
's...symbol", surrounded by a green circle to, "symbolize universal acceptance," and asked, "allies
Straight ally
Straight ally is a colloquial term that describes a heterosexual person who supports equal civil rights, gender equality, LGBTQ social movements, and challenges homophobia. A straight ally believes that LGBT people suffer discrimination and thus are socially disadvantaged...
to display the magnets to show support for gay rights and to designate their work spaces free from homophobia."
In gay-only groups the desire for safe space may represent a, "special ritual
Ritual
A ritual is a set of actions, performed mainly for their symbolic value. It may be prescribed by a religion or by the traditions of a community. The term usually excludes actions which are arbitrarily chosen by the performers....
time spent in a ritual space," where, "heterosexuals are cautiously avoided". However, this may allow the comfort necessary for other actions. "Gay and lesbian people may perceive the pub or bar as being 'their' space, and so as somewhere they can 'perform' and be open without the fear of rejection or hostility from the heterosexual majority, which may be perceived as hostile."
"In this situation, the perception of safe gay space can allow the development of a sense of community and confidence, which in turn may contribute to the creation of rights-based movements."
Positive Space initiatives are prevalent in post-secondary institutions across Canada including the University of Toronto
University of Toronto
The University of Toronto is a public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, situated on the grounds that surround Queen's Park. It was founded by royal charter in 1827 as King's College, the first institution of higher learning in Upper Canada...
, the University of British Columbia
University of British Columbia
The University of British Columbia is a public research university. UBC’s two main campuses are situated in Vancouver and in Kelowna in the Okanagan Valley...
, and Queen's University
Queen's University
Queen's University, , is a public research university located in Kingston, Ontario, Canada. Founded on 16 October 1841, the university pre-dates the founding of Canada by 26 years. Queen's holds more more than of land throughout Ontario as well as Herstmonceux Castle in East Sussex, England...
.
See also
- Bill RyanBill Ryan (professor)Bill Ryan is a professor of Social Work at McGill University in Montréal, Québec, Canada. He is an international expert in the field of sexuality, sexual education, homophobia, health, and gay men's health. He has conducted research in all these areas, published scientific articles, chapters and...
of Canadian Safe Spaces - Harvey Milk High SchoolHarvey Milk High SchoolHarvey Milk High School is a public high school in the East Village of New York City designed for, though not limited to, gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender young people, as well as those questioning their sexuality...
- Straight allyStraight allyStraight ally is a colloquial term that describes a heterosexual person who supports equal civil rights, gender equality, LGBTQ social movements, and challenges homophobia. A straight ally believes that LGBT people suffer discrimination and thus are socially disadvantaged...
External links
- "Creating Safe Space for GLBTQ Youth: A Toolkit", AdvocatesforYouthAdvocates for YouthAdvocates for Youth is a nonprofit organization and advocacy group based in Washington, D.C., USA, dedicated to sexuality education, the prevention of HIV and of sexually transmitted disease, teenage pregnancy prevention, youth access to condoms and contraception , equality for LGBT youth, and...
.org. - "Safe Space Coalition", LDSSafeSpace.org.