In honor of Pride Month, The School of Medicine's Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, The School of Dentistry, The School of Pharmacy, and the University Counseling Services will host a Safe Zone training event. Open to students, faculty, and staff, the training will provide didactic and experiential opportunities for participants to:

• Increasing their awareness of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Questioning, Intersex, Asexual (LGBTQQIA+) communities and identities.
• Deepen their understanding of sex, gender, and sexuality, while also considering other intersecting identities (e.g., race, ethnicity, religious/spiritual orientation).
• Recognize the unique concerns/challenges (e.g., heterosexism, biphobia, transphobia) that LGBTQQIA+ (or Queer) people endure at VCU and in society at large.
• Build skills to advocate for and assist Queer staff and students with concerns that might emerge on campus.
• Examine and challenge their biases, assumptions, prejudice, and privilege in relation to different sexual and gender identities.

The event will take place virtually on Wednesday, June 14, 1 p.m. – 3 p.m. and in person on Thursday, June 22, noon – 2 p.m. in room 5-200A of the MMEC building.