Safe Place Manual - What It Means

 

What does it mean if I display a Safe Place Emblem?

  • You are supportive of gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender (GLBT) and ally persons.
  • You are committed to keeping your workplace or residence free from discrimination based on sexual orientation/gender identity.
  • You are willing to avoid the assumption that everyone is heterosexual.
  • You understand that “coming out” (telling others of one’s orientation) can be a difficult process for many GLBT people and would be an understanding listener.
  • You are committed to using inclusive language such as “significant other” or “partner” in the place of “spouse” when you are unsure of the correct term.
  • You are committed to being inclusive in work-related social activities. For example: inviting partners whenever spouses are invited & not asking about a colleague’s marital status.
  • You are committed to educating yourself about issues important to GLBT persons.

What the Emblem Means

The pink triangle has become a symbol of gay liberation, although its origins are those of oppression. In the years prior to and during World War II, homosexuals were among the many groups targeted for extermination by the Nazis. Just as Jews were forced to wear yellow Stars of David and political prisoners a red triangle, homosexual men were identified by pink triangles. A quarter of a million GLBT people died in concentration camps such as Dachau. Often the liberation of the camps by the Allies did not include gay men and lesbians. They were treated as criminals and forced to serve out their sentences. Today the pink triangle has been transformed into a symbol of struggle, remembrance and pride.

The Black Triangle also has its origins in Nazi oppression. In the concentration camps “antisocial prisoners” were forced to wear inverted black triangles identifying them as such. Women were deemed to be “anti-social” if they refused to marry, have children, or be submissive to men. Sexual relations between women were not criminal per se, but lesbians were persecuted for the “anti-social” behavior. Also included amongst “anti-socials” were men and women who refused to work, the mentally ill, the homeless and the unemployed. The black triangle has been reclaimed by lesbians and feminists as a symbol of pride, in much the same way the pink triangle has been reclaimed by gay men.

The green circle encompassing the triangles is the international symbol of approval or acceptance.

 

How can I be supportive?

Most GLBT people remain closeted, or at least partially so, within the campus community. Additionally, many individuals with gay family members or friends remain similarly closeted about these people who are important in their lives. Ironically, there are many straight people who wish to be supportive of their associates, but do not want to risk making them feel uncomfortable and don't know where to begin.