This foundational training intends to engage participants in a thorough overview of the LGBTQ+ community, with special emphasis on the mental health concerns and other issues disproportionately experienced by LGBTQ+ youth. From terminology and definitions to rethinking historical and traditional assumptions about gender and sexuality, this training is a must for all those who wish to learn how to better practice effective and informed allyship.
Learning goals include:
An understanding of what is meant by sexual orientation, sexual identity, gender identity, gender expression, and sex assigned at birth, the differences between them and how they impact one another.
Language and definition of terms associated with the LGBTQ+ community.
Defining and understanding notions of hetero-normativity, the gender/sex binary, and cis-normativity, and how they impact all of us.
Rethinking social norms and expectations surrounding sexuality and gender in our society.
The importance of allyship in real life situations: Understanding how LGBTQ+ youth are impacted by bias/prejudice, and an overview of best practices that protect the safety and inclusion of LGBTQ+ youth.