From the archives: FLAGB student leaders debut Safe Zone training in 1996

By Kristen Vincent ’26

Leading up to the Bicentennial, Lafayette Today will highlight the College’s history each month by sharing a photo or object from College Archives. Want to learn more about a specific piece? Reach out to archives@lafayette.edu for more historical information.

In 1996, student club FLAGB (Friends of Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexuals) brought Safe Zone training to Lafayette to raise awareness of LGBTQ+ issues and help students identify where they could receive support. 

“It is important to create an environment in which students can feel comfortable and able to discuss all avenues of sexuality and discover for themselves their true sexual identity. The Safe Zone program is being created to help foster such an environment on Lafayette’s campus,” said FLAGB President Peter Theodore ’97 of the former club that year in The Lafayette.

Members of the FLAGB (Friends of Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexuals) student club are pictured. (Archive Photo)

The Safe Zone training program remains in place today. Gabby Hochfeld, assistant director of Intercultural Development and coordinator of Gender and Sexuality Programs, says Safe Zone training provides information about terms and concepts, general trends, and localized data from the PA LGBT Health Needs Assessment, and promotes understanding of the role of an ally through thought exercises and breakout scenarios tailored to frequently asked questions.

“The goal of this training is to strengthen our campus community as a place where we can foster a more inclusive and safe community,” Hochfeld says.