Elements
Consulting
Training for clergy and religious educators
Learn how to make safe, healing and welcoming space for LGBTQ-GNC people of all ages; learn how to avoid alienating and oppressive pitfalls in life cycle celebrations, rituals, and other religious observances; learn how to deal with damaging and abusive ways some people have used scripture and tradition to persecute LGBTQ-GNC people; learn how to support partners and family of LGBTQ-GNC people; learn how to combat homophobia and transphobia in the community; learn how to advocate for LGBTQ-GNC people with service providers and bureaucracies.
Learn how to make a safe and respectful learning environment that includes LGBTQ-GNC students; learn contemporary conventions for language that is non-gendered and non-heteronormative; learn to recognize hegemonic and oppressive assumptions and trends that could alienate students or distract them from learning.
Higher education faculty and staff
Trainings for Educators and School Staff
RAs and dorm staff
Learn how to make welcoming and safe space for LGBTQ-GNC residents; learn special risk factors for LGBTQ-GNC people, as well as violence- and bullying-prevention; learn how to support young people (if they choose to) in coming out.
Elementary and high school teachers and school administrators
Learn how to make a welcoming and safe school environment for LGBTQ-GNC children and youth (and children in LGBTQ-GNC families); learn special risk factors for LGBTQ-GNC kids, as well as violence- and bullying-prevention; learn how to support families of LGBTQ-GNC kids; learn how to talk to children of different ages about diversity in gender and sexuality and family structure; learn how to deal with homophobia and transphobia among other students and parents; learn how to help support children of different ages in coming out (if they choose to) about themselves or their family.
Learn how to make safe and respectful space for LGBTQ-GNC people; learn to advocate for LGBTQ-GNC clients with other providers and bureaucracies, and to support foster and adoptive parents of LGBTQ-GNC kids and youth; learn about special risk factors for LGBTQ-GNC people, and about how to help LGBTQ-GNC people understand their options and resources, etc.; learn how to help support children of different ages in coming out (if they choose to).
Learn how to be save and respectful in engaging with LGBTQ-GNC people's bodies; learn appropriate questions to ask and how to ask them; learn implications for health care for LGBTQ-GNC people.
Social workers and child welfare workers
Medical providers and body workers
Learn how to demonstrate that you're safe enough for someone to come out to even if they've never talked about this to anyone before; learn how to make respectful and healing space for LGBTQI-GNC people; learn how to help LGBTQI-GNC people understand their options and resources; learn how to advocate for LGBTQI-GNC clients with other providers and bureaucracies; learn special risk factors for LGBTQI-GNC-people.
Counselors and therapists
Trainings for Helping Professionals
(including Spiritual Directors, Life Coaches, Pastoral Counselors, Chaplains and other helping professionals)
(Including nurses, physicians, physical therapists, massage therapists, acupuncturists, and others)
Training for customer service staff
Learn how to attract and retain the business of, and most respectfully serve, LGBTQ-GNC people.
Learn how to how to make your business attractive and hospitable for LGBTQ-GNC customers/clients, donors, etc.; learn how to make your business a safe, respectful, and productive work place, and how to build teams that include LGBTQ-GNC people.
Training for business executives and managers
Training for members of the media
Learn how to respectfully represent LGBTQ-GNC people; learn what kinds of questions are appropriate to ask and how to ask them; learn contemporary conventions for language about gender as well as for non-gendered language.
All trainings are 4-8 hours long, and can focus in a more in-depth way on transgender and gender-spectrum competence, or cover LGBTQ competence more comprehensively. They all include the following basic information and skill-building:
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What is gender and how do we come by it? (The social construction of gender)
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What's the difference between sex, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation?
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Language / terminology / definitions (including what are pejorative, derogatory and inappropriate terms)
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Subtle and not-so-subtle ways that LGBTQ-GNC* people face oppression and impediment in daily life; how transphobia intersects with other forms of oppression
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Elevated risk factors for LGBTQ-GNC people
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Intersections of gender with sexuality, race, class, and other facets of identity
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Considerations for making safe space in professional helping relationships and situations - best practices and skills, including:
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The importance of proper pronoun use, and correct use of non-binary or unconventional pronouns
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Ways to demonstrate that you're a safe and competent person so that someone can come out to you
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What kinds of things are ok to ask and when, and how to make an environment that is respectful of LGBTQ-GNC people's privacy needs
*LGBTQ-GNC = Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Gender Non-Conforming