BRIDGE BUILDERS CHANGE
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Gender and sexuality 

Our Mission:
The Gender and Sexuality cohort is committed to making  Memphis a place where all people, regardless of sexuality and gender, can be brave to speak their truth, feel safe in their identity, and become educated on topics concerning the LGBTQ+ community. 
We are currently working in our mission through the Brave, Safe, and Educated campaign.
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What is brave, safe, and educated?

We designed this criteria by compiling a diverse set of peer-reviewed articles from reputable sources and fashioning their suggestions to fit the capabilities of organizations in the Memphis community. In addition, we collected surveys from people all around Memphis, asking what they felt would make spaces Brave, Safe, and Educated. 

​While research is essential, the personal experiences and needs of local LGBTQ+ people are just as necessary to our mission of making Memphis safer.

OUR NEXT BSE INTEREST MEETING IS MARCH 3, 2022

RSVP HERE

The criteria:

For businesses

  • Proudly and visibly identify as a safe space
  • Include pronouns in name tags, email signatures, and business cards, as well as in all introductions
  • Make gender neutral bathrooms available
  • Dress codes should be gender neutral, with all people adhering to the same rules​
  • Have staff trained in LGBTQ+ sensitivity
  • Ensure anti-harassment policies explicitly protect LGBTQ+ staff and customers
  • Staff trained in the “implicit bias”
  • No working groups may be assigned based on gender
  • Any spousal and domestic relation benefits for staff must explicitly include same-sex couples
  • Have literature or a point-person concerning the mediation of gender or sexuality discrimination
  • Have policies that ensure claims of gender or sexuality discrimination or violence are properly investigated and taken seriously
  • Normalize using they-them pronouns before you know someone's pronouns

For healthcare facilities

  • Proudly and visibly identify as a safe space
  • Staff should be trained in a “LGBTQ+ 101 for Providers” program and/or a “Transgender 101 for Providers” program
  • Ask patients for preferred pronouns and use them
  • Include pronouns on staff name tags and with patients' names
  • Make gender neutral restrooms available for patients and staff
  • Ensure any anti-discrimination and harassment policies directly protect LGBTQ+ staff and patients
  • Dress codes should be gender neutral, with all people adhering to the same rules​
  • Doctors should provide a survey with more sensitive conversation topics
  • Provide information on how to advocate for yourself if you have been discriminated against
  • Don’t use words that harm the LGBT community
  • Ensure that all have the same access as straight partners ​
For schools, check out the ICCON Committee's criteria for Inclusive Classrooms

BSE Certified spaces


The Full List:
BRIDGES
CHOICES
Facing History and Ourselves
Girls Inc.


OUTMemphis
​The Orpheum
Theatre Memphis
Playhouse on the Square
Headliners

why is bse necessary?


Meet the gas cohort

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Lakia Coakley
she/her/hers
​CHANGEr
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Courtnei Powell
she/her
CHANGEr
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Anesa Farrie
​she/her
​CHANGEr
Picture
Jenni Valenzuela
she/her
Advisor

Location

About

We are youth organizers working to make systematic change in Memphis around issues of social activism.

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  • Home
  • Our Work
    • Mental and Emotional Health Matters
    • Education Determination Driven by Youth
  • Get Involved
  • Gallery
    • Photos
    • Videos
  • Shelby County Youth Council
  • CHAlumnix
  • Past Work
    • 2019-2020 Year
    • Counselors Not Cops >
      • Interest Meeting
      • The Facts
    • Memphis Against Sexual Harassment & Assault
    • ICONIC Classrooms >
      • ICONIC Pledge
      • ICONIC Resources
      • Inclusive Classrooms Hall of Fame
      • ICONIC First Day Toolkit
      • Get Involved
    • Gender and Sexuality >
      • Get Involved
      • BSE Spaces
    • Cohorts >
      • EDJ
      • GAS
      • MASHA >
        • Survivor Power Coffee Hours
      • MemYU
      • Adult Support
  • For YJACers
  • For CHANGE Fellows and SCYC Members
    • Resources >
      • Institute Binder
    • For SCYC Members >
      • Attendance Policy
      • Public Commissioner Contact Info
    • For CHANGE Fellows >
      • CHANGE Committees
    • For Advisers