FORT BENTON — The Chouteau County Allies are hosting a meeting on Saturday, March 23, 2024, at the Memorial Ambulance of Fort Benton to teach the community about safe zones.
“Chouteau County Allies is a group we started a couple of years ago to provide services and support for community members that are part of the LGBTQ community,” said Ryan Rominger, PhD, LCPC, and a member of the Chouteau County Allies.
The group has monthly meetings aimed to build support for LGBTQIA+ community members. They aim to bridge the gap between teenagers and adults in regard to LGBTQIA+, discussing problems and other issues that may otherwise go unaddressed.
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“I think there's a lot of supportive adults and adults that are trying to see problems that others might not,” said Kailyn Rominger, the high school liaison for the Chouteau County Allies.
On Saturday, they are hosting “Safe Zone Training” for anyone interested. You do not need to identify as a member of the LGBTQIA+ community to benefit from the event.
“We partner with the Great Falls LGBTQ center,” Ryan said, “So we're having Jasmine, who's a part of the center, come down and conduct a training for us like we did last year.”
“A safe space is just a place without hate, without any prejudices or preconceived notions,” Kailyn said, “And it's just a place where you can anyone can feel comfortable. Not just a specific group of people, anyone.”
The goal is to foster a community of inclusion, regardless of sexual or gender identity. The group has hosted successful events in the past, like trunk-or-treats on Halloween, and hopes to continue to grow in the future.
“I think overall, generally, there's a lot of acceptance within the Fort Benton community, and we really appreciate the acceptance that we do see around town and around the county,” Ryan said, “Of course, there are always individuals who are not very accepting, and that's one of the reasons we find that it's so important to provide safe places.”
Safe Zones exist to promote community and inclusion, showing that everybody is important and has inherent worth regardless of any and all external factors.
To find more out about monthly meetings or get in touch with the Chouteau County Allies, email chocoallies@gmail.com or head to their Facebook page by clicking here.
