OUT for Safe Communities
The national OUT programs housed at the Los Angeles LGBT Center are anchored by OUT for Safe Schools® and OUT for Safe Spaces®, with the emerging, localized OUT for Safe Communities programming growing in 2025. In 2013, the Los Angeles LGBT Center, in partnership with Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD), introduced OUT for Safe Schools® to encourage school staff to publicly identify as supportive LGBTQ+ allies in their school communities. From there, OUT for Safe Spaces® emerged in 2017 in partnership with the New York City Department of Health to identify safe and sober community spaces (third spaces including businesses, cultural institutions such as museums, and community-based organizations) for LGBTQ+ youth.
OUT for Safe Schools®
OUT for Safe Schools® promotes safe and affirming K-12 public school campuses and public higher education including community colleges and state schools by mobilizing visible allies among staff and faculty. Core components of the program include policies and practices which uplift LGBTQ+ students identities paired with a variety of environmental cues. Most notably, staff and faculty are invited to don a customized OUT for Safe Schools® badge on their lanyard after being trained. The badge typically includes their local education agency’s (LEA) logo on the front and local resources or best practices on the back.
OUT for Safe Spaces®
OUT for Safe Spaces® broadens the impact of OUT for Safe Schools® through the promotion of community spaces beyond school campuses where LGBTQ+ youth are safe and affirmed. Modeled after OUT for Safe Schools®, OUT for Safe Spaces® works with local communities to identify safe and sober businesses, cultural landmarks (e.g., museums, etc.), community-based organizations, and other areas where youth spend time to empower visible allies. Core components of the program also include policies and practices which uplift LGBTQ+ youth paired with environmental cues to symbolize the site’s commitment. In addition to optional badges, sites are encouraged to display a window cling, poster, or other co-branded swag to alert youth.