Queer and Trans Field Safety Assessment Excel Workbook

Ecological fieldwork poses heightened risks for LGBTQIA+ scientists due to inadequate safety protocols and identity-based vulnerabilities. Best practices to improve safety for queer field researchers exist, yet over 50% of LGBTQIA+ field scientists report feeling unsupported, with structural and cultural barriers unaddressed. Our team of 15 researchers from the University of California developed the Queer and Trans Field Safety Assessment: an example-based tool designed to support inclusive field environments. Drawing from best practices in field safety literature, the assessment offers a structured checklist that addresses safety needs before, during, and after fieldwork across four key categories: climate, protocols, training, and accessibility. This workbook is a workshop version of the Queer & Trans Field Safety Assessment (QTFSA). It helps you move through the assessment one section at a time, record current status for each prompt, review all responses together, and identify priorities for action. The workbook includes 5 main working sections and 105 total prompts. Thank you to Josie Otto, who turned our assessment into this excel workbook.