“In these times, allies, those of a dominant group who support causes by and for people without their privileges – in this case straight and/or white folks – can be particularly helpful. But here’s the thing: There are so many people who claim to be allies but don’t quite know how to be there for us. Here, just a few things allies can do to support queer Latinxs like me.” Read ELLIE PEÑA’s full article at latina.com … [Read more...]

“Elementary school students will now be introduced to marriage equality and the acceptance of families with two moms or two dads. In middle school, students will learn about the Boy Scouts lifting their ban on gay scout leaders and the brutal killing of Matthew Shepard. High school will require studies on transgender identity and the process of coming out; the Stonewall Riots of 1969; what it was like to be gay in different generations; and how to overcome or break out of gender stereotypes. By graduation, students will have studied the 2015 … [Read more...]

“The group meets regularly in Santa Cruz to hang out, as many of the teens describe. While hanging out can mean the usual for teens — snacks, jokes, internet videos, sitting on the couch — it can also mean heavier topics — bullying, sexual identity and navigating the nuances of gender...There were 18 teens in Saturday’s session and the mood was lighthearted.” Read the full article in The Santa Cruz Sentinel   Meeting Schedule Watsonville Queer Youth Meet-up on Fridays 3:30pm - 6pm Where:  First Christian Church in Watsonville Santa … [Read more...]

“There is a generational divide in our understandings of gender. Designed as a guidebook for parents and professionals, The Transgender Teen is a comprehensive guidebook that helps to bridge that divide by exploring the unique challenges that thousands of families face every day raising a teenager who may be transgender, non-binary, or otherwise gender-expansive…” Visit Gender Spectrum to learn more about this book and view other gender resources available. … [Read more...]

We know that allyship is about more than broadly supporting LGBTQ people; it's an active, ongoing process of advocating for LGBTQ youth (and other marginalized groups) without speaking for them or over them. During #AllyWeek, we challenge one another to think critically about what allyship means, how we are allies to others, and what kind of allies we seek out for ourselves. To register or to see available resources visit glsen.org/allyweek … [Read more...]