Why Accepting your LGBTQ+ Child Matters — And How to Start

Parents want their children to be happy, healthy, and safe. If your child comes out to you as LGBTQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or queer), that may or may not be something you imagined or feel prepared for—but your acceptance really matters to their health and safety.

Why does family acceptance matter?

Read further to learn why acceptance matters and the impact of family acceptance and family rejection.

 

Supporting LGBTQIA+ Students

 

My Bachelors of Social Work internship this past year has been with a non-profit in Biddeford, Maine called Engine. Engine strives to be an inclusive space for youth to express themselves through the arts.

As part of my internship I was required to do a capstone project based on an area of need in the community. So, I decided to focus on creating a training and resource manual for teachers and educators about how to support their queer students.

Below is the presentation and the resource manual.

Guide on how to support lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer students: Resource Guide for Supporting LGBTQIA+ Students

Presentation: LGBTQIA+ Safe Schools Powerpoint

CHANGING BIRTH CERTIFICATE SEX DESIGNATIONS: STATE-BY-STATE GUIDELINES

Changing documentation is an important factor for transgender individuals.  There are many documents to consider.  One of the first documents transgender individual will want to consider  after a legal name change will be to have their birth certificate amended.  The laws for amending birth certificates is controlled at the state level.  All states except for three (Tennessee, Ohio, and Idaho) will allow transgender individual to also have their gender marker changed on their birth certificates.  The procedure is different in each state and it is important to have all of your documentation prepared ahead of time to save yourself time and frustration of working through this process.  The following article provides state by state guidelines for changing your birth certificate sex designation.

CHANGING BIRTH CERTIFICATE SEX DESIGNATIONS: STATE-BY-STATE GUIDELINES

Portland Pride 2017

Yesterday was the Portland Pride Parade and Festival. We had the opportunity to march with the University of Southern Maine’s Center for Sexuality and Gender Diversity as well as Phi Mu Delta Fraternity. It was great to see everyone come out and show their support and acceptance for the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender community.

 

    

     

Pride Month

 

 

June is LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender) Pride Month and that means that there are pride celebrations happening all over the place. Pride was started to honor and remember the Stonewall Riots in New York in 1969. The Stonewall riot is commonly known as the first major protest for equality for the LGBT community. The Stonewall Inn – a gay club – was raided by the police. The riot broke out when people in the club and local citizens rioted against the police. The Stonewall riot was a breaking point for the LGBT community and started the push forward for equality and justice. The riot was followed by multiple days of protests and demonstrations by citizens in New York which lead to the creation of the ‘Gay Liberation Front’ and other LGBT civil rights groups.

Many states around the US participate in Pride Month by having parades and activities to celebrate diversity and equality. Here in Maine Portland Pride will be happening next weekend on June 17th starting at 12pm with the Portland Pride Parade followed by activities in Deering Oaks Park. For more information regarding the events in Portland check out Portland Pride.

Discover Yourself – Live Authentically