Monthly Archives: June 2022

June is National Pride Month, a time to reflect on the actions and courageous efforts of countless LGBT+ individuals in our history who fought for the rights of entire communities that faced unjust violence, discrimination, or were flat-out ignored by larger society. Every Wednesday throughout June we provided a social media highlight on an amazing LGBT+ individual whose community work changed the course of American, and LGBT+, history. Read all 5 features on Harvey Milk, Gilbert Baker, Marsha P. Johnson, Bayard Rustin, and Stormé DeLarverie in this compilation-style blog post. ...

One Circle Foundation aims to provide services and resources to support facilitators of youth service programs. We meet the needs of our community where it’s at.  Unfortunately, our community is dealing with too much all at once. We are met with violence, systemic racism, sexism, homophobia, transphobia, classism, ablism, housing insecurity, a climate crisis, mass shootings, war, a worldwide pandemic, and a severe mental health crisis. These large-scale traumas are on top of any personal challenges that individuals may be going through.  These topics can be hard to discuss with the youth and communities that we all work with, but it’s essential that we open the door for discussion to process these issues in a safe and supportive environment. Here is a list of resources for navigating through these topics with the youth and communities that you serve.  ...

When talking about how to support the LGBT+ community, and LGBT+ youth in particular, it’s hard not to start with the bleak statistics: LGBT+ people experience homelessness at a rate of 17% compared to 6% of the general population. 40% of queer youth and more than 50% of transgender youth have seriously considered suicide in the last year. More than half of the queer population has hidden a same sex relationship to avoid discrimination. These statistics point to the homophobia and transphobia that still, in 2022, runs rampant in our society. They point to the issues we need to laser in on and solve: accessibility of mental health supports, emergency housing, education around transness. These statistics were at the forefront of my mind when I started a LGBT One Circle group at my local middle school last semester. As a gay trans man, working with queer youth and helping to protect them from the discrimination and hate my friends and I have experienced is my passion. Going into this group I wanted so badly to let these kids know that they are loved and valid, no matter what the world may throw at them. ...

Adolescence can be a difficult time. Trying to develop independence, finding yourself, body changes and first loves. For me I had a wonderful childhood, however, when adolescence hit, things changed. I tried to fit in and experience all the things I was SUPPOSED to according to society's norms. Those experiences didn't work for me, and I thought there was something wrong with me. My way of dealing with it was to use drugs, alcohol and engage in self-destructive behaviors. There were no support groups, no one to talk to about my confusion. I went on through my teens and twenties struggling to fit in. At the age of 28 I kissed a woman and my life changed... ...