Resources
LGBTQ+ SUPPORT AND ADVOCACY ORGANIZATIONS
Free Mom Hugs
Free Mom Hugs is a group of affirming parents and allies who love the LGBTQIA+ community unconditionally. At Free Mom Hugs, we are empowering the world to celebrate the LGBTQIA+ community through visibility, education and conversation. And yes, we still give hugs.
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Human Rights Campaign
As the largest civil rights organization working to achieve equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer Americans, the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) represents a force of more than 3 million members and supporters nationwide — all committed to making HRC's vision a reality. HRC envisions a world where LGBTQ people are embraced as full members of society at home, at work and in every community.
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NAMI
One in five Americans live with a mental health condition. NAMI provides advocacy, education, support and public awareness so all individuals and families affected by mental illness can build better lives.
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The Trevor Project
The Trevor Project is the world’s largest suicide prevention and crisis intervention organization for LGBTQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and questioning) young people. They work to save young lives by providing support through free and confidential suicide prevention and crisis intervention programs. These exist on platforms where young people spend their time, so they can get help 24/7 through a phone lifeline, an instant message chat or confidential texting. The organization also runs TrevorSpace, the world’s largest safe space social networking site for LGBTQ youth, and operates innovative education, research and advocacy programs.
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ADDITIONAL RESOURCES BY TOPIC
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- SUICIDE PREVENTION AND CRISIS INTERVENTION -
- HEALTH CARE -
- FAMILY AND COMMUNITY -
- COMING OUT -
- TRANSGENDER -
- LESBIAN -
- GAY -
- BISEXUAL -
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SUICIDE PREVENTION AND CRISIS INTERVENTION -
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HEALTH CARE -
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FAMILY AND COMMUNITY -
Talking
COMING OUT -
A Full Resource Guide to Coming Out
Throughout the process of coming out and living ever more openly, you should always be in the driver’s seat about how, where, when and with whom you choose to be open. If you're wondering how to come out, this guide was designed to help you through that process in realistic and practical terms. It acknowledges that the experience of coming out and living openly covers the full spectrum of human emotion – from fear to euphoria. Whether coming out to friends, family, coworkers or healthcare providers, your approach and timing will be as unique as your own sense of identity.
Coming Out: Living Authentically as Black LGBTQ People
We all deserve the right to live our lives genuinely, completely and honestly. Race, ethnicity, language, religion, culture, gender expression, sexual orientation and gender identity should never be barriers to us living our full lives. For LGBTQ people, coming out is often a significant part of reclaiming this right and living in our identity publicly.
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For those who identify as Black LGBTQ people, the coming out process can be complex to navigate. Coming Out: Living Authentically as Black LGBTQ People is designed for those embarking on their own coming out journey at the intersections of LGBTQ and Black identities. This guide aims to recognize the unique experiences Black LGBTQ people have in coming out, while understanding that coming out is a personal choice and the lifelong coming out experience is different for everyone.
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Coming out is different for every person. For bisexual people, coming out can present some unique challenges. As bisexual people, we face skepticism and stereotypes about our sexuality, we are ignored and excluded from LGBTQ spaces, and we are often invisible to each other - challenges that can make coming out a complicated process. Coming out can also be wonderful. It can relieve the stress of having to hide part of yourself, and it gives you the ability to bring your whole self to your life and your relationships. It can also give you the chance to be a role model to others and help you connect with the bisexual community and others who support and celebrate your identity.
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This guide is designed to prepare you for potential challenges of coming out as bisexual and to give you the tools to come out and live openly wherever and whenever you are safe, able and ready.
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TRANSGENDER -
Transgender Visibility Guide - A Guide to Being You
For those people whose gender identity or innate sense of their own gender doesn’t match with that assigned to them at birth, unraveling and expressing it can be complex and difficult.
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This guide was designed to help you and your loved ones through that process in realistic and practical terms. It acknowledges that the experience of coming out or disclosure covers the full spectrum of human emotion – from paralyzing fear to unbounded euphoria. The Human Rights Campaign Foundation hopes this guide helps you meet the challenges and opportunities that living as authentically as possible can offer to each of us.
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Talking to Grandparents and Other Adult Family Members
Talking to older adults about your child’s gender identity or transition can be some of the more difficult conversations parents of transgender children face. Grandparents and other older relatives and friends often have more conservative ideas about gender roles, and thus may have a more difficult time understanding or accepting your child’s transgender or gender-expansive identity.
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Ask the Expert - Transitioning in School
Parents and other family members need to make a lot of decisions and think through questions––especially about whether the process is going to be public or private. Depending on what point in the school year the child is transitioning, how private can a social transition be and how can we plan accordingly? Do we want a letter to go home to other parents? Do we want the teacher to inform the student’s peers?
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LESBIAN -
Transgender Visibility Guide - A Guide to Being You
For those people whose gender identity or innate sense of their own gender doesn’t match with that assigned to them at birth, unraveling and expressing it can be complex and difficult.
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This guide was designed to help you and your loved ones through that process in realistic and practical terms. It acknowledges that the experience of coming out or disclosure covers the full spectrum of human emotion – from paralyzing fear to unbounded euphoria. The Human Rights Campaign Foundation hopes this guide helps you meet the challenges and opportunities that living as authentically as possible can offer to each of us.
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GAY -
Transgender Visibility Guide - A Guide to Being You
For those people whose gender identity or innate sense of their own gender doesn’t match with that assigned to them at birth, unraveling and expressing it can be complex and difficult.
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This guide was designed to help you and your loved ones through that process in realistic and practical terms. It acknowledges that the experience of coming out or disclosure covers the full spectrum of human emotion – from paralyzing fear to unbounded euphoria. The Human Rights Campaign Foundation hopes this guide helps you meet the challenges and opportunities that living as authentically as possible can offer to each of us.
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BISEXUAL -
Coming Out as Bisexual to your Doctor
One of the keys to good health care is being open with your health care provider. Doctors, nurses, physician assistants, psychotherapists and other professionals treating you need to know about your LGBTQ identity to give the best care possible. Yet surveys consistently show bisexual (or those with similar identities, including queer, pansexual or fluid) people are far less likely to disclose their sexual orientation to any medical professional. This guide is designed to help those who are bisexual, pansexual, queer, sexually fluid or similar in navigating complicated conversations in a medical setting.
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