Bucking tradition at the gay rodeo

Several individuals and groups like Columbus Community Deathcare and Live Without Regrets doula services are emerging to offer LGBTQ+ people adequate deathcare as they often don’t have access to the same resources, autonomy or dignity as cisgender people. End-of-life doulas and other providers that embrace the Death Positive Movement are offering holistic care that honors a dying person’s wants and needs while respecting their identity.

Sexual orientation and gender identities 123 or SOGI 123 is an optional resource educators can use to provide grade-level appropriate materials that help create safe, inclusive learning environments for students. All 60 school districts in the province are part of the SOGI 123 Educator Network, which allows educators to work together to design programs that foster inclusion in schools. Schools that integrate SOGI 123 have seen a positive impact on students’ mental health, as well as their sense of belonging and willingness to engage.

The production model of the documentary Disclosure prioritized diversity, inclusion, and empowering transgender people both on screen and behind the scenes. Over 120 trans people contributed to the film. Nine trans Fellows, many of whom have since made their own films, received stipends, mentoring, hands-on training, and networking opportunities. Trans representation behind the camera increased interviewee openness and all interviewees were compensated for their time. While a controversial practice in documentary film making, it was implemented to avoid exploitative and extractive storytelling practices.

LGBTQ+ youth centers, like The Ruth Ellis Center, are working to provide a sense of community and access to necessary services to uplift local LGBTQ+ youth. The Ruth Ellis Center offers shelter to LGBTQ+ youth facing homelessness and serves about 1,200 people each year. Along with shelter, the Center also works to bridge the healthcare gap in the LGBTQ+ community by partnering with Henry Ford Health to provide general wellness visits, STI/HIV screening, contraceptives and gender-affirming care.

LGBTQIA+ inclusive sports leagues in Phoenix, Arizona, provide a safe space for members of the community to participate in a variety of organized sports without fear of discrimination.

The Way Home is a rapid rehousing project designed specifically for LGBTQ+ adults. The program runs on a housing-first model with extremely low barriers for screening people out. This is particular important to address the needs of transgender and gender non-conforming people who have more barriers to employment, which is important to afford long-term housing. Using a $400,000 CARES Act grant, Way Home works with LGBTQ+-friendly landlords, and pays a portion of the rent for 40 LGBTQ+ residents facing homelessness. The program also offers bilingual services

In 1965 a traveling salesman published a series of travel guides with gay or gay-friendly businesses across the U.S. that became survival guides for the LGBTQ community. “Mapping the Gay Guides” has digitized those collections, allowing users to explore the original descriptions and added historical content written by graduate students. Reasons for why locations appear and disappear from year-to-year are provided, which sometimes intersect with LGBTQ hate crimes. A $350,000 grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities will allow them to continue to preserve and make the forgotten history accessible.

House of Tulip is a community land trust that offers affordable housing to transgender and gender non-conforming individuals. After securing seed-funding, the group raised over $400,000 with a GoFundMe campaign that was amplified by social media and national article features. The Trust first rented and later purchased homes to offer zero-barrier housing and office space that serves as a community resource center. The Trust was started by two Black trans women who understood the community’s experiences and the barriers they face. People stay as long as they need and staff helps them pursue other life goals.

When gentrification made housing unaffordable for many people in Houston's historically Black Third Ward neighborhood, local activists sought remedies beyond standard federal tax incentives for affordable housing. A city-sponsored Community Land Trust developed a plan for more affordable housing. At the same time, a development catering to low-income, older LGBTQ residents, adjacent to the Third Ward, got developed on donated land. Charlotte has many similar challenges, making Houston a model for what is possible.

Queeraspora was founded in Bremen as a safe space for immigrant and refugee LGBTQ+ people to find social and emotional support, as well as access to information. Around twenty people make up the nucleus of the group, and they come from all over the world including Turkey, Taiwan, India, Bosnia, and South America. The meetings focus on personal empowerment, as well as political organizing and educational workshops. The mix of social and educational activities provides a network for people who experience homophobia among refugee and migrant communities and racism among mainstream LGBTQ+ communities.