June 17, 2021

• Be an ALLY. Allyship is a lifelong journey of listening to, engaging with, and advocating for members of the LGBTQ+ community. An ally is a heterosexual, cisgender person who supports equal rights, gender equality, and LGBTQ+ social movements. Educate yourself. Show genuine curiosity, respect, and humility. If you don't know the answer, ask someone to explain it to you. Be ok with making mistakes. If you make a mistake, acknowledge it, apologize, move on.
   
• Use PRONOUNS. They matter. We often use them incorrectly without realizing it, which can be hurtful. Many individuals don’t identify with he/she pronouns and may instead identify as they/them. Show support by adding your pronouns to your email signature line. Ask people to share their pronouns at meetings when they introduce themselves. This can reduce discomfort, stress, and anxiety.
   
• Educate yourself on COMMON TERMS.
  Sex does not equal gender. It is a label assigned at birth by a doctor based on genitals and chromosomes.
  Gender is an internal perception and how an individual labels themselves. Cisgender is when gender matches your "assigned" sex at birth. Transgender is someone who identifies differently than their "assigned" sex at birth. Non-Binary/Genderqueer is a spectrum of gender identities that are not exclusively masculine or feminine. Gender Fluid applies to someone whose gender identity changes over time or changes at different times.
  Sexual Orientation is an emotional, romantic, or sexual attraction between those of different genders, the same genders, or multiple genders. Understand the differences between sexual orientation and gender identity >
   
• Start the CONVERSATION with youth early so that it is normalized. There are great books and movies that show examples of all kinds of people and families. Encourage youth to ask questions. Listen and validate their curiosity. It’s okay to not always have the right answer.  If they ask questions you are uncomfortable with, work together to learn and find the answers.  Find more tips >

LGB youth experience greater risk for mental health conditions and suicidality. LGB youth are more than twice as likely to report experiencing persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness than their heterosexual peers. Transgender youth face further disparities as they are twice as likely to experience depressive symptoms, seriously consider suicide, and attempt suicide compared to cisgender lesbian, gay, bisexual, queer, and questioning youth. Learn more at NAMI.org

Being an ally in diversity inclusion is something we need to practice daily and not only when it is convenient. It can mean stepping out of our comfort zone and engaging in sometimes awkward conversations. When you witness discrimination, say something. Let's work together to continue to educate ourselves and be willing to accept feedback when we make mistakes.

All our best,
Rachael Steidl, Elise Fields, DeeDee Conrad
She, Her, Hers

• Pacific Pride Foundation offers support groups, workshops, and education at a free or low cost to the LGBTQ+ community. The PROUD Youth Program holds confidential weekly Zoom meetings every Friday from 4:30 pm - 6:30 pm. Counseling for family and friends of LGBTQ+ clients available on a sliding fee scale
• PFLAG provides support for families, allies, and people who are LGBTQ+ that includes education about unique challenges facing people who are LGBTQ+. Virtual support meetings held every 2nd Monday of the month at 7:00pm
• SBTAN educates individuals and organizations on best practices for transgender & gender expansive clients, patients, students, congregants and families. Virtual sup.port groups held the 1st Wednesday of each month
• Trevor Project 866.488.7386 providing crisis intervention and suicide prevention services to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning (LGBTQ) young people ages 13-24.
• The Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender [GLBT] National Hotline: 888.843.4564 or Youth Talkline youth serving youth through age 25, 800.246.7743