With the holiday season here, I wanted to take a moment to look back at what the Center was able to do this year and thank all of the support we got at our events, the folks who invited us to do trainings and talks, and the participants at the Center-led groups. 

By the time this newsletter comes out we will most likely know the outcome of the 2024 Election. For many communities, not just LGBTQ+ communities, there is a lot of stress around the election. I won’t take up time going into all of the reasons, but the stress is there and I’m hoping this article can help offer some ways to at least remind people to take care of themselves and try to let go of some of the stress.

Many people can bring a specific image to mind when they think “what does a gay person look like” or “what does a trans person look like” or any other thought along those lines of thinking. The mind is very good at holding onto and creating patterns and that is where a lot of stereotypes start. Someone notices a pattern, either real or assumed, and maybe mentions it to a friend and then it goes from there. Sometimes this pattern recognition is how folks in certain communities can easily find and see each other out in the world, but other times it can lead to assuming that someone doesn’t fit in or check enough “boxes” to be part of the group. This month I want to talk about the ways expression and perception can play into each other and how people interact with each other and how that can lead to policing people. 

Online dating is not a new thing in our society, and with the number of apps and websites designed to get you a date or a spouse or even a friend for an evening, most people are familiar with how they work. They can be a great way to meet new people if you are looking for friends or potential dates, but there are also a lot of risks and emotional traps involved with online dating. I wanted to use this month's newsletter as a way to address some of those potential risks, especially as a lot of people are usually in some kind of transition during the late summer/early fall with college starting up, coming back from summer vacations, and the looming holiday season.

(Written by Advisory Board member Garry Haraveth) As someone who has navigated the ups and downs of personal and professional growth, I’ve learned a lot about the importance of confidence. Confidence isn’t just about feeling sure of yourself; it’s about taking action even when you have doubts. Over time, I’ve realized that confidence is essential for achieving our goals. Today, I’ll share my insights and experiences on building one’s confidence and how empowerment plays a crucial role in fostering this confidence.

This segment normally goes over various ways to be a better Ally to the LGBTQ+ people in your life, but this month we are giving our thanks to all of the wonderful people that made our Pride Festival amazing!

Pride month is officially over, and for a lot of folks the Pride season is the one time of year they can truly express themselves and be among their community and with folks that see them and respect them for who they are. Being publically out is a privilege that not everyone can afford in order to stay safe from harm, keep their housing or job security, or to keep their social and family circles intact. Coming out can disrupt one or more of these groups and while it has gotten better in a lot of ways, it is still a big fear for many LGBTQ+ folks.

Instead of the Ally Tips & Self Care section, this month I wanted to bring attention to all of the Pride Season events and other events happening during the month of June that the LGBTQ Center will either be hosting or participating in!

One thing I hear a lot from people who want to do allyship is worry about how to address others, what language to use, and being hesitant to say the wrong thing or use an outdated term. Everyone will make mistakes at some point, but it’s important to TRY. Make a good faith effort to do better, and understand that if you mess up it isn’t the end of the world. I’ll use this article to give folks some additional tools…

Those of you in or around trans circles probably have at least heard of, if not celebrate in some way, International Transgender Day of Visibility (TDOV or Trans Day of Visibility). It is a day to celebrate trans folks around the world, while also raising awareness to the discrimination of those folks.