Someday, there won’t be a stigma or burden attached to being lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or “+.” Today, however, members of the LGBTQ+ community – people we know and respect – are targets of abuse, physical harm, and injustice. Despite their strength and resilience, there are fights we can help them wage and win.
There are many worthy and laudable causes, but mental health, legal protections, family freedoms, and human rights are the areas where Rain has chosen to show cause for our LGBTQ+ colleagues, clients, family, and friends. To that end, we are pleased to spotlight and support these organizations this month:
The Trevor Project: LGBTQ+ young people are four times more likely to attempt suicide, and it’s the ultimate mission of The Trevor Project to bring that number to zero. From highly-trained counselors providing 24/7/365 crisis services to research, public education, and advocacy, the organization works zealously to address mental health and identity issues unique to LGBTQ+ youth.
Lambda Legal: Since the early 1970s, Lambda Legal has defended and expanded protections for transgender and nonbinary individuals of all ages. Their efforts in the U.S. legal system have established positive legal precedents affecting LGBTQ+ and HIV- positive communities, and they continue to break new ground – and recover what’s been taken.
Family Equality: Founded in 1979 at the National March on Washington for Lesbian and Gay Rights, Family Equality fights for a world where everyone can experience the unconditional love and belonging of family. Like every other group of human beings, The organization advances equality for the LGBTQ+ community and seeks to ensure they can find, form, and sustain loving families.
OutRight International: Outright is dedicated to working with partners around the globe to strengthen the capacity of the LGBTIQ (the I stands for intersex) human rights movement, document and amplify violations against LGBTIQ people, and advocate for inclusion and equality. The struggle is real worldwide – be sure to read the Country Overviews page on OutRights’s webpage.
And if you want to know what an ally looks and sounds like, take a seat in the locker room and pay attention to Coach Lasso.