PFLAG (Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays) Hartford

Founded in 1972 with the simple act of a mother publicly supporting her gay son, PFLAG is the nation's largest family and ally organization. Uniting people who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) with families, friends, and allies, PFLAG is committed to advancing equality and full societal affirmation of LGBTQ people through its threefold mission of support, education, and advocacy.

PFLAG has over 400 chapters and 200,000 members and supporters crossing multiple generations of American families in major urban centers, small cities, and rural areas in all 50 states. 

This vast grassroots network is cultivated, resourced, and serviced by PFLAG National, located in Washington, D.C., the National Board of Directors and 13 Regional Dire

 

PFLAG (Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays) South Eastern CT

Founded in 1972 with the simple act of a mother publicly supporting her gay son, PFLAG is the nation's largest family and ally organization. Uniting people who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) with families, friends, and allies, PFLAG is committed to advancing equality and full societal affirmation of LGBTQ people through its threefold mission of support, education, and advocacy.

PFLAG has over 400 chapters and 200,000 members and supporters crossing multiple generations of American families in major urban centers, small cities, and rural areas in all 50 states. 

This vast grassroots network is cultivated, resourced, and serviced by PFLAG National, located in Washington, D.C., the National Board of Directors and 13 Regional Dire

 

GLESEN Connecticut Chapter

In 1990, a small, but dedicated group of teachers in Massachusetts came together to improve an education system that frequently allowed its lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) students to be bullied, discriminated against and/or fall through the cracks. 

Over 25 years later, that small group has grown into the leading national education organization focused on ensuring safe schools for all students. Today, we’re known as GLSEN, the Gay, Lesbian & Straight Education Network.

We face a pervasive problem with a set of new challenges. 8 out of 10 LGBT students are still harassed at school each year because of who they are.

We are working to change that.

At GLSEN, we want every student, in every school, to be valued and treated with respect, regardless of their sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression. We believe that all students deserve a safe and affirming school environment where they can learn and grow.

We accomplish our goals by working in hallways across the country -- from Congress and the Department of Education to schools and district offices in your community -- to improve school climate and champion LGBT issues in K-12 education. 

• We conduct extensive and original research to inform our evidence-based solutions for K-12 education.

• We author developmentally appropriate resources for educators to use throughout their school community.

• We partner with decision makers to ensure that comprehensive and inclusive safe schools policies are considered, passed and implemented.

• We partner with dozens of national education organizations to leverage our shared expertise into creating great schools and better opportunities for every student. 

• We empower students to affect change by supporting student-led efforts to positively impact their own schools and local communities.

Every day GLSEN works to ensure that LGBT students are able to learn and grow in a school environment free from bullying and harassment. Join us as we transform our nation’s K-12 schools.

 

Department of Mental Health & Addiction Services Programs and services for LGBT with mental health or substance abuse issues

Gay-Straight Alliances (GSAs) have begun in DMHAS state-operated facilities. GSAs support people who are lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) and their allies by creating safe environments in mental health and substance abuse facilities to support each other.

Recovery is a challenging process. So is the process of coming out as being lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender. We have found that having a safe space for people to be supported within our treatment facilities is very helpful.

GSAs are not just for LGBT people. Allies of LGBT people are welcomed and an important part of the mission of GSAs. Partnership with allies provides mutual support to LGBT people and our allies.

Our hope is one day GSAs will exist throughout the DMHAS system.   

 

State department of aging LGBT Resource page

Every community in Connecticut has a senior center – long recognized as a community focal point for access to information and referral, programs and services that supports people as they age to maintain independence, well-being and a satisfying life.   We connect people to each other, to the community and to supports and services.

People who identify as LGBT may not access our Centers because they are not familiar with them, because of concerns about being stigmatized or not welcome or because we simply are not offering programs of interest.  We are looking to reach out to the LGBT community and their Allies to encourage participation in the many benefits the Connecticut Senior Centers have to offer. 

 
New York City recognized the participation gap and established their first LGBT Senior Center in 2012.  We are not NYC, but we want to create the same type of opportunity in Connecticut with the "LGBT Moveable Senior Center." 

 

New Haven Pride Center

History

The seeds of change in New Haven were planted during the fall of 1993. A group of gay activists attempted to get domestic partnership approved by the Board of Aldermen. Similar to Hartford's legislation, this would have allowed same-sex couples to symbolically register their relationships in a public forum.

Not surprising, there was a problem securing legislation important to the gay community, in part because there was no central physical location for gay people to organize and display literature. In response, John Allen conducted a needs assessment for the regional gay community as part of his graduate thesis at Southern Connecticut State University. The survey revealed a vibrant regional gay culture of at least 40 gay and gay friendly groups with combined memberships of 1,700 and combined annual budgets of $2.3 million.

On May 27, 1996, the center was officially incorporated. Committees were formed - the work began. Mayor John DeStefano was instrumental in finding us a place that we could call home. On November 17, 1996 our center had officially opened, but it was with our fabulous party on Valentine's Day 1997 that our center really started to fly. We had a place where our entire community was able to gather and attend various programs, or just come to hang out, to browse our library or attend the wonderful movie nights (and those are just some of our more popular attractions!). After 13 years, the Center made the decision to relocate to 14 Gilbert St. in West Haven, finding a new home for the organization while still maintaining a place where the community can gather.

What's easy to see from your first visit to the Center is that it fills a real need in the community. Every night, the Center is a hub of activity catering to the needs of south-central Connecticut's lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community. Many groups moved their meetings to the offices of the Center and many new ones formed. The success of the Center lays not so much in the significant accomplishments of its short history, but rather, in our vision for the future.

In May of 2011, the Center will celebrate its 15th anniversary, and it's safe to say that our future is now. We have realized our dream of becoming a long-lasting, trusted, venerable institution. We truly hope to continue to serve as a beacon for those struggling to understand their identity, and a place to form bonds and move forward in strength. We hope that you will be a part of our next chapter.

 

Yale University Living in New Haven Office of New Haven adn State Affairs LGBT Resources 

The New Haven community overall is diverse and welcoming, with many resources for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) students, staff, faculty and their partners and families. Yale University offers privileges, including the Yale affiliate ID, and benefits such as healthcare coverage to same-sex domestic partners. The State of Connecticut became in 2005 the first state in the union to voluntarily pass legislation allowing same-sex couples to enter into civil unions. Yale University and New Haven offer social and arts events, nightlife, and volunteer opportunities to support and enrich the LGBT community.

 

GLAD Legal Advocates and Defenders for the LGBTQ Community

Mission Statement

Through strategic litigation, public policy advocacy, and education, GLBTQ Legal Advocates & Defenders works in New England and nationally to create a just society free of discrimination based on gender identity and expression, HIV status, and sexual orientation.

GLAD's Commitment

Civil rights have never been easy to win. Fighting for them takes passion, skill and an absolute determination to prevail. That’s what GLAD delivers every single day. GLAD’s bold and effective advocacy has achieved scores of precedent-setting legal victories to end discrimination based on sexual orientation, HIV status and gender identity and expression, benefiting individuals, couples and families across New England and throughout the United States. Each time GLAD argues a case or tackles an issue, we tear down more of the outdated laws and stereotypes that have denied LGBT people and people with HIV basic protections and opportunities in every area of daily life – family, school, employment, housing, government, health care, and beyond. Whether it’s marriage for same-sex couples, non-discrimination policies for transgender people in the workplace, or protections for people with HIV, GLAD doesn’t shrink from tough issues. And we don’t compromise on our belief that every citizen deserves full equality under the law – without exception.

GLAD's Values

Full Equality

GLAD is committed to full equality under law for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people and people living with HIV/AIDS.

Diversity

GLAD embraces diversity and inclusion as critical to our mission. We endeavor to ensure that who we are, how we carry out our work, and the issues we address all reflect the rich diversity of the communities that we serve and represent.

Excellence

GLAD aspires to the highest standards of professionalism and excellence in all that we do. We encourage hard work, careful attention to detail, collaboration, good communication, and broad and informed strategic thinking among staff and board.

Leadership

GLAD believes in leading through innovation and action. We are committed to establishing legal precedent in all areas affecting the LGBT community, including anti-discrimination law, family law, transgender law, and HIV/AIDS law, paving the way for advances across the country. We are dedicated to being a cooperative, honest, and committed partner when working in coalition.

 

True Colors-Sexual Minority Youth and Family Services

True Colors is a non-profit organization that works with other social service agencies, schools, organizations, and within communities to ensure that the needs of sexual and gender minority youth are both recognized and competently met. The organization trains more than 2400 people annually, organizes the largest LGBT youth conference in the country with more than 3000 attendees and manages the state’s only LGBT mentoring program. True Colors has been spotlighted by both national and local media for their expertise in LGBTI youth issues.

Timeline:

1992 – Robin McHaelen, Founder and Executive Director was studying for her Master’s degree in Social Work at the UCONN School of Social Work.  She began organizing the first “Children from the Shadows” (CFS) conference - Children from the Shadows:  Lesbian, Gay and Bisexual Youth at Risk.  The University of Connecticut, School of Social Work approved the idea of creating a conference about LGBT youth and the risks associated with sexual minority status.   After meeting with representatives from various grassroots and mainstream organizations, one of the first agencies to come on board as a supporter was the Connecticut State Department of Children and Families.   The Department of Education, Mental Health and Addiction Services soon followed.  Both Connecticut Teachers Unions came on board, as did more than 30 grassroots community organizations.   

1994 - That first conference, held in March 1994, attracted 160 teachers, social service and mental health care providers, and 90 LGBT youth.

1996 - The Conference was expanded to two (2) days to accommodate the more than 600 participants. 

1997 - Connecticut becomes only the 4th state in the country to protect LGBT youth from harassment.  True Colors was awarded a grant through the Hartford Gay and Lesbian Health Collective for the creation and administration of Connecticut’s first Sexual Minority Youth and Family Services Bureau.  For the first time in the organization’s history, we were able to fund a part-time Executive Director position and to expand our scope to include LGBT adults and families.   

1998 - Children from the Shadows changed the name to True Colors Inc, Sexual Minority Youth and Family Service of CT and expanded its focus to include LGBT families.  The mission was also expanded:  “To improve and enrich the lives of sexual minority people through support, education and advocacy in each of the systems necessary to their development as full and productive members of society is fulfilled, and people are judged by the content of their character, not the color of their skin, the gender of their life partners or their gender presentation.  True Colors, Inc. was incorporated in 1998  True Colors was the largest LGBT youth issues conference in the country with more than 1,000 participants and we moved to a bigger venue (the University of Hartford). 

1999 – True Colors acquires federal non-profit status.

2001 - True Colors strengthens our existing alliance with the State Department of Children and Families and created the Safe Harbors Project designed to identify and resolve gaps in services for LGBT youth in Child Welfare.  The project now includes training, foster parent recruitment, a state-wide task force, and with start-up funding provided by the Connecticut Health Foundation, Connecticut’s first LGBT mentoring program.  

2005 - True Colors launches CT’s first – and still one of the nation’s only -- mentoring programs for LGBT youth in out-of-home care.  In 2008, the program expanded to include a group mentoring component. In 2012, we are DCF’s largest provider of mentoring, with one-on-one and group mentoring as well as weekly social/recreational programming for LGBT and ally youth across CT.

2011 – True Colors launches its first ever Queer Academy, a summer program for LGBT youth in greater Hartford

Today – As we move into our 3rd decade, True Colors stands for full equality for LGBT youth, adults and families.  We are committed to the work of social justice as an anti-racist organization. And with youth in the lead, we expect to move into our next twenty years with a continued passion to ensure that LGBT people are welcomed, valued and affirmed as full and productive members of society.

 

Connecticut Trans Advocacy Coalition

During the early years of lobbying Congress for Transgender rights, the question raised by some legislators was: You are here looking for Federal legislative changes for the trans community when you have none (or precious little) at the state level. This statement rang very true and resulted in our working with Jessica Xavier, who was then Executive Director for It's Time America [ITA] and Penni Ashe Matz the Northeast Regional Director of ITS and dedicated founder of It's Time Massachusetts to create It's Time, Connecticut [ITCT]. 

ITCT focused, in conjunction with other state level advocacy groups to build a grassroots coalition of individuals and organizations focused to effecting social and legislative change for the trans community in Connecticut. The early days of ITCT were difficult and much of the advocacy was one on one advocacy for the numerous trans folks who contacted ITCT for assistance or advocacy on their behalf. 

In 2002, Connecticut held its first Transgender Day of Remembrance in Hartford and ITCT was the primary organizer behind this vigil. This vigil was co-sponsored by over twenty statewide LGBT organizations, attended by nearly 100 trans folks and allies in the small but warm chapel of the Metropolitan Community Church in Hartford. 

Following the overwhelming success of this event, ITCT was transitioned into the Ct TransAdvocacy Coalition [CTAC]. Not long after the creation of CTAC some major milestones were recognized in Connecticut: CTAC in conjunction with the Hate Crime Network formed and subsequently passed a trans inclusive hate crime law in Connecticut, making Ct the fourth state in the nation to do so. 

A successful action was done that resulted in the then Governor Rowland to reverse nearly a decade long stance of including Transgender (and Bisexual) in his PRIDE Day proclamation. In fact action resulted in the first truly inclusive Gubernatorial proclamation that recognized PRIDE day as Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Intersex PRIDE day in 
Connecticut! CTAC in conjunction with Betsy Driver and Janet Green of Bodies Like Ours held a highly visible and effective demonstration regarding an Intersex Surgery that was planned to be performed at the CT Children's Medical Center in Hartford. 

The current CTAC Logo was designed by Reverend George A. Chien, pastor of the Hartford MCC church. He designed the current logo as part of the design for Connecticut's second annual Transgender Day of Remembrance.

Ct TransAdvocacy is now officially a 501c(3) for we received our determination letter from the IRS on the same day the ordinance was passed in Hartford!  The Transgender Lives Conference has become a significant event for TransAdvocacy and our communities, the 501c(3) is critical to ensure its continued growth and success. 

 Several Key Accomplishments

• We were a member of the coalition that worked to pass the change in the Birth Certificate law to allow the gender marker to be changed without surgery

• Working with federal and state agencies and other non-profit organizations to train homeless shelters administrators and employees on how to make shelters safe for gender non-conforming individuals.

• In conjunction with the Ct Hate Crime Network passed legislation amending the Ct Hate Crime Statutes to include the protected categories: Gender Identity or Expression and Disability;

• In conjunction with the ctEquality passed legislation amending the Ct Anti-Discrimination Statutes to include the protected categories: Gender Identity or Expression and Disability

• As a member of the Safe School Coalition CTAC helped write the "Guidelines for Schools on Gender Identity and Expression" and worked to insure that the Anti-Bullying legislation law covered gender identity and expression.

• We are on a committee with other non-profits and state agencies working to create a better climate for the aging LGBT population.

• Conducted a study of the transgender population in the Greater Hartford area for AIDS/HIV that was funded by Yale’s Center for Interdisciplinary Research on AIDS (CIRA) Community Research Partnership Program. The program was managed by CTAC and the Hartford Gay and Lesbian Health Collective with help from the Institute for Community Research

• Successful Action Alert assuring a peace activist access to their T-shots;

• Supported and Helped Organize Intersex Demonstration with Bodies Like Ours at the Ct Children's Medical Center

• Coalition Action to secure inclusive PRIDE Day Proclamation;

• Established program, through training and advocacy, to provide housing and services for trans-women within a majority of Connecticut's DV Shelters;

• Conducted survey's and training with a number of Ct based homeless shelters;

• Worked with other organizations to pass an ordinance in Hartford for gender identity and expression protection: 

• Created, in collaboration with the Hartford Gay and Lesbian Health Collective, two professionally moderated tran support groups;

• Held, in collaboration with the Hartford Gay and Lesbian Health Collective, a TransHealth Screening day;

• In conjunction with the Ct G&L film festival (Alternatives), held CTAC fundraiser for the Ct premiere of TransGeneration, followed by community talkback;

• In conjunction with several long time Ct gay/trans activists, produced and created the Documentary: "While Paris Was Burning, Hartford Sizzled", which premiered at the 2004 Ct LGBT/Queer film festival.

 

University of Connecticut Rainbow Center 

Mission Statement

Everyone is welcome!

The Rainbow Center (RC) has been serving UConn’s diverse communities of gender identities, gender expressions and sexualities since 1998!  This includes but is not limited to experiences related to being trans*, aromantic, lesbian, gay, bisexual, questioning, pansexual, asexual, gender non-conforming, genderqueer, cisgender, intersex, bi-curious, transgender and heterosexual.

 

Mission Statement

The Rainbow Center serves the University of Connecticut’s diverse community of gender identities, gender expressions, and sexualities by fostering student personal growth, leadership development, community engagement; and providing resources, services, education, training and advocacy.

 

A short history

The Rainbow Center (1998) is 1 of 5 cultural centers on campus: Asian American Cultural Center (1993); Puerto Rican/Latin American Cultural Center (1972); African American Cultural Center (1968); and Women’s Center (1972).  We work together to serve the campus, known as WRAPP.  Also, we partner with the Center for Students with Disabilities, Hillel, the Native American Cultural Society and the International Center.

 

GLAD Legal Advocates and Defenders LGBTQ Youth Rights

Comprehensive information and legal help with youth rights in regaurds to being LGBTQ+ in the states of Connecticut, Maine, Massachusettes, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Vermont, and New England.