Happy International Transgender Day of Visibility! Yesterday, March 31st, TDOV was celebrated across the world.

TDOV was started in 2010 by Rachel Crandall as a day to uplift, support, and raise positive awareness around trans and non-binary people. This was in contrast to the only other trans specific recognition day at the time, Transgender Day of Remembrance, which occurs in November every year to commemorate lives lost due to anti-transgender violence. Crandall saw the need for a separate day to celebrate and recognize the amazing accomplishments of trans and non-binary individuals everywhere.

Today, center and think about the trans and non-binary people in your life, and let them know they are loved and appreciated. It is also important that today we hold space for those who are not comfortable with being visible due to ongoing discrimination and violence against transgender people, especially trans women and girls of color. Trans and non-binary people deserve to feel accepted in their homes, schools, places of employment, and throughout their community, and to live without fear of violence and transphobia.

The Washington State LGBTQ Commission is proud to have many transgender and non-binary Commissioners and staff that provide essential lived experience recommendations and knowledge from their lives and communities. We thank them for bringing their trans joy and experience into the Commission to help shape policies for all 2SLGBTQIA+ Washingtonians. To transgender and non-binary Washingtonians, we see you, we support you, and we are here for you!

Applications for the Washington State LGBTQ Youth Advisory Council are now open! We are hosting a virtual application party for youth (ages 13-25) on Friday, April 5^th from 4:30-5:30 PM on Zoom! Application parties are an open space for youth to ask questions about the application or the Youth Advisory Council and interact with Commission staff. If you are interested in attending, please reach out to Sam Fennell, Program Manager, to receive the Zoom link. Samuel.Fennell@lgbtq.wa.gov

We are looking to host in-person application parties around the state! If you work with a community organization or group that would like to co-host an application party in your area, please reach out to Sam Fennell to connect!

Youth Advisory Council applications have a priority deadline of April 15^th and a final deadline of May 15^th. For more information on the Youth Advisory Council, including a list of frequently asked questions, please visit lgbtq.wa.gov/YAC!

To download printable posters for the Youth Advisory Council: General Poster, Application Party Poster. We appreciate you spreading the word to youth who might be interested!

Pride season is just around the corner! The WA State LGBTQ Commission wants to keep an updated calendar of Pride events throughout the state. We have created this form, which you can use to let us know about any event your agency or community group is planning for Pride this year. You can also use the QR code in the image. Feel free to share this link and QR code with agencies around your area who are planning events to celebrate and honor our community.

The LGBTQ Commission reserves the right to publish the information of the event, and here are some guidelines we will follow in making our decision on what events will be published:

• Events that go against the mission, vision, and values of the LGBTQ Commission will not be publish on the calendar.
• Only community events will be accepted for publication. No commercial events at bars, clubs, restaurants, or paid venues will be accepted for publication. (It’s OK if a community event has an entrance fee.)
• Political, partisan, and religious events will not be accepted for publication.
• Acceptance for publication of an event on the Commission’s calendar does not constitute endorsement, support, or sponsorship of such event on the part of the Commission, its staff, Commissioners, or affiliated agencies.

Are you interested in having a Washington State LGBTQ Commissioner or staff member speak at your pride event this year? State LGBTQ Commissioners are appointed by the Governor to improve the state's interface with the 2SLGBTQIA+ community and are responsible for advising the Governor, executive branch agencies, and the legislature on polices related to 2SLGBTQIA+ people. If you would like to have a Commissioner come speak at your pride event please reach out to us through this contact form!

The mission of the Washington State LGBTQ Commission is to improve the state’s interface with the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, two-spirit, and intersex community, identify the needs of its members, and ensuring that there is an effective means of advocating for LGBTQ equity in all aspects of state government. We accomplish this work by listening and engaging our community throughout the state with the support of 15 members, appointed by the Governor, to serve for a three-year term as Commissioners.

If you are a resident of Washington, over 18 years old, and who identifies within the LGBTQ and Two Spirit community, you qualify to serve as a Commissioner! We are looking for people who understand the challenges facing the LGBTQ in Washington today, who are interested in shaping policy to support LGBTQ Washingtonians, and who can really commit to being present to advocate with and for the community. The WA State LGBTQ Commission offers stipends for qualified, appointed Commissioners according to the “Community Compensation Guidelines” adopted by the Office of Equity and found here. Everyone is welcome to apply, and LGBTQ Washingtonians with expertise or lived experience in these areas are particularly encouraged to apply:

• Rural communities and cities and towns outside of the I-5 corridor
• Older LGBTQ people
• LGBTQ and Two-Spirit members of Tribal Nations
• Disabled and neurodivergent LGBTQ people
• Active military servicepeople, veterans, or spouses
• Small business owners and entrepreneurs
• LGBTQ people of mixed, Desi, Black, Latina/o/x, Asian-American, Native Hawaiian, or Pacific Islander racial and ethnic identities

If you are interested in being considered to serve as an appointed Commissioner, please fill out the application form found on the Governor’s Office of Boards and Commissions here. You can also nominate others to be considered. If you have applied in the past, were not selected, but want to be considered again, please fill out a new application.

The Center for Civil & Human Rights at Gonzaga University School of Law is pleased to host the first of its kind summit addressing LGBTQ+ rights, issues, and advocacy efforts.

Date: April 19th, 2024 9:00AM-4:30PM

Location: Gonzaga School of Law

• Join a safe space to learn about the legal and systemic barricades facing the LGBTQ+ community and efforts to move this area of law forward.
• Three diverse panels of LGBTQ+ faculty advocates from top tier law schools, practitioners, and keynote speaker Kellye Testy, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Law School Admission Council (LSAC).
• Attendees also will have the chance to network and earn 5.0 CLE credits focusing on ethics, equity, inclusion, and the mitigation of implicit and explicit bias in the legal profession and practice of law.

For more information on panelists and to register for the summit, click here.

On April 20th from 2pm-7:30pm at the University of Washington Tacoma University YMCA Student Center! 1710 Market St. Tacoma, WA

A huge variety of #LOCAL Community, Gender affirming, and mental resources. Free food!!!! Free raffle items with chances to win BIG prizes. Tarot readings, Legal help, HIV/STD Testing, and a wide array of gender affirming care workshops. Free makeup, tamales, musubi, Elote, and more!!!! Find what helps you feel like you and what feeds your soul. We've got a little bit of everything great at our first Health and Gender Bazaar! 

Open to EEEVVERYONE!!!! Queer youth, questioning youth, allies, parents/guardians, and queer/ally adults.

To sign up in advance for free haircut, basic makeup, or tarot readings, email wayner@oasisyouthcenter.org with your name, and a time will be emailed back to you. Services are from 2:30pm-6pm

P.S. Don’t miss the special (surprise) performance at 6:30

Save The Dates!

The Say It Out Loud (SIOL) Conference began in 2001 to provide space for education, networking, and sharing knowledge to improve care and support for 2SLGBTQIA+ individuals, families, and our communities. All are welcome. Attendees have included professionals serving all ages and populations, non-profit agencies who serve 2SLGBTQIA+ individuals and families, behavioral and mental health, substance use, child welfare, education, criminal justice, etc. Interpreter Services and Captioning Provided.

Dates: May 19 - 20, 2024

Location: Yakima Convention Center - 10 N 8th Street, Yakima, WA 98901

Registration ($100) opens in February!

Interested in sponsoring or exhibiting at the 2024 SIOL Conference? Email us at contactus@sayingitoutloud.org

Interested in speaking at this year's conference? Call for Proposals now open!

For more information on call for proposals click here.

Washington is home to vibrant communities and diverse Washingtonians who all have unique talents, skills and experiences. Governor Inslee places a high priority on boards, commissions, and agencies that are reflective of the diverse make-up of Washington and that utilize the impressive talent of Washingtonians. We are always seeking skilled and experienced individuals from a wide variety of backgrounds to participate in boards and commissions ensuring an effective and representative government.

We are excited to share the highlighted Current and Upcoming Gubernatorial Appointment Opportunities.

As someone with deep roots in your respective communities and organizations, we hope that you will share these opportunities.  Anyone interested in being appointed will need to fill out this Application.  Please explore the Boards and Commissions Profiles if you are interested in learning more about the many opportunities to get involved!

Thank you for your assistance in helping Governor Inslee find well-rounded candidates with significant talent and diverse experiences. Please feel free to reach out to Boards and Commissions staff with any questions you might have.  Thank you for your time.