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The Voice of the LGBTQ+ Community in the Time of Corona
Photo by Sarah Pflug from Burst
"We should indeed keep calm in the face of difference, and live our lives in a state of inclusion and wonder at the diversity of humanity."

― George Takei
Visual Artist, Web Designer, Founder,

The Voice of the LGBTQ+ Community in the Time of Corona
As I prepared to write my thoughts on the voices of our LGBTQ+ community during the time of Corona, I felt somewhat perplexed because I wasn’t too sure on what to say. I thought about the disappointment of not having a NYC PRIDE celebration, but I also knew that this would be a chance to say something more. Something that felt intimate. To take the opportunity to share how this pandemic shook me, my home, and my wife. Everything has been different. We had no clue how this entire pandemic would play out. We had no idea that being married less than one year, our honeymoon phase would be threatened by this pandemic. 

We had no idea that bouts of depression brought on by quarantine would sometimes overshadow the ‘I-love-you-s’. We had no idea that the meaning of autonomy would be threatened by a state mandate to ‘stay at home,’ on lockdown. And as the number of murdered Black bodies increased, we had no idea that virtual hugs would not be enough, either. With so many things on restriction right now, I have spent most of this time being afraid. Feeling restricted. Ignoring how this all has manifested but as I write this, I realize that I should not ignore things anymore.

I can now say that this time has also taught me how to be kinder to myself. This time has brought me a clearer understanding of reciprocity in my marriage. This time has given me my power in being a Black Queer Woman and shown me strength in my vision as an Artist. This time has given me time to lift the weight of silence from my mind.
Photo by Tom Brenner/REUTERS
50 years of Pride: a visual history of the victories, setbacks, and celebrations that have defined LGBTQ Americans since the very first Pride march

"If you had told me decades ago that the gay liberation movement would get to this point, where we'd go from being arrested, evicted, fired from our jobs for being gay to now the Supreme Court ruling we can't be discriminated against at work, I wouldn't believe you! I can't believe it's happened during my lifetime," said Joe Negrelli, who is a member of the SAGE USA, an advocacy group for LGBTQ elders.
Photo by  Cecilie Johnsen  on  Unsplash
Snapshot of How COVID-19 is Impacting the LGBTQ Community

Each year in June, countries across the globe celebrate LGBTQ Pride Month with parades, marches, and celebrations. This year, those events have been either postponed or moved online to help prevent the spread of COVID-19.

This is only one of the myriad ways that the new coronavirus is affecting sexual and gender minority populations. As the nation begins to mark Pride Month, we asked several School of Public Health experts to weigh in on the difficulties and strengths of the LGBTQ community in the midst of the pandemic.
It's Time to Invest in Black Trans Power

The charge for everyone this Pride Month is to reflect on and restore the roots of the LGBTQ+ Movement. Beyond pride campaigns and social media gestures, our fight was literally birthed from a collective that was multiracial, gender-expansive, and anti–police brutality. And that fight goes beyond a few weeks each summer. The Black trans community has especially heeded the call recently with a rally drawing more than 15,000 people in honor of our lives and marches across the country. But the fight doesn’t end here.
Photo by Alexey Kim
Photo by Mercedes Mehling  on  Unsplash
The Challenges of the Pandemic for Queer Youth
By Misha Valencia

“L.G.B.T.Q.+ youth who have to be at home for extended periods of time and live with unsupportive family members — or their family environment makes it unsafe for them to be out at home — can experience a profound sense of isolation,” Dr. Gundle said.

“A pandemic brings significant uncertainty — there is no definitive end — and it can feel as if there is no escape. Many L.G.B.T.Q.+ youth also have to worry about their safety and the repercussions if their family members find out.”
Gray Rainbows: LGBTQ+ Elders of Color on 50 Years of Pride

This month marks the 50th anniversary of PRIDE and as protests around police violence and racial injustice pulse across the country, the nation’s 220,000 LGBTQ+ and same gender loving (SGL) elders of color (65 and older) continue to face challenges, even as things have improved.

The COVID-19 pandemic has laid bare the lack of health data for people of color across all age groups and within the LGBTQ+ community, but insightful information exists in oral histories of how culture has become more inclusive in ways unforeseen, from race to gender.
Photo by Boston Globe via Getty Images
Coronavirus Could Change LGBT+ Pride Forever–What Digital Prides Teach Us

Pride month is fundamentally different in 2020 and will be remembered as the year Pride finally embraced digital.

And as coronavirus continues to force prides to go online, the pandemic could bring some long-term changes to the future of the pride events.

Changes that local prides could need to take note of as the community continues to demand conversation, not parties, to be the heart of the modern pride movement.
Paradise

"Let this be my summertime
Of azure sky and rolling sea,
And just myself enhanced with thee.
And children playing in the glory
Of a carefree, youthful day,
And sunshine shining from the heavens,
And tears and sighting fled away.
Let this be my happiness
‘Midst the earth’s swift-flowing woe.
Let this be my only solace–
Just to know you love me so.
Just to know that we’ll go winging,
Far above this earthy clime,
Hand to hand through laughing meadows.
Let this be my summertime."

―  James Baldwin,  " P aradise"
Photo by  Andre Iv   on  Unsplash
BRIGHT SPOTS
How the world celebrated 50 years of Pride despite the pandemic

It is 50 years since the first Gay Pride march in New York, and 51 since the Stonewall riots in the city which helped energize the fight for equality.

Most Pride events around the world have been cancelled or moved online because of the coronavirus pandemic.

But over the weekend, reduced numbers of people still took to the streets in cities including New York, Taipei and Berlin.
How the Virus and Protests Changed a 50-Year Celebration of Pride

This year’s march was set to mark a major milestone: the 50th anniversary of the Christopher Street Liberation Day March, widely considered to be New York’s first Pride parade.

In that march in 1970, a group of L.G.B.T.Q. activists staged a rally to commemorate the first anniversary of the Stonewall uprising, an event that galvanized the modern gay rights movement. Those who assembled were in many ways staging an act of defiance. At the time, homosexuality was viewed by many as a sin and a sickness; in many states, it was a crime.
Photo by Chang W. Lee/The New York Times
Can't Cancel Pride: A COVID-19 Relief Benefit for the LGBTQ Community

iHeartRadio and P&G’s “Can’t Cancel Pride: A COVID-19 Relief Benefit for the LGBTQ Community,” hosted by Elvis Duran and Laverne Cox, brings together the biggest stars and allies in the LGBTQ community to help those who have been adversely affected by COVID-19.
TOOLS TO BUILD WELL BEING
LGBTQ Coronavirus Resources
NYC Unity Project

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the NYC Unity Project surveyed hundreds of LGBTQ program and service providers across New York City to develop this resource page, which includes up-to-date information on LGBTQ resources still available during the COVID-19 pandemic.
SAGE Advocacy and Services for LGBT Elders


SAGE is a national advocacy and services organization that’s been looking out for LGBT elders since 1978. We build welcoming communities and keep our issues in the national conversation to ensure a fulfilling future for all LGBT people.
GLAAD

GLAAD rewrites the script for LGBTQ acceptance. As a dynamic media force, GLAAD tackles tough issues to shape the narrative and provoke dialogue that leads to cultural change. GLAAD protects all that has been accomplished and creates a world where everyone can live the life they love.
JOIN THE CONVERSATION THIS WEEK!
Community Science: Building Community Capacity for Change in a Crisis



7/8 at 12:45PM ET
Community Science: Building Community Capacity for Change in a Crisis


7/15 at 12:45PM ET
Policy and Tools Corner

  1. Landmark Supreme Court Decision Provides Employment Nondiscrimination Protections for LGBTQ People
  2. Trump Administration Revokes Health Care Protections for Transgender People
  3. Coronavirus Response Collection from Community Commons - a curated collection of resources from change-makers across the country. To contribute to this page, suggest a resource here and select the "Coronavirus Pandemic" topic.
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