So Erin & I are participating in the Hop Against Homophobia and Transphobia (click on the image at left!), in honor of the International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia. Say that three times fast.
The blog hop is specifically for those who write, publish, review or are otherwise involved in the world of LGBTQ fiction. When it comes to the romance space, I think there’s a lot of discussion to be had (and that is being had) about the perception that LGBTQ romance is really m/m romance and that it’s really being written for straight women. The thing is, just like human sexuality, it’s almost always more complicated than that. So while those are important/awesome/difficult discussions, we’re not going to do that here today.
Instead we just want to remind people that hey these things still exist, and that they are global issues, that even from within the community are not always addressed as comprehensively as they should.
To that end, we’d like people reading this who support specific organizations that aim to advocate for or help LGBTQ people in any sort of need, to comment here, with the names of and links to those organizations.
On May 25, the day after the hop ends. Erin and I will dump all the commentors into a random number generator, and choose a winner.
We’ll then make two donations on behalf of the winner (or a person the winner names or anonymously, etc. as appropriate). One will be $25 to Lambda Legal. The other will be $25 to the LGBTQ organization of their choice.
So tell us about organizations you support and what they do — no matter how big, no matter how small, no matter where they are located. Hopefully that can help drum up support above and beyond the small donation this blog will make.
Meanwhile, be sure to click on the icon for this hop to visit the other over 100 blogs participating.
erincmcrae
Racheline Maltese
Avian30 
I don’t know much organizations in your country to name them or to tell you about their objectives. I just know the organization about whom I read in this blog hop. I just try to personally support LGBT community by writing blog posts and books about them in a country where homosexuality is a crime. I am trying to contribute the little I have in the welfare of the people. So, it would be an honor if you choose me as your giveaway’s winner and donate money to some organization in your country (of your choice) on behalf of me. Trust me, that will be the best giveaway gift of my life. I will remember it forever.
Well, I already love Lambda, so I feel like I win regardless. 🙂
Other than them, I always appreciate the existence of the TLDEF. Where the bigger orgs often fail or exclude, they are there to pick up the slack for those whose genders aren’t deemed acceptable enough by the mainstream, including the queer mainstream.
This might be a bit unorthodox, but there’s a grassroots group of transwomen from Uganda that’s trying to keep their official organizing name off the internet (for obvious reasons), and they need money to help train their members how to keep themselves safe, to relocate members who are in imminent danger, etc. They’ve been collecting donations here and any amount helps, either from the two of you, or from anyone who happens to read this comment and feel inspired: http://www.youcaring.com/nonprofits/protecting-lgbt-ugandans-from-mob-violence/141482
I feel like the LGBTQ community in the Deep South needs more attention and help, so here are some organizations/initiatives going on:
Project One America: http://www.hrc.org/campaigns/project-one-america
Equality Mississippi: http://www.equalitymississippi.org/
If You’re Buying, We’re Selling (a campaign for businesses who refuse to discriminate): http://www.ifyourebuying.com/
Campaign for Southern Equality: http://www.southernequality.org/
Thanks!
On the small, community side – Out Youth Austin. They do a lot of work with the teen population and provide a space where one can just be. They had just opened and I remember begging my mother to take me there (which she only did once and forever deemed it too far to drive). Racheline’s known me forever and heard a lot of my horror stories. Growing up even in the “liberal island” of Austin doesn’t shield a person from the general horror show of bigotry. It is a safe place desperately needed for kids. They’ve also started doing free HIV testing that doesn’t require parents or appointments or anything a scared kid might not want to deal with. Given the rising numbers of HIV in the South, it is something truly necessary.
Love Lambada Legal. I win no matter what! Also… very dear to my heart is Lost and Found Youth. Their a small organization in Atlanta who provide LGBTQ youth with housing and support when they are kicked out of their homes due to homophobia or transphobia. Absolutely LOVE them. Here’s a link to their Facebook Page. https://www.facebook.com/LostNFoundYouth
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Thanks for being a part of the hop. I’m ashamed to admit that I don’t know of any local (to me) LGBTQ organizations. If i do win the choice I will have done a bit of checking and have a name to give by then. Thanks again! 🙂
raynman1979(at)yahoo(dot)com
I love Lost and Found as well, and I wish we had more similar organizations in other areas.
In Gainesville we’re very proud to have the only feminist bookstore in Florida, Wild Iris Books. They are also a LGBTQ+ community space where the B and T are definitely not silent. They do far more than sell books so I consider them an organization. We also have the Pride Community Center here locally, which does social events including the Pride Festival every fall.