Earlier this year, Governor Inslee signed several pieces of legislation that protect Washingtonians’ rights to access gender affirming care and abortion care. House Bill 1469, protects people’s rights to access gender affirming care in Washington, and protects both those seeking services in the state and providers who might flee to Washington if they face persecution in their home states for practicing their profession. This bill also protects the rights of women and people who can get pregnant to have access to abortion care and protects providers who might need to flee to Washington for providing abortion care to their patients in states where women and people who can get pregnant have been stripped of their rights to privacy. Senate Bill 5599 protects the rights of unaccompanied youth in shelters and in the foster care system to access the gender affirming care they might need if they so request it. Together, these bills continue to strengthen Washington’s protections for some of the most vulnerable members of our community, especially those who have been the target of anti-family, anti-life, and anti-freedom groups since the overthrow of Roe v. Wade.

Making Name Changes More Accessible to All

The systems of oppression and discrimination that exist right now prevent many trans and gender-expansive people from economic opportunities. Yet, we expect everyone to pay the same fees for services – government services – regardless of their personal circumstances. Senate Bill 5028, signed by the Governor this Spring, addressed some of these inequalities by creating avenues to waive the fees associated with name changes. Moreover, the bill – now codified law – creates systems to prevent these records from being made available to the public if the person seeking a name change does it because of their gender identity, or if they, in any form, are or can be victims of domestic violence, harassment, discrimination, etc.

Finalizing Strategic Plan For The Commission

After months of work and under the leadership of an outside consultant, the WA State Commission finalized a Strategic Plan to guide our work. The Strategic Plan contains five priorities areas: intersectional connections, stewardship, LGBTQ elders, support for basic needs, and track and counter hate. The Executive Committee of the Commission, in collaboration with the staff, are in charge of creating the tools necessary to achieve the goals of the Strategic Plan. You can find the details of the Strategic Plan through this link.

In 2022, Washington became the first – and thus far, only – US state to raise the Intersex-inclusive, progress pride flag on the Capitol Campus. We continued this new tradition this summer. The WA State LGBTQ Commission, in collaboration with the Office of the Governor and RAIN, the statewide LGBTQ business resource group, welcomed a diverse group of Washingtonians to raise this modern, more inclusive version of the Pride flag on the Capitol Campus. We recognize the significance of the historic rainbow flags, especially the significance of the traditional flag with the six colors, created by Gilbert Baker, the teacher who came up with the concept and the first design. Like Mr. Baker, we also believe that symbols convey powerful messages. This is why we adopted the intersex-inclusive, progress rainbow flag as the official symbol to be raised on the Capitol Campus for Pride Month. It is imperative that we let every Washingtonian know that this is a safe home for them. Alongside the raising of the flag, the Governor signed an LGBTQ Pride Month ceremonial proclamation reaffirming the administration’s commitment to work with 2SLGBTQIA Washingtonians to keep the state safe.

Remembering Trans And Gender-Expansive People Lost to Violence And Hatred

In November, upon request from the WA State LGBTQ Commission, Governor Inslee signed a ceremonial proclamation recognizing November 20^th as “Transgender Day of Remembrance.” This is the second year the Governor signed such a proclamation. Recognizing the pain, the fears, and the realities that trans and gender-expansive people face everyday is important in our journey towards healing. Trans and gender-expansive people have been systematically persecuted for no other reason than being themselves. Unfortunately, a lot of this hatred comes from within the community itself. This is a reminder that even those of us who identify as 2SLGBTQIA have a long journey of learning and unlearning to do. As a cisgender gay man, I know the privilege I have, and it is my commitment to share that privilege with those within my own community who might not be granted the same opportunities.

Learning More About Our Community To Do Better For Them

One of the happiest moments for me this year was when our budget request to fund a comprehensive survey of the 2SLGBTQIA community in the state was included as part of Governor Inslee’s priorities in his budget. The primary role of the WA State LGBTQ Commission is to make policy recommendations to the executive and legislative branches of government. However, the lack of reliable data related to our community makes it difficult. The Commission requested and was awarded $500,000 to contract with a Washington-based research institution to conduct a comprehensive survey that can shed light on the makeup of our 2SLBGTQIA community in the state. Four institutions presented proposals that were rated blindly by a committee. Through this process, the winner was a research team headed by Dr. Traci Gillig from Washington State University. Dr. Gillig and her team have already been meeting and discussing the project with the staff of the Commission, and we are excited to continue partnering with them to learn more about our community. Soon, the team will start collecting data, and we rely on YOU to help us make sure we can get to every corner of our state. It is important to clarify that this is not an assessment of need. Rather, the survey aims to collect demographic data that gives us a clearer picture of who the community is in our state. It will also identify the main concerns of the community without going into too much detail about these issues. It is our hope that by opening this door, we can then identify the areas in which we will need further research and collection of data.

Alongside trans, gender-expansive people and drag artists, 2SLGBTQIA youth are the targets of anti-family, anti-freedom groups. The two main scenarios of anti-2SLGBTQIA youth are school boards and sports groups. Last year, the Commission hosted a Youth Summit with Governor Inslee, who heard directly from youth and their families about the challenges that our 2SLGBTQIA young people face in the state. As a result, he asked the Commission to work on establishing a formal mechanism to bring young people’s voices to the table. This resulted in the appropriation of funding to establish a 2SLGBTQIA Youth Advisory Council for the Office of the Governor, managed by the LGBTQ Commission. A taskforce is currently working on this project, reaching out to community groups, and gathering feedback from 2SLGBTQIA youth from the state on how to best establish this body.

Looking Ahead

There are several projects for 2024 which we are excited to share with you. We expect the Legislature to take action on a bill to mandate that health insurance providers in Washington cover infertility treatments. This lack of coverage for infertility disproportionately affects 2SLGBTQIA families, as many of you are quite familiar with. The Commission is also working with OMWBE to expand certification to 2SLGBTQIA-owned businesses. Currently, the state does not offer this certification and we all have recognized that leaving a protected class out of this process is inequitable as, for instance, trans business owners can seldom find a certification category that accurately fits them, thus lowering the chances of these businesses to have access to government contracts. Finally, the Commissioners adopted a schedule of public meetings for 2024 that aims to visit several regions of our state we have not visited yet. The Commission wants to meet with as many members of our community as possible. We want to hear your feedback, learn about what is going on in your regions, and connect with each group that is working with and for our collective liberation.

As you can see, the WA State LGBTQ Commission continues to work for the wellbeing our community. I do not have all the answers, nor do I expect to. The Commissioners are closer to the realities of the people in their communities, but they also have limitations in how much they know. This is why it’s so important for us to always be in contact with each and every one of you. We invite you to connect with us through social media, or sending us a note about what’s going on in your communities through our website. You can also share this newsletter with your networks and invite them to sign up also. Finally, you are always welcome to attend one of our public meetings and events, which you can find on the calendar on our website. In the meantime, take on these highlights and be joyous that we can come together as a community to care, protect, and support each other. Happy Holidays! ¡Felices Fiestas!

In solidarity,

The Department of Health is launching a new online health resource for teens and young adults. 

Teen Health Hub WA (the Hub) is a new webpage on DOH’s website. DOH cocreated it with Washington teens and young adults, including members of DOH’s Youth Advisory Council (YAC). The Hub features a curated online directory of youth-friendly information and resources on behavioral health, primary care, navigating the health care system, sexual and reproductive health, and teen dating and violence prevention. Teens and young adults, parents and caregivers, and youth-serving professionals can use the new webpage to find easy links to health-related resources that have been vetted by experts at DOH and approved by the YAC.  

Over the next year, DOH will work with the YAC to expand the Hub. This will include adding more high-quality online resources, creating guides on health topics young people want to know about - like how to schedule a doctor's appointment - and developing an inventory of youth-serving resources in the state. DOH will also be adding content in Spanish, soon. 

Check it out at: Teen Health Hub WA | Washington State Department of Health   

The Attorney General’s Office is launching a statewide Youth Advisory Group for the HearMeWA Program. HearMeWA is a statewide program for receiving and responding to tips regarding risks or potential risks to the safety and well-being of youth, with plans to launch early 2024.

The purpose of the HearMeWA Youth Advisory Group is to get guidance from youth (who are lived experts) on how to make the HearMeWA program as effective as possible. Youth Advisory Group members will be compensated for their time and will provide meaningful input to the decision-making process to the HearMeWA program when it comes to branding, marketing and advertising, and accountability from the AGO Youth Program team and program feedback.

Youth will have the opportunity to:

• Be in conversations with their peers and make suggestions when it comes to the HearMeWA program in terms of its branding, marketing and advertising, scope of influence, accountability, recruitment, and program feedback.
• Gain leadership opportunities to facilitate and conduct meetings, compose notes, and hold the group accountable to the groups’ purpose and the community agreements.
• Become more conscious of and knowledgeable about community issues and the larger factors that affect their and others lives.
• Provide a youth perspective to the HearMeWA Program.
• Represent the HearMeWA Youth Advisory Group at events to create awareness about the program.

HearMeWA is looking for youth who are between the ages of 12-25 and are living in Washington State. Youth who are motivated and committed to learning and addressing issues related to youth, have a vision for the future and are not afraid to voice their opinions in a respectful way are highly encouraged to apply.

The deadline to submit an application is the end of the day, 1/1/2024. Applications will be thoroughly reviewed and applicants can expect to hear about their submission by January 22. After January 22, selected members will learn more about the group and its expectations, including: dates and times of meetings, roles and responsibilities, and more. Virtual meetings will occur quarterly on Tuesday evenings. HearMeWA plans to hold the first meeting in February 20, 2024.

Click this link for the youth application: https://www.research.net/r/youthadvisorygroupapplication

Please share this information with youth who would be interested in participating and with your networks. If you have any additional questions, please email the HereMeWA program at youthprogram@atg.wa.gov. Thank you!

The Washington State Department of Commerce is initiating a Request for Application (RFA) process to fund $500,000 in fiscal year 2024 for the physical security of nonprofit and religious nonprofit institutions. Grant recipients must have reasons to believe they have been subject to security threats and demonstrate a need for enhanced security. Grant funding must be used and limited to purchasing security hardware and equipment to enhance the security of the buildings and grounds of such organizations.

Responses to the RFA are due by 5 p.m. PST, Dec. 19^th, 2023.

Please click this link to learn more

We’ve been watching the leaves change color and recovering from our first colds of the school season, and that means it is finally time – the Pride Foundation 2024 scholarship application is now open.

The Pride Foundation’s scholarships fund LGBTQ+ students who are leaders – in their own lives, in their families, in their home communities, in their field of study, in their workplace, or in our movements for justice. The Pride Foundation’s program provides resources to students who need to most, regardless of school, major, or GPA.

Since awarding their first scholarship in 1992, Pride Foundation has awarded over $8.5 million to 2,452 students in Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, and Washington. Through the incredible generosity of our community, Pride Foundation has more than 60 scholarship funds – but students only need to complete one application.

Applications are due Friday, January 5, 2024, and any LGBTQ+ student who is a resident of Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, or Washington state is eligible to apply. You can find out more details about the basic requirements, process, and application here.

Help us make sure every student in our region knows about the opportunity for support – please help spread the word to students in your networks – or apply yourself!

Calling all queer poem writers of Washington State and adjacent tribal lands!

As part of my term as the Washington State Poet Laureate, I’m putting together an anthology of poems from queer writers of all stripes across the state. I want to hear from people trying out poetry for the first time, as well as regular writers and widely published poets. I want to include work by folks across spectrums of sexual orientation, gender, and sexuality in general (ace/aro family, I’m looking at you—send me work!), and from across the full breadth of our state.

Poems can be on any topic. This anthology takes the stance that all art made by queer artists is queer art, whether it draws explicit attention to an identity or not. Send me your love poems, the poem you wrote on the bus or in the park, poems where you wrestle with yourself, poems where you love existing, poems that take a metaphor and run with it, tribute poems, grief poems, ecstatic poems, sleepy poems, poems that barely know what they are or what they’re becoming, I want it all. Traditional and experimental work are both welcomed.

The final anthology will be published online and made available as a free resource. I’ll organize poems in a tagged and searchable format (like a database), making sure the tags are correct to the poem and its author. There is no payment available but chosen writers will appear in a publicized, widely available anthology and may get opportunities for readings and events following the anthology’s launch.

I hope to hear from you soon! And please pass this call around!

Best,

Arianne True

Submissions are due Friday, December 15^th, 2023. Click here for more info and to submit.

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.