ATTENTION 2SLGBTQIA+ WASHINGTONIANS! The Washington State LGBTQ+ Survey is now LIVE!

This first-of-its-kind statewide survey aims to understand the characteristics and experiences of LGBTQ+ people in the state of Washington. The research is funded by the Washington LGBTQ Commission and is being designed for LGBTQ+ Washingtonians by LGBTQ+ Washingtonians by a queer research team at Washington State University. The LGBTQ Commission will use the findings to inform their policy recommendations to the Office of the Governor and the Washington State Legislature. Survey participants will be eligible for raffle drawings.

You can read the full proclamation here: Governor Jay Inslee Signs Pride Proclamation 2024

2SLGBTQIA+ and ally organizations in Washington are encouraged to use and distribute this proclamation to their constituents. The Washington State LGBTQ Commission has made available a PDF of the proclamation here.

Happy Pride, Washington!

The Washington State LGBTQ Commission is pleased to announce that Tova Mertz (she/they) has joined the team as an Intern, starting May 28th.

Tova Mertz, an incoming senior at the University of Puget Sound, is majoring in Gender and Queer studies with a minor in Applied Music Studies. Thanks to a grant program through UPS, she will be joining the staff as an intern through the beginning of August. Tova has always been passionate about queer issues and politics and is thrilled to have the opportunity to intern with the commission. In her free time, Tova works at the campus library, enjoys arts and crafts, and plays in a band with fellow UPS students.

“We are so excited to welcome Tova to the team for the summer,” said Commission Executive Assistant Sawyer Tuttle. “Tova brings a lot of great experience with social media, advertising, and digital editing. We can’t wait for you all to see articles and social media posts written by Tova in the future”.

When asked about what they are most excited for in their role, they said “I am thrilled to learn more about working in government and what that experience entails, especially the idea of being able to contribute to positive change regarding queer issues. As a Gender and Queer Studies major, I have a nuanced understanding of queer issues and am eager to apply that knowledge to this internship. I haven’t had many jobs in this kind of professional setting, so I am also looking forward to gaining insight into this type of work and determining if it is a career path I want to pursue after graduation!”

The WA State LGBTQ Commission looks forward to working with Tova to serve our communities in the state.

The Washington State LGBTQ Commission and the Rainbow Alliance and Inclusion Network Business Resource Group are so excited to announce the date of the annual raising of the pride flag at the state capitol! This celebration is free and open to the public. Hear from speakers from the legislative, judicial, and executive branches, including Governor Jay Inslee. This marks the third year of Washington state raising the Intersex-Inclusive Progress Pride Flag – we became the first state to do so in 2022. This flag celebrates the diversity of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community.

Please join us June 13^th at 12pm at the flag circle between the State Capitol and the Temple of Justice – 416 Sid Snyder Ave SW, Olympia, WA. Following the pride flag raising, there will be a reception in the Helen Sommers Building – 106 11^th Ave SW, Olympia, WA. This reception is open to the public, RSVP required. Click here to RSVP for the reception.

Can’t make it to Olympia? You can watch the pride flag raising ceremony live on TVW!

We hope you can join us!

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.

MultiCare’s team of BIPOC and queer researchers is leading paid conversations to explore bisexual Women of Color’s experiences across perinatal healthcare (healthcare during pregnancy, delivery, and postpartum). Sharing your story can help advance health equity and reproductive justice for our community! All folks who participate will be compensated $50.

To learn more or sign up to participate, complete the interest form at https://redcap.link/ThriveInterview or reach out to Deana Williams at HealthEquityResearch@multicare.org.

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.