 A Note from the Director
During the month of May, there is a lot happening in our schools. There are countless performances, proms, athletics activities, assemblies, final projects, and seniors working hard to cross the finish line. May is a month that comes with excitement and stress. The amount of work our students do is not honored enough. They work every day to complete their academic responsibilities, overcome challenges, and try new things courageously. Our students often push the adults in their lives to think differently and challenge the status quo. They do compassionate acts, stand up for one another, and cheer their peers on.
In an adult center society, it’s important to remind ourselves of the hard work our youth do day after day. Students' successes are supported by the adults around them; adults do not own those successes, students do. They are integrating and applying new information non-stop. Our schools offer a powerful glimpse into creativity, innovation, and leadership by young people in every grade. They are a reflection of what we invest in and what is possible.
Teacher appreciation week also happens in thousands of schools during the month of May. It is a way for students, families, and community members to show their thanks and gratitude for the invaluable work our teachers do. Not only are they responsible for academic success, but teachers also manage much more than just academics. They navigate inter-personal relationships between students, students and other staff. They help our youth through complex issues like food insecurity, housing instability, domestic and sexual violence, learning differences, behavioral dynamics, and the impacts of trauma.
Public education is one of the few safety nets in the United States. We saw the ripple effects of extended school closures during the COVID-19 pandemic. Teachers took on new dynamics and barriers in a system that was not prepared for that stress. Our teachers serve youth and families tirelessly and, far too often, thanklessly. The WA State LGBTQ Commission wants to honor and thank them for their work and dedication.
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 Lisa Keating, Executive Director - Washington LGBTQ Commission
"One of my mantras is, ‘Embrace what makes you unique, even if it makes others uncomfortable.’ I keep that with me in my back pocket. Shoot, I keep it in my front pocket! I keep it in my hair."
— Janelle Monáe, Singer-songwriter, rapper, producer, and actress
📢Public Meeting Announcement📢
On Friday, May 16th and Saturday May 17th, the Washington State LGBTQ Commission will convene for their third public meeting of 2025. We hope you are able to find some time join us to hear more about Commission work, and we highly encourage 2SLGBTQIA+ individuals around the state to tune in and share public comment with us, in-person or virtually, during the meeting on Saturday at 12:00pm. For more information on in person location, remote attendance, and more, head to our website at lgbtq.wa.gov.
What is public comment?
The public comment portion of our public meetings is a time for individuals to share their experiences as a 2SLGBTQIA+ person in Washington.
Here are some important things to know about public comment:
- Written comments can be received prior to the meeting. Please email your comment to contact@lgbtq.wa.gov. Please include your name and organization affiliation, if applicable.
- Public comments will also be received live either in-person or via Zoom. If you are in-person, there will be a sign in sheet. If you are attending virtually, there will be digital sign in shared in the chat.
- Public comments will be limited to 1-2 minutes, determined by number of individuals signed up to speak.
- Each individual can only give one public comment per meeting.
- Commissioners are not expected to respond to public comments during the meeting, but instead direct comments that merit action to their relevant committees.
- All public comments must be respectful. The Commission reserves the right to limit the time of public comments for individuals who use vulgar or derogatory language.
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 The Washington State LGBTQ Commission is excited to feature 2SLGBTQIA+ voices around Washington in our newsletter. From teachers to healthcare providers, artists to advocates, small business owners to scientists, and every profession in between - 2SLGBTQIA+ people are making a difference in every corner of our state.
Teaching with Pride: A Queer Educator's Journey in Rural Washington
Beth Chapin, MiT (she/her) - Teacher in Shelton School District
When I graduated from Evergreen’s Master in Teaching program in 2015 I immediately prioritized teaching in Title 1 schools. At that point I had been out of the closet for over 5 years but benefitted from straight passing privilege. I got my first teaching job at Bordeaux Elementary in the Shelton School District and at my first in person staff meeting I was confronted with a big surprise: Shelton was more queer friendly than I had assumed. One of my peers was an out lesbian whose partner was well known by the office ladies. We had a student who was being actively supported by admin and teachers in transitioning genders and my principal told me that it was a priority that everyone feels safe to be who they were at school. Over the years I have gotten more comfortable being visibly queer, I keep a pride flag on my door and openly speak about my children and partner when asked.
While keeping an eye on the current political climate I have continued to fiercely advocate for all of my students, but especially my queer and trans and migrant students. I am often their first queer teacher and in this town I am sometimes the first queer person a student has ever known. My job right now is rife with stress- can’t be openly political with students in public schools, must teach to the new curriculums, proctoring mandated testing, while supporting students who have a myriad of needs in one of the most traumatized counties in Washington. I am proud to be queer, proud to be a teacher, and proud to teach in a school district that continues to prioritize safety, rationality and doing what is best for kids. I worry about the coming years, the effect that Christian Nationalism will have on the relative safety I have built in a rural school district, but I also believe strongly that the people of Shelton are open and will continue to fight for what is best for our kids.
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 We are proud to feature articles written by our LGBTQ Youth Advisory Councilmembers. Want to learn more about the council? Head to www.lgbtq.wa.gov/YAC!
More Than a Lesson Plan: Queer Inclusion in Education
Emma Blue Esquivel (any pronouns) - Whatcom County
During my time in high school, I was privileged enough to have amazing teachers around me who consistently strived to support my queer identity and excitedly taught queer history. In my junior year of high school, I had the most amazing teacher who went out of her way to create curriculum about progressive movements in history, majorly focusing on queer movements and how they intersected with others. While she didn’t teach my class, I got to receive this lesson from a white southern man, who I must say, was also an amazing ally. While I didn’t expect it from him, I felt so supported and affirmed in who I was. I had amazing conversations with him and my classmates about the things I knew about history and how much the lesson meant to me. I feel so proud to have been at a school that truly wanted people like me to be included, and our voices and history shared. The teacher who created the curriculum even asked for my input on what she could add, what movements I thought were most crucial to include, and even my own opinions on significant figures in history. She always made me feel like I belonged, even in my greatest moments of self-doubt.
Without the supportive school environment that allowed me to express myself to the fullest and embraced me with open arms, I don’t think I would be half the person I am today. My hope is that this can be the standard for all schools, it should be. While there may be laws protecting our rights as queer people, especially as students, the interactions that truly make a difference are the ones that come from our educators and community. Schools should be embracing us as queer young people and letting our identities flourish under the supervision of adults who truly want us to succeed in life, not just pretending to accept us in schools, simply because we are protected by law. I am hopeful for the youth of the future and who the young people will grow to be, especially knowing teachers like the ones I had exist and are rooting for us every step of the way. My call to action is this, make radical support of LGBTQ+ youth the standard in education, not the exception.
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 The Washington State Legislative session adjourned Sine Day on Sunday, April 27th, marking the end of the 2025 legislative session. Check out some of the bills that passed both chambers this session and are heading to the Governor for his signature below:
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HB 1052: Clarifying a hate crime offense.
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HB Current Status: Passed House, Passed Senate, House Speaker and Senate President signed, Delivered to Governor 4/22
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HB 1186: Expanding the situations in which medications can be dispensed or delivered from hospitals and health care entities.
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Current Status: Passed House, Passed Senate, House concurred in Senate amendments, House Speaker and Senate President signed, Delivered to Governor 4/23
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HB 1296: Promoting a safe and supportive public education system.
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Current Status: Passed House, Passed Senate, House concurred on Senate amendments, House Speaker and Senate President signed, Delivered to Governor 4/26
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HB 1971: Increasing access to prescription hormone therapy.
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Current Status: Passed House, Passed Senate, House Speaker and Senate President signed, Governor signed on 4/25. Effective Date: 7/27/2025
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SB 5577: Concerning Medicaid coverage for HIV antiviral drugs.
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Current Status: Passed Senate, Passed House, Senate President and House Speaker Signed. Governor Signed (Partial Veto) on 4/4. Effective Date: 7/27/2025
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SB 5498: Concerning contraceptive coverage.
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SB Current Status: Passed Senate, Passed House, Senate President and House Speaker Signed, Governor signed on 4/22. Effective Date: 1/1/2026
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SB 5101: Expanding access to leave and safety accommodations to include workers who are victims of hate crimes or bias incidents.
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Current Status: Passed Senate, Passed House, Senate President and House Speaker signed, Delivered to Governor on 4/22
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SB 5557: Codifying emergency rules to protect the right of a pregnant person to access treatment for emergency medical conditions in hospital emergency departments.
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Current Status: Passed Senate, Passed House, Senate President and House Speaker signed, Governor signed 4/29. Effective Date: 4/29/2025
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SB 5632: Protecting the confidentiality of records and information that may be relevant to another state's enforcement of its laws.
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Current Status: Passed Senate, Passed House, Senate President signed, House Speaker signed, Delivered to Governor on 4/22
Remember that this was the first session of the 2025-2026 biennium, meaning that bills that did not make it past a respective cutoff date will be reintroduced next session. These bills will retain their current status next year. For a list of bills that we were tracking this session that did not pass this year, head to our website at lgbtq.wa.gov/2025session.
 The Washington State LGBTQ Commission has compiled the following state agency statements that might relate to the 2SLGBTQIA community. These are agency statements that have been released since our last newsletter.
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Washington State Governor's Office
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Washington State Attorney General's Office
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Washington State Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction
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Washington State Secretary of State
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Washington State Treasurer
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Washington State Office of the Insurance Commission
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Washington State Commissioner of Public Lands
 LGBTQ+ Veteran Ally Workshops
Join the Washington Department of Veterans Affairs for the LGBTQ+ Veteran Allyship Workshop Series!
YOUR Washington Department of Veterans Affairs LGBTQ+ Veterans Program is offering no-cost workshops as part of the Ally Program. These are interactive sessions that prepare veteran service providers with information to better serve LGBTQ+ veterans and family members.
The program consists of 3 workshops:
- The LGBTQ+ Veteran Experience and LGBTQ+ Military History
- LGBTQ+ Program, Definition of Veteran, and Correcting Errors or Injustices
- Inclusive Practices
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Register now: https://www.eventsquid.com/event.cfm?id=27572 As a reminder, the state's definition of a Veteran has also been expanded to increase access to state benefits, learn more at: https://www.dva.wa.gov/definition-veteran
 May 2025
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MONTH LONG:
- National Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month
- Haitian Heritage Month
- Jewish-American Heritage Month
- Mental Health Awareness Month
- Older Americans Month
- Speech and Hearing Awareness Month
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DAYS:
- First Sunday in May: International Family Equality Day
- May 5th: Cinco De Mayo
- May 5th: African World Heritage Day
- May 17th: International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia, and Biphobia
- May 19th: National Asian & Pacific Islander HIV/AIDS Awareness Day
- May 19th: Agender Pride Day
- May 21st: World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development
- May 22nd: Harvey Milk Day
- May 24th: Pansexual and Panromantic Awareness and Visibility Day
- May 26th: Memorial Day
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