The stories shared by the LGBTQIA+ artists exhibiting at the Centro Cultural Mexicano during the inaugural Pride Month Art Show in June 2021 sparked conversations with our Eastside community members in 2021 and beyond. Here are some resources compiled to answer some of the questions that we have received:
What are the various Pride flags?
Orientation Pride Flags: Learn about aromantic, asexual, lesbian, pansexual, bisexual and trans-inclusive gay men flags!
Trans and Intersex Pride Flags: Learn about the transgender, genderfluid, bigender, agender, intersex, non-binary and genderqueer flags!
Addressing anti-LGBTQIA+ statements online or in person
Anti-LGBTQ+ sentiments take many forms, such as false claims shared on social media, biased media coverage, or a problematic framing used by an acquaintance discussing a hot button topic. Here are some talking points and tips for engagement:
- Tips for responding to bigoted comments on social media
- Responding to transphobic news coverage
- Talking about transgender athletes
- Responding to transphobic State of Washington House Bill 1214
Connecting QTBIPOC Communities
Eastside city populations range from close to half non-white (Redmond and Bellevue) to about 20% non-white (Duvall and Woodinville). But public spaces on the Eastside often fail to mirror the ethnic and racial diversity evident in census data. This is also generally the case for events designed for the LGBTQIA+ community. While the reasons for this is beyond the scope for this page, it is important for all of us to do what we can to ensure that QTBIPOC (Queer and Trans folks who are Black, Indigenous or People of Color) are seen as belonging fully in queer identities and queer spaces.
Sharing stories that normalize the experiences of QTBIPOC is a small step in that direction.
- Children’s Books by BIPOC authors featuring QTBIPOC characters
- Queer romance movies with couples of color and optimistic endings
- LGBTQ2S+ people in the indigenous nations of North America (Turtle Island) – articles, books, films
- Children’s books by LGBTQ+ Black authors
- Children’s books by LGBTQ+ South Asian authors
- LGBTQ+ people in traditional and contemporary Southeast Asia – articles, books, films
We acknowledge the efforts of many individuals in our communities striving to create safe and equitable social spaces. However, we also recognize that achieving widespread inclusivity and safety for QTBIPOC community members may require time. In the meantime, support groups that focus on the unique experiences of QTBIPOC individuals serve as crucial resources for emotional and mental well-being.
Here is a list of gatherings and groups for various QTBIPOC communities in Western Washington.
Bilingual resources
- Transgender and Gender Expansive Terminology in Spanish/English (printable 17″x11″ pdf)
- Transgender and Gender Expansive Terminology in Chinese/English (printable 17″x11″ pdf)
- PFLAG’s NUESTRAS/OS HIJXS
- GLAAD’s Para los Padres y las Familias/For Parents & Families
- NQAPIA and Asian Pride Project’s Family is still family project, showing parents who love their LGBTQ+ children:
- Videos in Cantonese, Hindi, Japanese, Korean, Lao, Mandarin, Tagalog and Vietnamese.
- Fact sheets in Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, Korean, Japanese, Indonesian, Vietnamese, Thai, Khmer, Hmong, Lao, Hindi, Bengali, Gujarati, Punjabi, Urdu, Tagalog, Ilocano, Arabic
Elevating positive narratives about LGBTQ+ people
In a climate of hate, it is more effective to counter negative false narratives by taking up space with positive true stories, instead of arguing against the hateful false narratives which inadvertently gives them additional attention.
Here are some stories of LGBTQ+ people who impacted society positively, and/or who were loved and accepted by their families and communities.
- LGBTQ+ Americans whose achievements benefited the nation
- Transgender and nonbinary heroes helping our larger society
- 2 stories of transgender mothers who protected children from cisgender predators
- Transgender children are considered natural by many traditional communities
- Many traditional societies recognized non-binary children
What is asexuality?
Asexuality is a sexual orientation, as explained on Asexuality.org
Asexuals are a diverse group. Demisexuals and gray-asexuals are part of the asexual spectrum. See “Understanding Asexuality” by the Trevor Project.
How do Eastside cities support LGBTQIA+ individuals who experience hate incidents?
Redmond and Bellevue police departments have Safe Place programs. Look for the following decals at participating businesses and organizations. These designate safe locations where individuals who have encountered anti-LGBTQ harassment can seek refuge until the police arrives.
If you are a Bellevue or Redmond business that is interested in participating in your city’s Safe Place Program, visit the following pages:
How do I report hate incidents without involving the police?
King County’s Coalition Against Hate & Bias is a community-led initiative that collects information on hate and bias incidents through the Hate and Bias Incident Response Survey.
The survey is administered by coalition partners and does NOT involve the police. If you experience a bias incident, you can contact a coalition partner to fill out the survey. Eastside for All is one of the coalition partners.
Are there opportunities for Eastside LGBTQIA+ artists to connect with each other?
Pride Across the Bridge has a monthly Queer Creative Connections.
“Rainbow on the Eastside” was a great opportunity for learning from each other. We would like to thank everyone who came to the gallery show. We gratefully acknowledge the past and present support of the City of Redmond, Arts and Culture Commission, 4Culture and Centro Cultural Mexicano in bringing our community together.