Same Gender Loving, Two-spirit and LGBTQIA+ Cultural Resources Guide

WSU Vancouver and WSU System Resources

WSU Vancouver Cougar Pride is a registered student organization and campus resource representing lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, gender-variant, queer, questioning, intersex, asexual, pansexual (LGBTQ+) and ally communities at WSU Vancouver. Cougar Pride includes students and alumni who work to foster an inclusive and equitable environment on campus for fellow LGBTQ+ Cougs. Cougar Pride is active on Instagram, @cougarpride.wsuv. Cougar Pride also has a Discord server. To get access to the server, email Cougar Pride club advisor Sam Buechler at sam.buechler@wsu.edu.

PRISM - LGBTQ+ Staff and Faculty Association is an Employee Resource Group open to all LGBTQ+ identified folks, advocates and allies within the WSU Vancouver community who receive pay in some form or another from the university. To learn more about PRISM, contact Sawyer Barragan at sawyer.barragan@wsu.edu or Sam Buechler at sam.buechler@wsu.edu.

Tips to Make Class More Welcoming for Transgender and Gender-variant Students: The Office of Equity and Diversity at WSU Vancouver provides these strategies to create a more inclusive, equitable, and culturally responsive classroom and/or workplace where transgender and gender-variant people feel welcomed and supported to achieve success.

8 ways to make classrooms welcoming to transgender students: Z Nicolazzo, assistant professor of transgender studies in education at the University of Arizona, recommends these eight strategies for higher education leaders who want to support transgender students on their campuses and create a welcoming environment.

WSU Vancouver Student Wellness Center provides free, confidential counseling and basic health care services.

WSU Vancouver Center for Intercultural Learning and Affirmation: CILA strives to cultivate an inclusive community where historically underserved students are affirmed and feel a sense of belonging at WSU Vancouver.

WSU Name Change Processes: This site provides instructions for students, staff and faculty members seeking to change their name and/or name in email across varying WSU functions. As an additional step for email name changes, be sure to also clear your email cache. Click here for directions on how to clear the autocomplete cache.

WSU Vancouver LGBTQ+ Empowerment Scholarship: WSU Vancouver student residing in SW Washington, enrolled part-time with a minimum GPA of 2.5, who is active and has shown leadership in support of LGBTQ+ programs

We Love Reading with Obie and Renny: A reading group that features authors from Black, Brown, Indigenous, People of Color, same gender loving, two-spirit, and LGBTQ+ communities; and focuses on themes of equity, antiracism, justice, healing, belonging, joy and love. We Love Reading is one of many offerings through the BaCE Program at WSU Vancouver.

Gender Inclusive Restrooms: Single stall, gender inclusive restrooms are open to all students, staff, faculty and guests of WSU Vancouver at the following locations on campus. Click here for campus map.

Multi-stall

  • Firstenburg Student Commons

Single use

  • Annex Building, Room 104
  • McClaskey Building, Room 221, second floor
  • Physical Plant Building, Room 030D, first floor
  • Physical Plant Building, Room 030E, first floor
  • Undergraduate Building, Room 005, ground floor

WSU GIESORC: The Gender Identity/Expression and Sexual Orientation Resource Center located at WSU Pullman serves and supports LGBTQ+ students, faculty, staff and alumni throughout the WSU system by providing resources, fostering community building, and relevant initiatives.

Student Guide to Transitioning: A resource intended to support students and articulate how WSU expects to support students transitioning while attending the university.

Being an LGBTQ+ Ally: Faculty and Staff: Resource provided by WSU GIESORC adapted from Being an Ally: Staff & Faculty from the University of Wisconsin - Madison.

Zoom Virtual Background Pride Flags courtesy of WSU GIESORC.

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Southwest Washington and Portland Resources

Vancouver USA Pride: A local group dedicated to providing educational, scholarship opportunities and support services for LGBTQ families, children, and friends in the greater Clark County area of Washington state. The local gay pride event is organized by Vancouver USA Pride ever year on the second Saturday in July to raise funds for local charities, and offer a yearly scholarship for Clark County residents.

Vancouver Pride Calendar of Events: Stay connected and updated on events, programs, resources, and social services available in Vancouver and surrounding communities.

Clark County PRIDE: A place of acceptance and inclusion for all!

Summer of Pride Clark County: Elevating and amplifying the queer voice. Organizing for and celebrating the queer community through gatherings, service projects, community partnerships, and PRIDE!

Triple Point Vancouver: A program of Children’s Home Society, is Clark County, Washington’s safe haven support group and drop-in program for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex, pansexual, queer and questioning people ages 11 to 17 years old and those 18 years old who are engaged in high school or GED programs.

Vancouver Family Magazine: – A listing of organizations, clubs, and support groups for LGBTQIA+ youth and communities providing resources and belonging year-round in Southwest Washington.

PFLAG Southwest Washington: Foundation of loving families united with LGBTQ people and allies who support one another, and to educate ourselves and our communities to speak up as advocates until all hearts and minds respect, value and affirm LGBTQ people.

LGBTQIA+ Friendly Businesses in Vancouver, WA: Listing of welcoming and safe spaces in Vancouver for LGBTQIA+ communities.

Northwest Oregon Pride Events and organizations: A listing of pride events, organizations and resources throughout Southwest Washington and northwest Oregon.

Pride Northwest: Pride Northwest, Inc’s mission is to encourage and celebrate the positive diversity of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans communities, and to assist in the education of all people through the development of activities that showcase the history, accomplishments and talents of these communities. Pride Northwest’s programs include Portland Pride Waterfront Festival and Parade, LGBTQ+ Community Impact Program, George T. Nicola LGBTQ+ History Fellowship and LGBTQ+ Youth Building Program. Pride Northwest also provides links to Pride events in Washington and Oregon.

Pride Foundation: The work of Pride Foundation is grounded in the simple, yet revolutionary belief every person should be able to live safely, openly and genuinely in all the places we call home. This is the same belief that has guided Pride Foundation’s visionary leaders for more than three decades.

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State of Washington Resources

Washington State LGBTQ Commission works to improve the state’s interface with the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, two-spirit and intersex community, identify the needs of its members and ensure there is an effective means of advocating for LGBTQ equity in all aspects of state government.

Rainbow Alliance and Inclusion Network (Rain) Business Resource Group to help Washington state create safe and inclusive workplaces where every LGBTQ+ employee can bring their full authentic self to work, enabling them to do their best work every day for the people of Washington. The group provides resources and support to employees and the stakeholders serviced by state agencies.

  • Trainings: RAIN provides trainings to Washington state agencies and institutions of higher learning to promote LGBTQ+ inclusivity and best practices in the workplace.
  • RAIN Pride Month Toolkit for businesses: The toolkit is a carefully curated list of resources for state agencies to use and celebrate during their Pride Month activities.

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National Resources

American Civil Liberties Union works to ensure that lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer people can live openly without discrimination and enjoy equal rights, personal autonomy, and freedom of expression and association.

Black Transmen, Inc. provides positive and affirming support to enrich the lives of transmen through the EmpowerHIM program, which offers self-empowerment through mentoring, access to resources and financial assistance to support his healthy transition and leadership development.

LGBTQ Freedom Fund pays bail to secure the safety and liberty of individuals in jail and immigration detention. It also works to address the disproportionately high rate and harm of jailing on LGBTQ individuals—a tangle of discrimination and poverty fuels this problem.

LGBT National Help Center Serving the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and questioning community by providing free and confidential peer support and local resources. National hotline: 888-843-4564.

Marsha P. Johnson Institute protects and defends the human rights of Black transgender people. This is done by organizing, advocating and creating an intentional community to heal, developing leadership and promoting collective power.

National LGBTQ Task Force advances full freedom, justice and equality for LGBTQ people. Training and mobilizing millions of activists across our nation to deliver a world where you can be you.

SnapCo. Solutions Not Punishment Collaborative is a Black trans and queer-led organization that builds safety within the community, investing in collective embodied leadership and building political power.

Southwest Indigenous Women’s Coalition’s 2S/LGBTQ Advisory Council works to increase the capacity of indigenous communities to address and respond to violence through education, training, technical assistance, policy advocacy and culturally sensitive supportive services.

The Trevor Project provides support resources, tools and counseling. Phone: 866-488-7386.

Trans Lifeline provides trans peer support. Run by and for trans people. Phone: 877-565-8860.

Trans Women of Color Collective Uplifting narratives, leadership and lived experiences of trans people of color, while building towards the collective liberation of all oppressed peoples.

Two Spirit/Native LGBTQ Resources provides podcasts, webinars, articles, conferences, organizations and support across 2SLGBTQ+ identities and communities.

UC Davis Health LGBTQ+ glossary

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