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LGBTQIA2+

Guides for Youth and Young Adults

Infographic: Navigating Parents’ Insurance

Infographic: Navigating Gender-affirming Care

GLSEN

(pronounced “glisten”) was founded in 1990 by a small but dedicated group of teachers in Massachusetts who came together to improve an education system that too frequently allows its lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and questioning (LGBTQ) students to be bullied or discriminated against, or fall through the cracks. There’s a wealth of positive educational information at this website.

YouthSeen

YouthSeen empowers LGBTQI youth and their families to access appropriate care in all areas of their lives. “We encourage the creative creation of a community that celebrates everyone’s worth, diverse characteristics and dignity.”

MilPride

MilPride is an MMAA program dedicated to military families with LGBTQ youth. MilPride is committed to ensuring no matter where you are stationed, you and your family never feel alone. MilPride is designed to be a resource and support network helping these modern military families navigate the unique challenges of military service.

Partnership for Community Action

An LGBTQIA+ advocacy group in Southern rural Colorado (more specifically Salida), which hosts the Ark Valley Pride parade and festival.

PFLAG

(pronounced “pee-flag”) was founded in 1972 with the simple act of a mother publicly supporting her gay son. PFLAG is the nation’s largest family and ally organization. Uniting people who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) with families, friends, and allies, PFLAG is committed to advancing equality through its mission of support, education, and advocacy. A great resource for you and your family, especially for family members who don’t yet understand what’s going on with you or know how to support you. It’s also an amazing place to find resources for youth under 13. They can be reached at (719) 425-9567, please allow a couple days for them to return your call.

TYES

(prounounced “ties”) is a Colorado-based, statewide group supporting all gender-expansive children and their families. TYES is dedicated to helping parents support their gender-expansive children, and to help families find the information, resources, and the understanding that they need. They can be reached at (719) 291-2507.

Transformative Freedom Fund

is a Colorado-based nonprofit that supports the authentic selves of transgender Coloradans by removing financial barriers to transition-related healthcare.

Colorado Name Change Project

has resources on how to change your name and gender marker in Colorado.

The Trevor Project

provides crisis intervention and suicide prevention services to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning (LGBTQ) young people ages 13-24. This website is really directed at youth and has loads of helpful info!

Stand With Trans

is based in Michigan and was founded by the mom of a trans young person, Roz Keith. Stand With Trans has a wealth of resources on their website for parents, friends, and families of trans and gender-expansive young people. They also have support groups for parents, youth, and tweens!

TransParenting

From crisis lines to reading recommendations, this resource list is here to answer questions and provide support while you navigate new or changing understandings of your child’s identity and experience.

LGBTQIA2+ Family Connection

is a Facebook group for parents, caregivers, and other family members of LGBTQIA2+ people in the Pikes Peak region.

For Youth-Serving Professionals

If you want your school, faith organization, community, or other service or business to be a safe space for LGBTQIA2+ people, here is a comprehensive resource on how to create such a space: Creating Safer Spaces for LGBTQ youth

The National LGBTQIA+ Health Education Center+ has published a Guide on Human Trafficking for health care providers to increase their awareness of and responsiveness to LGBTQIA+ youth experiencing human trafficking.

Are you working with (or hoping to work with) foster care agencies or other children’s residential providers and caregivers? Are you advocating for them to better serve LGBTQ+ youth? The California Dept. of Social Services has shared this “Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity & Expression Resource Guide for Children’s Residential Providers and Caregivers” that might be of use to you in your work with these youth serving professionals.

HRC Foundation Resources

LGBTQ+ inclusive policy and practices for your organization

Resources for educational professionals

Other COS Queer Resources

What is available in the community for young adults who are too old to attend?

As you mature into an amazing young adult, you will age out of Inside Out’s youth focus. Once you turn 25 if you want to stay involved with Inside Out, you are encouraged to pursue an internship, which can also be great preparation for a job, or a great project for academic credit, and a valuable resource if you are applying for scholarships. You will be able to apply as a volunteer facilitator once you are 25 years old AND have been out of IOYS programs for at least a year. What to do in the meantime? There are some links below that we think are great starting points for young adults wishing to stay active and connected in Colorado Springs’ LGBTQIA2+ community.

The LGBT Resource Center @ MOSAIC is based at UCCS

Keep Colorado Springs Queer organizes a monthly Queer Open Mic night of poetry, art, music, and creative goodness

United Court of the Pikes Peak Empire, the oldest LGBTQ organization in Southern Colorado, conducts charitable and public service projects and events to benefit legitimate charities, and provides social and charitable activities for the benefit of the gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender community.

Colorado Springs Queer Friends is a meet-up group as well as a private group on Facebook where you can connect with other LGBTQ+ people in the community.

Club Q is a local LGBTQ-friendly place to go for some nightlife! 18+ only.

ICONS is a local LGBTQ+ owned restaurant and piano bar in downtown COS.

One Colorado is an amazing statewide LGBTQ+ advocacy organization that can help with legal questions and needs, job openings, and all manner of concerns!

NAMI Colorado Springs has a wealth of resources for mental health and wellness.

Suicide Prevention Collaborative of El Paso County is a network of organizations working to end suicide.

What other resources are available in the community for youth support?

Inside Out is the sole LGBTQIA2+ youth services center in Colorado Springs, yet there are other needs we may not be able to fulfill! Check back as we compile further resources for health, wellness, support, and other services that can enhance your life and build your future. And don’t hesitate to reach out to our team for specific resource requests!

Substance-Free Resources

Inside Out is a tobacco- and vape-free organization, as well as a drug/alcohol sober space. One of our safe/brave space rules is “sober up before you show up.” We are committed to preparing young LGBTQIA2+ people with healthy coping skills to prevent drug, alcohol, and tobacco use and abuse, while also connecting youth with resources for curbing risky substance use. Here are some helpful resources in our community:

LGBTQ+ Tobacco Free: Get support in the process of quitting the use of tobacco and/or nicotine. All support systems are trained to help you as best as possible in quitting the use of tobacco or nicotine.

Springs Recovery Connection has an LGBTQIA2+ 12-step recovery group.

Diversus Health (formerly Aspen Pointe) has a great number of programs for drug/alcohol recovery.

Partnership to End Addiction resources for families of LGBTQ+ people

Here are the policies that Inside Out has enacted around our tobacco/vape free space:

Tobacco / Vape-Free

Due to the LGBTQIA2+ community having been historically targeted by the tobacco industry and higher rates of trauma, oppression and discrimination, LGBTQIA2+ people face drastically higher rates of tobacco and e-cigarette use compared to their heterosexual/cisgender counterparts. IOYS works to support the health and wellbeing of our community by promoting a tobacco and vape-free environment. Smoking and secondhand smoke are known to cause serious lung diseases, heart disease, and many kinds of cancer. E-cigarettes are also a threat to the LGBTQIA2+ community as the adverse health consequences continue to come to light. IOYS recognizes the hazards caused by tobacco use and exposure to secondhand tobacco smoke. This policy covers the smoking of any tobacco product, the use of oral tobacco products (spit/chew tobacco), and e-cigarettes. This policy applies to IOYS members, volunteers, vendors, and participants. IOYS recognizes the 2019 update of the Colorado clean indoor air act and prohibits smoking and vaping indoors and within 25 feet of entrances, operable windows, and ventilation systems of buildings utilized by our organization.

Tobacco Free

No use of tobacco products is permitted within any venues IOYS utilizes for groups, meetings, or events, except in designated areas when available, located at least 25 feet outside the building. Smoking, vaping or chewing tobacco/nicotine shall be permitted only in designated tobacco use areas (DTA) when available and located at least 25 feet outside the building entrance, operable windows, and ventilation systems of enclosed areas, and 50 feet from open-air event areas to prevent tobacco smoke or vapor from entering those areas. Materials used for smoking, chewing, or vaping, including cigarette butts and matches, used within the DTA, will be extinguished and disposed of only in appropriate containers.