Whereas there’s by no means been a time in America the place it has been straightforward being LGBTQ+, there have been a couple of years there after the nationwide legalization of homosexual marriage when issues appeared to be transferring up. However with the latest rise in antigay rhetoric from politicians and members of the media (to not point out a tsunami of antigay payments), it appears we’ve taken various steps backward.
Thankfully, Houston is a really LGBTQ+ pleasant metropolis, and queer Houstonians in search of assets, whether or not that is in areas of well being, wellness, social companies, or group protected areas, have loads of organizations from which to decide on.
Anti-Violence Program
Montrose
The Anti-Violence Program on the Montrose Middle offers assist companies for survivors of home violence, sexual assault, trafficking, and hate crimes no matter sexual orientation. This system additionally features a Disaster Assist part with a switchboard offering disaster counseling and intervention across the clock, together with holidays. Any Texas resident dealing with an emotional or home disaster is welcome to name and converse with volunteers and workers who’re skilled to offer data and assets. Different choices embody advocacy, accompaniment, counseling, compensation, training, and an emergency shelter.
Bunnies on the Bayou
Throughout Houston
By enjoyable occasions resembling drag exhibits, membership nights, and even Easter bonnet competitions, no one throws a great occasion for a great trigger like Bunnies on the Bayou. Over the previous 46 years, this group has raised tens of millions for native LGBTQ+ nonprofits and initiatives, together with scholarships for LGBTQ+ school college students.
Crofoot MD
Higher Kirby
Providing stigma-free care, Crofoot MD is an LGBTQ+ common clinic centered on the remedy of HIV/AIDS, hepatitis C, and different infectious illnesses. The clinic offers sufferers the chance to reveal their choice for both female, masculine, or gender-neutral pronouns and a selection between male or feminine docs, making a protected and welcoming setting.
Hatch Youth
Montrose
Hatch is Houston’s oldest social group devoted to serving LGBTQ+ youth. The group, facilitated by the Montrose Middle, offers these between the ages of seven and 20 with a protected and affirming setting wherein to socialize with their friends. Academic packages supplied by Hatch embody psychological well being and wellness, LGBTQ+ rights, queer historical past, artistic writing, artwork, social justice, and group assets.
Heights Household Counseling
Heights
Providing in-person and digital appointments, Heights Household Counseling creates a nonjudgmental area for the LGBTQ+ group to work via challenges in understanding sexuality, gender identification, and quite a lot of LGBTQ+-related points. The middle additionally affords teen remedy, household remedy, and help for folks processing and supporting LGBTQ+ teenagers.
Lamba Middle
Montrose
Lambda Middle serves members of the LGBTQ+ group and allies who search restoration from substance abuse or intercourse dependancy. Kids with dad and mom affected by these situations are additionally welcome to attend assist group classes. It’s a clubhouse devoted to the 12 steps, with almost 60 conferences per week and particular occasions for people seeking to make pals and have enjoyable in sober areas.
Legacy Group Well being
A number of Areas
Nationally acknowledged as an HIV/AIDS major care, prevention, and remedy clinic, Legacy Group Well being serves the LGBTQ+ group with care and respect, providing free HIV, syphilis, and hepatitis C testing; HIV/AIDS remedy; transgender specialty care; and a bunch of social companies. For individuals who are uninsured, the clinic has an help program that enables some sufferers to obtain remedy freed from cost. Those that do not qualify are capable of pay on a sliding scale primarily based on earnings.
The Mahogany Undertaking
Westwood
The Mahogany Undertaking helps transgender folks of colour via mutual support and the humanities, with assets like a meals pantry, clothes closet, counseling, title and gender change clinics, emergency money grants, transportation help, profession coaching, and extra. Guests may even contribute to the Trans Security Quilt.
Montrose Middle
Montrose
Since 1978, Montrose Middle has served Houston’s LGBTQ+ group with quite a lot of assets, from psychological well being assist, HIV/AIDS prevention, and dependancy restoration to meals pantries, authorized assist for asylum seekers, and youth teams. It opened the Regulation Harrington Senior Dwelling Middle in 2022, offering reasonably priced housing and well being care to queer seniors.
Montrose Grace Place
Montrose
Since 2010, Montrose Grace Place has served as a welcoming and affirming place for LGBTQ+ youth, ages 13 via 24, who’re experiencing homelessness or housing insecurity. Each Monday and Thursday at 6pm, the group hosts a drop-in program the place space youth are supplied a scorching meal, clothes and toiletries, bus passes, and pc and Wi-Fi entry. Volunteers supply mentorship, and the group additionally offers help in acquiring authorities identification and navigating useful resource and repair networks for issues like housing, HIV and STI testing, authorized support, social safety insurance coverage, and incapacity insurance coverage.
Organización Latina Trans in Texas (OLTT)
Digital and In-Particular person
Based and led by transgender Latinx immigrants, this group is devoted to defending and defending the rights of all transgender, gender-nonconforming, and LGBTQ+ folks in Texas. To that finish, the group works to help members of the native trans and gender-nonconforming group via direct support in addition to entry to emergency shelter, companies, and bodily assembly areas. The group’s Casa Anandrea, the one LGBTQ+ migrant shelter in Houston, prioritizes serving undocumented folks and people residing with HIV. OLTT can also be dwelling to empowerment teams that present members with pathways to assets, emotional assist, and peer connections, and works to make authorized companies extra accessible to the group.
Deliberate Parenthood Gulf Coast
A number of Areas
Named an LGBTQ Healthcare Equality Excessive Performer by the Human Rights Marketing campaign, Deliberate Parenthood Gulf Coast affords reasonably priced well being care, together with HPV testing and vaccines, STI testing, and gender-affirming hormone remedy.
Delight Refrain
Throughout Houston
Sing loud, sing proud. Singers of all ability ranges, genders, and orientations come collectively to share their pleasure of music, performing throughout Houston with exhibits themed across the holidays, girls composers, ’80s music, Sondheim, and extra. They’ve additionally made appearances on the Houston Zoo, Delight parades, Rockets video games, and nationwide gatherings.
Refuge Restrooms
On-line
Refuge Restrooms is a web-based useful resource locator for restrooms rated protected for transgender, intersex, and gender-nonconforming people. Customers can search of their space and add new areas in addition to charge and touch upon present entries.
Seniors Making ready for Rainbow Years (SPRY)
Third Ward
This Montrose Middle initiative contains assets that provide a protected place for LGBTQ+ seniors ages 60 and over to get assist and join with different seniors. This system contains the Regulation Harrington Senior Dwelling Middle, in addition to packages that provide life-enhancing companies like group outreach, assist teams, counseling, case administration, leisure actions, and different well being and wellness companies. A part of this system contains the SPRY Montrose Diner, which is a hub for friendship and group in an LGBTQ+-affirming setting. The diner, positioned at Regulation Harrington, serves lunch on weekdays at midday, and friends are welcome to carry companions and caregivers. There isn’t any cost for eligible seniors, however friends are inspired to make a reservation by emailing [email protected] or calling 713-485-5072 and leaving a message.
Thomas Road at Quentin Mease Well being Middle
Third Ward
This freestanding clinic offers a spread of well being companies for Houstonians residing with or liable to growing HIV. Providers embody HIV major care, dependancy counseling, hepatitis C care, HIV prevention (a.ok.a PrEP), psychological well being counseling, in addition to bodily remedy and wellness companies.
T.R.U.T.H. Undertaking
Digital and In-Particular person
This nonprofit group focuses its efforts on educating and mobilizing LGBTQ+ communities of colour via social arts that promote psychological, emotional, and sexual well being. Packages on the T.R.U.T.H. Undertaking embody a confidential month-to-month assist area for queer folks of colour, for males and nonbinary folks of colour residing with HIV, and for long-term HIV survivors of colour, in addition to a month-to-month yoga meetup.
Stephanie Bartels and Brianna Benitez contributed to this information.
