Empowering Wellness for the LGBTQ+ Community: A Revolutionary Digital Platform Created
by and for You
Your LGBTQ+ wellness journey starts here. Launching this April, You:Flourish will be FREE for Coloradans*
Explore a welcoming online community designed to empower you on your path to well-being.
Find trusted resources created by and for LGBTQ+ individuals, covering everything
from health, community, culture and to financial security, tailored to your unique
needs.
Connect with a supportive network.
Discover a vetted directory of providers specializing in LGBTQ+ care.
Dive into a wealth of self-help resources on diverse topics to promote well-being.
Join a vibrant community of peers who share your experiences and goals.
Ignite your potential and flourish in a safe and welcoming space.
More than just a platform, this is your gateway to thriving as an LGBTQ+ individual.
Take a deep breath, embrace your true self, and join the community today!
Follow@youflourishapp on social media or sign up for ournewsletterfor updates and get ready to thrive with You:Flourish!
*Terms and conditions apply. No-cost access to You:Flourish will expire in April 2025.
In this edition of Empowered, explore the impact of nature on mental health and wellness.
Make sure you mark your calendars for Envision:You's annual Garden Party on June 1st as
well as for the launch of the You:Flourish app in April!
May this newsletter inspire you to remain engaged with our mission and create a positive
impact in the lives of LGBTQ+ individuals.
Welcome to the March issue of Empowered, the monthly newsletter brought to you by
Envision:You, a nonprofit organization dedicated to enhancing mental health and well-being
for the LGBTQ+ community.
What does pride stand for?
Personal Rights in Defense and Education
PRIDE is an acronym for Personal Rights in Defense and Education. The organization was
formed in Los Angeles, California in 1966 by Steve Ginsburg. PRIDE, from its very inception, was much more radical than the pre-1960s homosexual rights
groups, which were more deferential.
The alarming levels of bias-motivated hate crimes against LGBTQ+ members are extremely
unethical and disheartening. We must create safe places for all students, including
those of the LGBTQ+ community.
In honor of Pride Month, BestColleges.com created a guide for LGBTQ+ students covering Safezones and resources from The Trevor
Project. Review our guide below:
The Transgender Resource Center of New Mexico provides support, education, information,
and assistance to the transgender population in the state of New Mexico and their
families and loved ones.
Members of the LGBTQ+ community have unique and complex health needs that heterosexuals
don’t face. Health disparities and barriers to care can make staying healthy challenging,
but knowing LGBTQ+ health risks can ensure you stay on top of your health. Local and
national resources can help you prevent or treat these health conditions with the
right medical testing, care and support.
Need Mental Health Resources?
LGBTQ+ members have a high risk of developing anxiety, depression, and other unique
health stuggles, and unfortunately are also challenged by narrow access to mental health resources.
Online Therapy is a website that offers the easy access to online therapy specifically
for the LGBTQ+ community. They offer fast and easy access to finding therapists in
your area, links to many low cost (and free) online therapy websites/apps, and more!
For more info, check them out here.
Members of the LGBTQ+ community may face unique mental health challenges during their
college years. Use this guide to learn about mental health services and resources
for LGBTQ+ college students
Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG) is a national organization
that promotes the health and well-being of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender
persons, as well as their families and friends. PFLAG provides opportunity for dialogue
about sexual orientation and gender identity, and acts to create a society that is
healthy and respectful of human diversity.
Equality New Mexico is a statewide education and advocacy organization that works
for full recognition of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender civil rights. EQNM
works throughout the state to end discrimination, shape public opinion and policy,
as well as strengthen our alliances with local, regional, and national partners. The
organization is based in Albuquerque and has many volunteer opportunities for LGBTQ
individuals andallies.
NMPower is a program for 18-29 year-old men who are Gay, Bi, Trans, or Questioning
their sexuality. The group holds regular social events and outings in a supportive
environment.
New Mexico AIDS Services works to enhance the quality of life for people and communities
affected by HIV/AIDS through innovative and comprehensive services, support and prevention
education. New Mexico AIDS Services offers free and anonymous HIV testing, as well
as free and confidential screenings for Syphilis and Hepatitis.
The mission of the Common Bond New Mexico Foundation is to strengthen the LGBTQ+ community of New Mexico through programs and partnerships
that serve at risk sectors of the LGBTQ+ population.
Trained counselors are available to support you 24/7. If you are a young person in
crisis, feeling suicidal, or in need of a safe and judgment-free place to talk, call
the TrevorLifeline now at 1-866-488-7386.
LGBTQ Issues in the News
How did L.G.B.T. rights again become the subject of a culture war?
A new wedge
For a few years, the battles over L.G.B.T. rights seemed to be fading from the American
political scene.
The Supreme Court legalized same-sex marriage in 2015, and most Americans supported
the decision. During the past few national campaigns, most Republican politicians
— including Donald Trump, who called himself a friend of the gay community — largely
ignored L.G.B.T. issues. One of Trump’s Supreme Court appointees, Neil Gorsuch, even wrote the opinion in a 2020 case that protected gay and transgender workers from job discrimination.
But the brief political truce on L.G.B.T. rights appears to be over. In more than
a dozen states, Republicans have recently passed laws restricting those rights. In
the Senate, Republicans used Ketanji Brown Jackson’s confirmation hearing to call
attention to some of the same issues that the new laws cover, even though Jackson’s
judicial record had virtually no connection to them. (The Senate confirmed her yesterday.)
What explains the change? Today’s newsletter offers two explanations and also provides
an overview of recent L.G.B.T.-related laws across the country.
A new boldness
After Barack Obama won re-election in 2012, the conventional wisdom on both the right
and the left was that the Republican Party needed to moderate its approach to social
issues to win over younger voters in a diversifying country.
Trump’s 2016 campaign rejected this advice. He instead moved left on economic issues,
like trade and Social Security. On some hot-button cultural issues, like crime and
immigration, he moved farther right. On others, he showed relatively little interest
— but promised cultural and religious conservatives that he would defer to them once
he was in the White House.
“Trump’s view was, ‘Give them what they want,’” said our colleague Jeremy Peters,
who writes about this history in “Insurgency,” his recent book. “He understood that if he did that, most of all by filling the federal judiciary
with conservatives, they would continue to be the cornerstone of his base.” As president,
Trump also went back on his pro-L.G.B.T. rhetoric and restricted transgender rights.
This approach has emboldened cultural conservatives on multiple issues, including abortion, gun rights, affirmative action and voting
rights. As Stuart Stevens, a longtime Republican strategist and Trump critic, told
us, “Many in the party see that they no longer need to pretend and they can go back
to voicing what they really believe.”
The new conservative aggressiveness is the first factor that helps explain the recent
flurry of laws restricting L.G.B.T. rights. The second factor is the political opportunity
that some Republicans now see: They recognize that public opinion on gender identity
and transgender rights is more conservative than it is on same-sex marriage.
Some of these issues of gender identity are also unavoidably vexing, involving conflicts
between one person’s rights and another’s. For example, should transgender girls always
be allowed play girls’ sports — even if male puberty gave them physical strength that
provides a competitive advantage? (Some feminists and female athletes say no, and some transgender women are torn.) When should schools start to teach children about gender identity? Should schools
be required to tell parents if a child switches gender identity at school?
On several of these questions, Republicans see an opportunity to cast Democrats as
out of touch. “The right is using trans identity among kids as the wedge,” says our
colleague Emily Bazelon, who writes about legal issues.
Bazelon points out that this political strategy relies partly on lies that seem intended
to stoke fear and hatred. In Florida, for example, some Republicans have falsely suggested
that schools’ lessons about sexuality are really an attempt to “groom” students.
Our summary of the recent laws follows.
‘Don’t say gay’
In Florida, Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a bill last week that bans instruction about sexual orientation or gender identity from kindergarten
through third grade. The bill also contains vague wording that opponents worry could
lead to broader restrictions, effectively trying to erase L.G.B.T. Americans from
school lessons.
One example: The law’s preamble calls for “prohibiting classroom discussion about
sexual orientation or gender identity.” That phrase has led to opponents’ nickname
for the law: “Don’t Say Gay.”
Alabama lawmakers are considering a similar law.
Gender-affirming care
Three states — Arkansas, Arizona, and Texas — have enacted policies limiting gender-affirming
treatments (which can involve surgery, hormones, speech therapy and other steps) for
children.
In Texas, Gov. Greg Abbott has required teachers and other adults to report parents
they suspect are providing such care to their children. Abbott has also ordered state
officials to investigate parents for child abuse in these cases, although a judge
has blocked the order for now.
The Alabama Legislature passed a similar bill yesterday. If the governor signs it, the law would threaten doctors and nurses with up to 10
years in prison.
The American Medical Association has described these measures as “a dangerous intrusion
into the practice of medicine.” Azeen Ghorayshi explained some of the difficult choices that families and doctors face in a recent Times article.
Girls’ sports
In the past three years, governors in 13 states — including Arizona, Iowa, Montana
and West Virginia — have enacted laws that restrict transgender women and girls from
playing female sports in public schools. In several states, though, governors — both
Republicans and Democrats — have vetoed such laws.
One was Utah Gov. Spencer Cox, a Republican, who said that the law unfairly targeted a tiny number of transgender children “looking to find a sense of connection and
community” through sports. Most could compete without causing any unfairness to other
athletes, he added. For the rare cases with legitimate questions about safety or fairness,
Cox favored creating a commission to make decisions.
The Utah Legislature overrode his veto last month and enacted the law. After the original
bill passed the State Senate, Cox appeared on television and spoke directly to transgender
children. “Look, we care about you,” he said. “We love you. It’s going to be OK.”