Happy Pride Month, everyone!

This June, your teen librarians have put together a list of LGBTQ+ resources that focused on discovering more information on your own. You don’t have to be a part of the community or be certain of your identity to take a look at this list!

Each resource on the list has a link to its website. They’re organized by topic beginning with learning about different identities and ending with hotlines to find help. Plenty of them could fit under several topics, so we have tried to list each resource by its main focus. There are definitely tons more resources out there too, so you can use these as a starting point for any questions you have!

ABOUT IDENTITIES
There are so many more LGBTQ+ identities than what we’ve listed here, and even people who use the same name for their identities can have very different interpretations of their identity words!

• The Asexual Visibility and Education Network
• Public Statement by the Third International Intersex Forum: The Malta Declaration
• Gender Spectrum: Gender FAQs
• Trevor Support Center: Details on lots of identities
• Out of Yer Shell: Resources for Trans & Gender Non-Conforming Youth & Their Loved Ones

CHANGING IDENTITY DOCUMENTS
Here’s information on changing legal ID, with many types of documents and the associated costs and steps to take.

• Trans Lifeline’s ID Change Library
• National Center for Transgender Equality: ID Documents Center
• Transgender Law Center: Identity Documents

WELLNESS
This topic includes places to find wellness information as well as health providers.

• The Trevor Project Blog: Supporting Black LGBTQ Youth Mental Health
• GSA Network: Queer and Trans Wellness Resources
• Transgender Law Center: Health Resources
• World Professional Association for Transgender Health
• Greater Chicago Food Depository
• VNA Healthcare
• Planned Parenthood Illinois
• Open Door Health Center of Illinois
• Chicago Women’s Health Center
• Howard Brown Health

HISTORY
There are also plenty of books at your three library branches on this topic!

• Gerber/Hart Library and Archives: Midwest LGBTQ History and Culture
• Library of Congress Pride Month Resources

BOOK SUGGESTIONS
These resources will help you find books and other media with LGBTQ+ characters along with #ownvoices books. Your teen librarians have tons of recommendations too, for all types of genres!

• LGBTQ Reads: YA featuring characters listed by identity
• Asexuals in Fiction: Media categories of asexual characters in separate sheets
• The YA/MG Trans & Nonbinary Voices Masterlist

POLICY & LEGAL ADVOCACY
These organizations work on changing relevant laws and putting together information on knowing your rights.

• National Center for Lesbian Rights
• InterACT: Advocates for Intersex Youth
• Nonbinary and Intersex Recognition Project
• National Center for Transgender Equality
• Transgender Legal Defense and Education Fund
• Transgender Law Center
• Transformative Justice Law Project of Illinois
• Illinois’ Equality Profile from Movement Advancement Project: Find the status of various legal protections

EDUCATION
These organizations are working for equality in schools and educating allies.

• GSA Network
• Illinois Safe Schools Alliance
• PFLAG Northern Illinois Council

ACTIVISM
There are a countless number of LGBTQ+ activist groups! Here are just a few.

• Affinity: A Black led, queer led organization on Chicago’s Southside
• Center for Black Equity
• ALMA: Association of Latino/as/x Motivating Action
• Intersex Justice Project
• Intersex Campaign for Equality

SOCIAL
These groups put together gatherings and Pride events.

• Asians and Friends Chicago
• Bolingbrook Pride
• Community Alliance & Action Network: Based in Joliet

OTHER RESOURCE LISTS
These lists will direct you to even more places to find information and assistance.

• Youth Empowerment Performance Project Resource Packet: Focused on Trans and Gender Non Conforming Black and Brown Chicago Youth
• Trans Lifeline Resource List
• Chicago Women’s Health Center Resource List (scroll to the bottom for another list of Trans Health Resources)

HELP HOTLINES
If you or someone you know is in need of help, these are hotlines over phone call, text, and chat that you can turn to.

Crisis Text Line
Text HOME to 741741 to connect with a Crisis Counselor
More information here

The Trevor Lifeline: Call, text, and chat available
Call 1-866-488-7386
Text START to 678-678
See website for chat

Trans Lifeline, in both Spanish and English
From their website: “We don’t define what a crisis is & isn’t, and you don’t need to be in crisis to call.”
Call (877) 565-8860
Oprima 2 para hablar con unx operador en español
More information here

We hope you found some helpful information on this resource list. If you have any questions, or you know of a resource we missed, feel free to reach out!

Contact:
Linden Daniel Galloway
Teen Librarian, Lockport Branch
lgalloway@whiteoaklib.org