LGBT Center Awareness Day – October 19, 2022, history, significance
LGBT Center Awareness Day is observed on October 19 of every year to celebrate the assistance and facilities provided by L.G.B.T.Q. community centers throughout the country. The Awareness Day, inaugurated by CenterLink in 1994, is an initiative to support the development of queer-friendly community centers.
The centers are essential to the L.G.B.T.Q community because they provide freely accessible community services to members. These services include mental health counseling, cultural and educational programs, recreational activities, libraries, support groups, etc. This day was conceived to draw attention to the importance of community centers, which became a significant part of the L.G.B.T.Q movement.
HISTORY OF LGBT CENTER AWARENESS DAY
That homosexual people deserved equal access to essential services and resources, and deserved to live without discrimination, is what instigated the creation of L.G.B.T.Q community centers.
Accordingly, the L.G.B.T.Q community in different cities decided to launch community centers, and in 1971, the first lesbian and gay community centers were established in Los Angeles; Albany, CA; and New York. The centers provided services such as support groups, safe spaces for conversation, health clinics, and legal support. Community centers thus became what inspired community action and social change.
In the 1980s, AIDS spread in the gay community. During this time, L.G.B.T.Q community centers assisted in HIV caregiving, awareness, and prevention. Even affected heterosexual or non-gay couples benefited from these services.
And in the 1990s, the community center movement gained momentum and spread to even smaller cities and towns in the country, so that by the year 2000, nearly 50% of the 100 community centers were their locale’s only L.G.B.T.Q space. These centers acted as the first points of contact for people looking for information, coming out, seeking safe spaces, or gearing up for political change.
Also, in 1987, a group of lesbian and gay community center leaders gathered in an annual conference to discuss the need for a central network that would help provide support and technical assistance to all community centers in the country.
Consequently, in June 1994, the National Association of LGBT Community Centers was launched, to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Stonewall Rebellion. And, in 2008, the name of the association was changed to CenterLink. Currently, CenterLink has the support of over 250 member centers.
LGBT CENTER AWARENESS DAY TIMELINE
1971
The First L.G.B.T.Q Centers Open
The first community centers open in Los Angeles; Albany, CA; and New York to provide services and support to L.G.B.T.Q people.
1980s
Centers Provide Assistance During the AIDS Epidemic
Community centers assist with HIV caregiving, awareness, and prevention, as the virus infects gay and straight people alike.
1990s
Community Centers Reach Smaller Cities and Towns
The community center movement gains momentum and reaches not just the metropolitan cities but also the smaller towns, thereby becoming the first point of contact for many homosexual people.
1994
A Primary Network of Centers is Launched
A network of community centers — initially named National Association of LGBT Community Centers, but later changed to CenterLink — is launched to provide peer support and assistance to the many centers across the country.
HOW TO OBSERVE LGBT CENTER AWARENESS DAY
Lend a hand at your local center
Find your local community center through a friend or the internet, and visit them. Explore the place and ask if they need a volunteer.
Donate to the cause
Spending some of your savings on a life-saving cause is noble. If you have the resources, reach out to a center and donate.
Create safe spaces around you
You don’t need to go to a community center to be in a safe space; you could transform your surroundings into one. Make sure the homosexual people around you feel comfortable opening up and sharing their stories, without fear of being othered.
5 IMPORTANT FACTS ABOUT THE L.G.B.T.Q COMMUNITY
San Francisco has the highest percentage population
San Francisco has 6.2% of its residents identify as L.G.B.T., making it the city with the highest percentage of gay inhabitants in all of the U.S.
Discrimination based on sexual orientation is prohibited
Congress passed the Employment Non-Discrimination Act in 2007 that prohibits discrimination based on sexual orientation in the workplace, especially in the recruitment process.
Most L.G.B.T.Q students feel unsafe at school
In a study, it was found that six out of 10 L.G.B.T.Q students feel unsafe at school because of their sexual orientation.
Most L.G.B.T.Q Americans hide personal relationships
More than half of L.G.B.T.Q people in the U.S. hide their relationships, to avoid being discriminated against.
Transgender people face obstacles in accessing healthcare
Nearly three out of 10 transgender individuals, a report says, avoid medical treatment for fear of being discriminated against.
WHY LGBT CENTER AWARENESS DAY IS IMPORTANT
To spread awareness
This day is important because it reminds us to educate ourselves and others about the significance of having these spaces. Someone in need of these kinds of spaces could benefit from the awareness and education.
To make this world a better place
All love is equal and beautiful. It’s only a matter of seeing things from the perspective of love. And that’s what LGBT Center Awareness Day seeks to achieve: help people to relate with one another from the perspective of love.
To build strong support systems
When the primary support system of the family fails a person, they may feel helpless. Community centers are essential because they step in to fill the void at a very crucial time, especially if there is a lack of protected rights for transgender individuals.
