LexPride Inc

10/30/2024

KNOW YOUR RIGHTS

Trans, nonbinary, and gender-nonconforming people in Massachusetts have the right to vote freely in local, municipal, state, or federal elections.

Despite that right, however, people occasionally encounter discrimination when they arrive at the polls—they may be questioned because their identification doesn’t match their gender presentation, or they’re in the process of having their name legally changed. And some may face other difficulties, such as trying to vote while being unstably housed or incarcerated.

Check out Massachusetts Trans Political Coalition - MTPC new voting guide. You can also share it with election officials in your town so they are more aware of these issues.

Trans, nonbinary, and gender-nonconforming people in Massachusetts have the right to vote freely in local, municipal, state, or federal elections. Despite that right, however, people occasionally encounter discrimination when they arrive at the polls—they may be questioned because their identifica...

03/02/2024

Thank you to everyone who came out for in person all ages rainbow artists! It was great to meet people and hear about what is bringing everyone joy right now. Hope to see you all at the next one this summer!

02/27/2024

Join us for an all-ages Rainbow Artists event this Saturday!

Special All Ages Event (in person)
March 2, 1-3pm, at Community Center!

Spring Session for Youth

Ages 8-11 (virtual)
Wednesdays 4-5pm, April 3-May 29, 2024 (skip 4/17)

Ages 12-15 (virtual)
Tuesdays 5-6pm, April 2-May 28, 2024 (skip 4/16)

Ages 16-19 (virtual)
Thursdays 5-6pm, April 4-May 30, 2024 (skip 4/18)

More info and register at http://tinyurl.com/2yyp6k2z

01/06/2024

Rainbow Artists

New! All ages event
1-3pm on Saturday, March 2, 2024
Lexington Community Center (dining room)
First hour is art work, followed by unstructured social time

New! Ages 16-19 session
5:30-6:30pm
Thursdays, January 18-March 15, 2024 (skip 2/22/2023)
By Zoom

Ages 12-15 session
5-6pm on Tuesdays, January 16-March 13, 2024 (skip 2/20/2023)
By Zoom

Ages 8-11 session
4-5pm on Wednesdays, January 17-March 14, 2024 (skip 2/21/2023)
By Zoom

Please register at http://tinyurl.com/p92c5jc6.

09/18/2023

“These are not real experts. They’re manufactured as experts by the opponents of transgender rights.” *

Paul Hruz - An endocrinologist who, according to court documents in Arkansas, has never treated a patient for gender dysphoria.

Michael Laidlaw - An endocrinologist often associated with the Alliance Defending Freedom who has appeared in conferences that promote “curing homosexuality through faith healing.”

James Cantor - A psychologist who did not see youth patients in his care typically, has never diagnosed gender dysphoria in young people and subscribes to the much-discredited theory of “autogynephelia,” essentially calling being transgender a fe**sh.

Stephen Levine - An ex-WPATH psychiatrist who argues for removing gender-affirming care for transgender inmates.
Quentin Van Meter - Former president of the American College of Pediatricians, a SPLC-designated hate group that supports sexual orientation therapy.

Patrick Lappert - A doctor and also a deacon for Courage International, a conversion therapy organization encouraging gay people to “live chaste lives.”

*Quote by Omar Gonzalez-Pagan, Lambda Legal

Their purpose is to convince judges that gender-affirming care is scientifically controversial, unnecessary and dangerous — and they're increasingly having an impact.

09/04/2023

Let's talk about how the debunked social contagion theory came to be.

Within medicine, gender-affirming care for transgender and gender-diverse youth is not controversial outside of a few fringe groups.

However, the most commonly cited misinformation is based on a study that only interviewed parents who uniformly did not accept their children’s transgender identities. Many of them were estranged from their kids because the children were so hurt by their parent's rejection.

To actually understand the psychology of these young people, one would need to talk to them, not simply rely on stories from parents with whom they do not speak.

The internet has dramatically changed the way politically charged misinformation spreads. Online, it often doesn't matter what's actually true.

Stories about transgender adolescents thriving in supportive families and schools simply don't make good clickbait.

Transgender youth deserve better than the mass consumption of misinformation about them.

A new book has the potential to hurt transgender youth.

08/27/2023

ALL ADOLESCENTS DO BETTER IN LGBTQ+ INCLUSIVE SCHOOLS

When schools implement supportive policies and practices for LGBTQI+ youth, ALL STUDENTS experience less emotional distress, less violence and harassment, and fewer suicidal thoughts and behaviors.

Learn how policies and practices schools can implement to support both LGBTQ and heterosexual students. CDC’s What Works in Schools program can help identify beneficial practices.

08/25/2023

Thank you to LPS students for expressing their support for the Serious Talks curriculum.

Students know the value of the curriculum first-hand, so they write compellingly.

We see this attack on the Serious Talks curriculum as not only an attack on the curriculum itself, but as an attack on the idea of teaching diversity and kindness in our schools. As community members that value compassion and inclusivity, we won’t stand for this.

08/22/2023

Let's Talk About why it's important to learn about LGBTQ+ identities.

Schools are not always a safe environment for all students; when students don't feel safe and supported, they can't learn.

Research consistently shows LGBTQ+ students lack critical support and acceptance. Check out this recent large-scale survey of 13,000 students to learn more.

The 2021 Lexington Youth Risk Behavior Survey results mirror these findings, so this not something that just happens elsewhere -- it also effects our schools and our students, right here in Lexington! https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1itf_Kclo-XaLLarR5Re90-ThyUoLPKfynCXS19v0O1c/edit =id.g4cfafcb7fa_0_1245

Instead of pretending LGBTQ+ people don't exist, let’s lead with respect and compassion for the humanity of each and every child — precisely what Serious Talks does. Let’s break down the stigma so if a child is struggling with gender dysphoria, they aren’t so ashamed that they hold it in while it slowly eats away at them. Let’s teach our kids to be kind and compassionate to others, even if we don’t always fully understand.

08/21/2023

Let's talk about Genspect.
Genspect is an activist organization whose agenda is to dismantle gender-affirming care around the world. Their ideology is NOT grounded in reputable science and is full of errors of omission and inclusion.

Gender-affirming care reduces suicidality among trans youth by 73%. [Mental Health Outcomes Among Transgender and Nonbinary Youth Receiving Gender-Affirming Care.]

Every major medical and mental health association agrees. In June, the American Medical Association passed a resolution reaffirming their support of gender-affirming care as the standard that saves lives. [Medical Association Statements in Support of Health Care for Transgender People and Youth.]

Yale also published research showing the science behind Genspect’s ideology is severely flawed: [Biased Science in Texas & Alabama] Two states where legislation banning gender-affirming care has been introduced based on this disinformation.

LPS staff & administration are listening and discussing, but they are not backing down, and a few activist parents don’t like it. They’re conflating “not being heard” with not getting their way.

We empathize with parents; we really do. The fear is real. Supporting your child when they suffer from relentless gender dysphoria and the social stigma of being trans, can be crushing. Our inclination as parents is to try to save our children from such things. The problem with Genspect's approach is - we are who we are; no denying or conversion tactics will change that. It only makes feelings of rejection and dysphoria much worse.

Instead of pretending trans people don't exist, let’s lead with love and compassion — precisely what Serious Talks does. Let’s break down the stigma so if a child is struggling with gender dysphoria, they aren’t so ashamed that they hold it in while it slowly eats away at them. Let’s teach our kids to be kind and compassionate to others, even if we don’t always fully understand.

Additional links are in the comments.
These are just a few. There are many, many more credible research studies supporting the gender-affirming care model. Far too many for one post.

Health care for transgender people and youth is mainstream medical care supported by every major medical association and leading world health authority. On June 12, 2023, The American Medical Association passed a resolution drafted by The Endocrine Society to protect access to evidence-based gender-...

08/18/2023

Transgender teens knew they were trans for an average of 4 years before coming out as trans and getting their first clinical visit.

People opposed to transgender rights have often pointed at the rising number of transgender clinic referrals as proof of "social contagion." There is no evidence for this claim.

08/12/2023

Strong evidence supports the value of gender-affirming care!

https://www.erininthemorning.com/p/the-myth-of-low-quality-evidence?utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&fbclid=IwAR1umNt17UkMRt2CjQZfbN7rVFmh4rqiTcEdQw1kLmecqZNhLWchS4ZX9TE

Recent discussions among legislators and think tanks opposed to gender-affirming care highlight a recurring claim: "There is no high-quality evidence." It's time to address this misconception.