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/RURAL LGBT RESOURCES

RURAL LGBT RESOURCES

An estimated 2.9 to 3.8 million LGBT people live in rural communities like ours across the United States. LGBT people are our neighbors, and they are small business owners, teachers and ministers, farmers and construction workers, and much more. In April 2019, the Movement Advancement Project released a report, Where We Call Home: LGBT People in Rural America, which examines the structural differences in rural life and their unique impact on LGBT people in rural areas, who are both more vulnerable to discrimination and less able to respond to its harmful effects. Along with the report, MAP has developed recommendation sheets for employers, educators, community organizations, and more.

The resources below are designed to support LGBT people living in rural areas and get them in touch with the communities, networks and resources they need to thrive in rural America.

ONE-ON-ONE SUPPORT/HOTLINES


GENERALSENIORSTRANSGENDER-SPECIFICCOMMUNITIES OF COLORYOUTHIMMIGRATION ASSISTANCE



FIND A LOCAL LGBT COMMUNITY CENTER


LGBT LEGAL QUESTIONS OR ASSISTANCE


RURAL & LGBT COMMUNITIES OF COLOR RESOURCES


FAITH RESOURCES


OTHER RESOURCES

This list was created in 2019.

This community flyer is designed to allow communities to highlight LGBT resources in their own communities and to connect LGBT people in rural communities with existing local, state, and national organizations.


Este folleto comunitario está diseñado para permitir a las comunidades resaltar los recursos LGBT en sus propias comunidades y conectar a las personas LGBT en comunidades rurales con organizaciones locales, estatales y nacionales existentes.


Where We Call Home: LGBT People in Rural America examines the structural differences in rural life and their unique impact on LGBT people in rural areas, who are both more vulnerable to discrimination and less able to respond to its harmful effects.


Where We Call Home: LGBT People of Color in Rural America examines the unique challenges of LGBT people of color in rural America and highlights distinct experiences across different communities of color.


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Founded in 2006, the Movement Advancement Project (MAP) is an independent, nonprofit think tank that provides rigorous research, insight and communications that help speed equality and opportunity for all.

MAP works to ensure that all people have a fair chance to pursue health and happiness, earn a living, take care of the ones they love, be safe in their communities, and participate in civic life. MAP is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization and donations to MAP are 100% tax-deductible. You can read more about MAP and the work we do on our About page.

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The term “sexual orientation” is loosely defined as a person’s pattern of romantic or sexual attraction to people of the opposite sex or gender, the same sex or gender, or more than one sex or gender. Laws that explicitly mention sexual orientation primarily protect or harm lesbian, gay, and bisexual people. That said, transgender people who are lesbian, gay or bisexual can be affected by laws that explicitly mention sexual orientation.

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“Gender identity” is a person’s deeply-felt inner sense of being male, female, or something else or in-between. “Gender expression” refers to a person’s characteristics and behaviors such as appearance, dress, mannerisms and speech patterns that can be described as masculine, feminine, or something else. Gender identity and expression are independent of sexual orientation, and transgender people may identify as heterosexual, lesbian, gay or bisexual. Laws that explicitly mention “gender identity” or “gender identity and expression” primarily protect or harm transgender people. These laws also can apply to people who are not transgender, but whose sense of gender or manner of dress does not adhere to gender stereotypes.

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