LGBTQIA+

On June 14, 2021, the Fairfax County Office of Human Rights & Equity Programs (OHREP) in partnership with Aging Rainbows hosted a virtual event “LGBTQ+ Protections in Fairfax County.”

For National Coming Out Day (October 11), Domestic and Sexual Violence Services is sharing this LGBTQIA+ language guidance* related to sexual orientation, gender identity, and expression. It should be used as a resource to better understand the most recent language used in LGBTQIA+ communities, but it is not exhaustive. Since people use language in different ways, the best practice is always to honor language an individual uses to identify themselves.

The mission of the Office of Human Rights and Equity Programs (OHREP) is to ensure equal opportunity and to promote justice, diversity, and inclusiveness by protecting the civil rights of all in Fairfax County. OHREP receives and investigates complaints alleging violations of the Fairfax County Human Rights Ordinance and manages the County’s Fair Housing Plan. OHREP also administers the County’s Equal Employment Enforcement (EEO) program and ensures the County’s compliance with all federal, state, and county mandates granting equal access to all County services, programs and employment opportunities.

AGLA is a vibrant, grassroots membership organization that strives to improve the quality of life and meet the needs of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer or questioning (LGBTQ) community and allies. AGLA respects diversity and builds relationships with civic groups and community leaders.

The Equality Chamber of Commerce DC Metro Area (ECCDC, or just “the Chamber”) is the non-profit, not-partisan network of several hundred queer and allied (Q&A) businesses and business leaders in the DC metropolitan area. Through its extended network of community partners and event participants in the capital area LGBT community, it regularly reaches approximately 5,000 individuals through is messaging, networking events, and workshops.

GLSEN Northern Virginia is a chapter of GLSEN, a national organization fighting for every student’s right to a safe, supportive education.

Metro Weekly has been a central part of Washington, DC’s gay and lesbian community since May 1994, and is now the largest and longest-running LGBTQ publication and website in the region.

Cultivate and grow a coalition to educate, advocate, and celebrate in service to LGBTQ+ Northern Virginians and its’ straight allies.

Reston Pride is made up of LGBTQIA+ persons and their allies. For the past few years, we have had the honor and privilege of providing the Reston area with resources and opportunities to engage, celebrate, empower, and advocate for the LGBTQIA+ community.

Safe Space NOVA is dedicated to providing a safe, accepting, and supportive environment to combat social stigmas, bullying, and other challenges faced by LGBTQ+ youth.

This bibliography is a part of DHR’s Virginia LGBTQ Heritage project. The
majority of sources cited herein concern broad patterns associated with the history of LGBTQ
persons in the United States and, more specifically, in Virginia.

Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services' components of an LGBTQ-friendly organization.

Founded in 1989 as Virginians for Justice, Equality Virginia is the leading advocacy organization in Virginia seeking equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people.

The goals of the LGBTQ heritage initiative include:
Engaging scholars, preservationists and community members to identify, research, and tell the stories of LGBTQ associated properties;
Encouraging national parks, national heritage areas, and other affiliated areas to interpret LGBTQ stories associated with them;
Identifying, documenting, and nominating LGBTQ-associated sites as National Historic Landmarks;
Increasing the number of listings of LGBTQ-associated properties in the National Register of Historic Places.

Side by Side is dedicated to creating supportive communities where Virginia’s LGBTQ+ youth can define themselves, belong, and flourish.

Gay Support Groups in Virginia.

This timeline is a part of DHR’s Virginia LGBTQ Heritage project. It begins with the earliest recorded event associated with LGBTQ heritage in colonial Virginia and
continues through the early twenty-first century

The Transgender Assistance Program of Virginia - TAP VA is an all volunteer, trans led 501(c)(3) non-profit organization created to end homelessness within the transgender community in Virginia. TAPVA provides educational opportunities around the important fact that trans rights are human rights by explaining the intersectionality between homelessness, discrimination, socioeconomic status and racism within the trans community in Virginia.

The Virginia Anti-Violence Project works to address and prevent violence within and against diverse LGBTQ+ communities across Virginia.

Virginia Pride seeks to unite the segmented LGBT communities throughout the Commonwealth. We strive to be a representative body of the LGBT Community in the Commonwealth of Virginia. We also seek to standardize Pride for the Commonwealth of Virginia by holding a state-wide Annual PrideFest Celebration.

Call: 866-356-6998
Text: 804-793-9999