On This Page
Help out by becoming a member of, volunteering with, or donating to one or more of these organizations.
All Ages
Black & Pink National is a prison abolitionist organization dedicated to abolishing the criminal punishment system and liberating LGBTQIA2S+ people and people living with HIV/AIDS who are affected by that system through advocacy, support, and organizing.
Black & Pink National, founded in 2005, now has a strong grassroots network of 11 volunteer-led chapters and more than 20,000 current and formerly incarcerated LGBTQIAS2+ and people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) members located across the country.
Boston Spirit magazine, launched in 2005, is the Premier LGBT publication in the Massachusetts and New England area. This high-end, award-winning publication is published six times a year and delivered directly to your home—FREE of charge. Boston Spirit is full of feature articles focusing on LGBT leaders from the worlds of business, politics, and entertainment. We also keep you up to date on all the latest hot spots for travel, shopping and dining, and throw in a few extra surprises in every issue!
In addition to the magazine’s unique content, there is much more that Boston Spirit magazine has to offer. Our subscribers and advertisers also have access to some of the biggest and best LGBT events in the area. Boston Spirit’s annual LGBT Executive Networking night is attended by more than 1000 local LGBT corporate professionals and, for the past three years, friends have danced the night away on our always sold-out annual Boston Harbor Summer Sunset Cruise.
Our mission is to create opportunities for people to engage with dance as audience members and participants, centering queerness and countering the many ways LGBTQIA+ people are underserved in traditional dance spaces.
Dancing Queerly provides queer-centric dance events for students, professionals, audience members, and enthusiasts. Dancing Queerly gives LGBTQIA+ dancers and dancemakers the opportunity to create and perform for an LGBTQIA+ centered audience.
Gay For Good mobilizes lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer (LGBTQ+) and ally volunteers to promote diversity, foster inclusion and strengthen ties to the broader community. Get involved. Meet new friends. Make a difference.
Through strategic litigation, public policy advocacy, and education, GLBTQ Legal Advocates & Defenders (GLAD) works in New England and nationally to create a just society free of discrimination based on gender identity and expression, HIV status, and sexual orientation.
The History Project is the only organization focused exclusively on documenting and preserving the history of New England’s LGBTQ communities and sharing that history with LGBTQ individuals, organizations, allies, and the public.
The List: Boston’s Queer Agenda provides info on queer community events in and around Boston. The List encourages networking and centralizes information about upcoming events, volunteer and job opportunities, apartment postings and community announcements. The List is an entirely volunteer-run effort. *This FB page highlights events and shares/posts LGBTQ news and is curated by our 20 community partners. DISCLAIMER: Queer Agenda is a volunteer queer grassroots group of people who are sharing information – investigating/vetting events/posts is beyond the mission/capacity of Queer Agenda so use the information shared at your own risk
Mass Transgender Political Coalition
MTPC began as an all-volunteer program in 2001 working for all trans, nonbinary, and gender expansive communities of Massachusetts. Led by trans people, for trans people. It works to ensure the wellbeing, safety, and lived equity of all trans, nonbinary, and gender expansive community members in Massachusetts
The Rainbow Alliance began as a vision of Roy Parker, Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. He wanted gays and lesbians from all over America to gather as new and old friends to become acquainted. He called a group of deaf friends together to establish an organization first known as National Rainbow Society of the Deaf (NRSD) which was later changed to Rainbow Alliance of the Deaf (RAD).
The Sexual Minorities Archives (SMA) is a project of the Sexual Minorities Educational Foundation Inc. (SMEF), and one of the oldest and largest collections of LGBTQIA+ historical documents, media, and artifacts in the world. We operate out of a converted victorian in Holyoke — right in the heart of Western Massachusetts.
In addition to being an active archive and library, the SMA is also a community space, centered around connection, support, and educational resources/programs
Founded in 1972, SpeakOUT is the nation’s oldest LGBTQIA speakers bureau. It has conducted peer-led training programs to prepare LGBTQIA* community members to effectively tell their personal stories to create positive social change. Our clients are seeking ways to create safer and more rewarding spaces for LGBTQIA people through education and dialogue. If you are interested in finding out more about our services, please contact us.
The Stonewall Center at UMass Amherst put together this list of organizations. It includes Local and State as well as National organizations.
Trans Community of New England
The Trans Community of New England (TCNE) is a Boston area transgender support organization for the transgender community. Read code of conduct. How to join TCNE.
TCNE has offered transgender social activities and support since the 1970’s, we are one of the oldest transgender groups in the world and one of very few with our own permanent location. We sponsor the First Event transgender conference each January/February.
Youth
In July of 1980, long before the days of community, political, or financial support, BAGLY was founded by LGBTQ+ youth who believed that an organization led by and for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and questioning youth would be central to meeting the core physical, social, and developmental needs of Greater Boston’s LGBTQ+ youth community. Turns out they were right! Three generations of queer youth movement leaders later, BAGLY is recognized nationally for its pioneering role in creating, sustaining, and advocating for social support, leadership development, and health promotion programs for LGBTQ+ youth. BAGLY’s approach and historic practice, which has served over 30,000 youth, is replicated by programs and organizations across the country and our earliest programs (Including our Youth Speakers Bureau, youth-led HIV/AIDS education, and the nation’s first prom for LGBTQ+ youth) have provided a foundation upon which many youth-led programs and organizations are built.
Find your happy place at Camp Lightbulb. We celebrate LGBTQ+ youth, ages 14 – 18, with magical camp experiences filled with fun, pride, community, friends, support, self-discovery, and memories to last a lifetime.
(Source of text below: https://www.mass.gov/orgs/massachusetts-commission-on-lgbtq-youth)
The Massachusetts Commission on LGBTQ youth advises others in state government on effective policies, programs, and resources for LGBTQ youth. Our 50-member Commission and its staff:
- Issue annual recommendations, which are available here
- Work in partnership with 18 state entities
- Hold community events and listening sessions
The Commission also produces the Safe Schools Program with the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. This program:
- Provides training and technical assistance to schools across the state
- Organizes the statewide network of Gender and Sexuality Alliances (GSAs)
- Works to make schools safer for all students
The Commission was originally founded in 1992 by Governor William Weld. The original Governor’s Commission on Gay and Lesbian Youth was designed to respond to high suicide risk among gay and lesbian youth in the Commonwealth. That original Commission transformed in 2006 into an independent state agency established by law. Today, we are the Commission on Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, and Questioning (LGBTQ) Youth.
GLADLY is a youth group for LGBQ/T identifying folks ages 14-18, facilitated through the Center for Hope and Healing in Lowell, MA. It is a space where folks can bring their lived experiences and learn from and with each other, addressing topics that are relevant and important. The group meets weekly on Fridays from 3-5.
Keshet envisions a world in which all LGBTQ Jews and our families can live with full equality, justice, and dignity. By strengthening Jewish communities and equipping Jewish organizations with the skills and knowledge they need to make all LGBTQ Jews feel welcome, we work to ensure the full equality of all LGBTQ Jews and our families in Jewish life. We also create spaces in which all queer Jewish youth feel seen and valued and advance LGBTQ rights nationwide.
NAGLY is a place where youth can discuss issues of importance to them, explore their identities, build self-awareness, and learn skills for being safe and healthy. Through group building and community service opportunities, the youth and staff at NAGLY have created a strong community that promotes respect for self and for others. Youth of all sexual orientations, gender identities, ethnicities, cultural backgrounds, classes, and abilities are welcome and celebrated. Young people who are unsure or questioning are supported as they remain in transition or examine possibilities carefully and in a developmentally appropriate manner.
OUT MetroWest builds communities where LGBTQ+ youth thrive. Our free programs connect LGBTQ+ youth with supportive peers and LGBTQ+ adult role models.
