All Posts By

Guest Contributor

The Vital Role of LGBTQ+ Nurses in Southern Healthcare

Posted on September 20, 2024

The LGBTQ+ community has faced discrimination for decades, especially in healthcare settings. A recent survey from KFF shows that up to 41 percent of queer individuals are more likely to receive unfair or disrespectful treatment at the doctor’s office compared to their straight counterparts. Younger LGBTQ+ individuals, queer BIPOC patients, and those who report lower incomes are the most likely to experience discrimination. …

Navigating LGBTQ Housing Options: Finding Safe and Affirming Spaces for Queer Individuals

Posted on August 16, 2024

It can be difficult to truly assess the queer-friendliness of a town before living there. When looking for a place to call home, you want to feel safe and allowed to express all parts of yourself without judgment. Ideally, you want to find a space that embraces diversity, understanding, and acceptance. Contrary to popular belief, it is possible to find queer-affirming spaces in the United States, even in historic southern neighborhoods and rural areas. Here, we explore how to find a…

Safe Spaces: The Role of Schools in Protecting LGBTQ+ Youth

Posted on June 2, 2024

With a nation so divided over how people should be allowed to identify, it’s more urgent now than ever for schools to take action to protect LGBTQ+ youth. The majority, 62 percent, of elementary school teachers report that they don’t think gender identity should be taught in their schools. Queer issues in the classroom aren’t broached very often across the board, with just 29 percent of teachers reporting discussions of gender identity and sexual orientation. For LGBTQ+ students, this can feel…

How LGBTQ Entrepreneurs Can Pitch Their Business Ideas to Southern Lenders

Posted on February 19, 2024

Being an entrepreneur is an incredible opportunity. Not only do you get to bring your unique perspectives and innovative ideas to the market, but your approach as a businessperson can also drive change. Your choices can make you instrumental in boosting diverse workplaces in your area and providing support for the next generation of queer professionals. Yet, there are still hurdles before you’re able to have this kind of impact. One of the significant challenges to starting a company is gaining…

Queer Women in Motorcycling: Breaking Stereotypes and Shaping the Culture

Posted on December 19, 2023

Queer women have been breaking barriers and redefining the norms of historically male-dominated sports for decades. Motorcycling has long been linked with masculinity, but there’s a growing community of queer women riders who are challenging these stereotypes and making riding more accessible to everyone.…

Empowerment Through Action: How LGBTQ+ Youth Can Channel Climate Anxiety into Activism

Posted on October 12, 2023

A photo of LGBTQ youth climate activists.

Each week, the ongoing climate crisis brings with it new anxiety-inducing headlines about record-breaking heat waves, unprecedented natural disasters, and species extinctions—not to mention the inability of world leaders to effectively and aggressively address these issues to prevent further harm. Unfortunately, these reports are not only worrisome, they are also starting to cause serious mental health problems.…

Driving LGBTQ+ Voices: How Allies Can and Should Shape Diverse Workplaces

Posted on August 1, 2023

A photo of LGBTQ allies in diverse workplaces.

Workplaces that cherish diversity are more resilient, attract better talent, and routinely outperform their more homogenous competitors. This sentiment is echoed by a recent McKinsey survey, which found that diverse businesses were 25% more likely to record above-average profits than the market average. Concerningly, however, that same McKinsey study found that only 52% of employees viewed diversity in a positive light, while 61% had a thoroughly negative view of initiatives to improve inclusion in the workplace. As an ally, there’s plenty you…

REVIEW: Elisheva Fox’s ‘Spellbook for the Sabbath Queen’ Explores the Paradox of the Queer Texan Experience

Posted on May 26, 2023

As a queer Texan, Elisheva Fox’s debut poetry collection, Spellbook for the Sabbath Queen, moved me in recognizable, yet surprising ways. If you have any relation to the area, you will adore the scenery of this book, not only in familiarity (sometimes lacking in poetry) but through the handling of queerness in Texas. The poet draws you into an array of colors, from violets to bluebonnets, from gray-green waters to golden grass. Fox cycles between the vibrancy of the “Texan…

How To Build Up Queer Youth in a World That Breaks Them Down

Posted on April 20, 2023

So, what can you do to build up queer youth in a world that breaks them down? How can you become an ally that takes action? Let’s cover a few things you can do right now that will help the youth in your community, helping to foster a culture that will be more inclusive and accepting in the future.…

Queer Road Tripping Through The South

Posted on March 3, 2023

Taking a road trip is a great U.S. tradition. After all, this country is home to some incredible and varied landscapes. In some cases, you barely have to leave your home state to experience everything from scenic lakes to bustling cities. The South, in particular, offers some incredible delights to those willing to take to the open road.…

Older Posts

Guest Contributor

spectrumsouth