This page is for those who are looking for factual information about being Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgendered (or Queer, or Questioning, or anything else.) I've always found that it's a mistake to make judgments without facts. If you agree, you can get the facts here. If you need to find others like you, you can find them on these sites. If you want to know "how to deal", well, there's some of that here, too.
PFLAG - A national association for Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays. Help fight for equality, even if you're straight. Or get "straight answers" if your child has just come out to you. Whether you need support, or you want to support others, this is the place to go.
Family Acceptance.org - The story of one Christian family, how they reacted to the news that their son is gay, and how they grew, as a family and as Christians, because of it. Recommended if you are having problems accepting a gay child, or if your parents are having problems accepting you.
Sexual Orientation: Science, Education and Policy - Dr. Gregory Herek's work on Sexual Prejudice, Hates Crimes, AIDS, and Psychology. Includes the real facts on Reparative Therapy (along with a critique of NARTH's methodology and Paul Cameron's credentials,) child molestation, and much more. An excellent site.
American Psychological Association Answers to Questions about Sexual Orientation and Homosexuality - Take it from the pros. The answers here are based on decades of ongoing research, and deal not only with questions about why people are gay, and why gay people need to "come out", but about the stigma associated with non-majority orientations, and the impact that has on the lives of men and women who are gay, lesbian, or bi-sexual.
National Center for Transgender Equality - Advocacy for transgendered people and their allies. Find out what you can do to help, and celebrate victories!
The Gender Trust - If you live in the UK and you're transgendered, this site has a lot of information that might be helpful to you.
Accord Alliance - We've been taught that there are two genders - male and female - and we all know the differences between girls and boys. To hear us, you'd think that everyone is clearly one or the other. That everyone has exactly two "sex" chromosomes, either XY or XX, that everyone reacts to hormones in exactly the same ways, and that fetal development never varies. The trouble is, this simply isn't true. There are dozens of things that happen to people that keep them from neatly slotting into one or the other, and it's not nearly as rare as we've been led to believe. (In fact, it's estimated that if you take all the things together, about one in 100 infants born don't fit neatly into standard "male" or "female", or will discover that they don't, at some point in their lives.) If you have a disorder of sex development (DSD, which included some conditions referred to as "intersexed",) you are far, far from alone. You are not a freak. There are thousands like you; and you can meet them, and share stories with them.
GLAAD - Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation. This site concentrates on accurate, non-sterotypical, and inclusive representation of people and events in the media. As a society, we seem to base our ideas about ourselves and the world we live in on what we see in the papers, books, blogs, tv and radio that we are exposed to. GLAAD is involved with making sure those things show us, and our lives, in a way that actually represents us; not what those who hate us, but don't know us, think about us. In doing so, they have done a lot to make our world more tolerant and inclusive.
GSLEN - Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network. Working in the schools, with students and teachers, to make sure that every person in every school is respected regardless of sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression (or anything else.) They have been working since 1990 to make our schools safe places for all students. If you're interested in forming (or joining) a Gay-Straight Alliance in your school, this is the place to start.
Housing and Mortgages for Gay and Lesbian Couples - This stuff is actually good for anyone who wants to buy a home with someone they aren't married to. In most states, that includes GLBT couples, so I decided to put it on this page. Legal ins and outs to protect both partners and the property in case of death or the end of the relationship. The kinds of things you might not consider, but which are vital if you are considering buying a home together.
Gay-Friendly Rehab - This was a recommended link, from one of my readers. Addiction and depression are a big problem in any marginalized communtiy, like ours. If you have a problem, and are afraid to look for help because you're sure no one will understand, please take a look at this site. They will.
LGBTQ Friendly Colleges & Universities - Another link from a reader, this time to resources for college students. Lots of info about what is being done where to make college and university campuses safe and welcoming, and how you can help. Also LGBTQ Student organizations, info about online learning, and more.