By Marty Martinez, President and CEO 
 
Pride Month is a celebration of identity, resilience and the ongoing pursuit of creating communities where everyone can live and be accepted as their authentic selves. As a gay man in this community, I know too well that while Pride Month is an opportunity to raise awareness of all of the progress we have made, too many of our LGTBQ+ neighbors, in particular youth and young adults, continue to face barriers that limit their access to opportunities for their overall wellbeing. What’s worse, federal policy changes and rollbacks of protections are exacerbating the uncertainty and stigma that still lingers in our communities. 

At United Way of Massachusetts Bay, we believe every young person deserves the support, stability and sense of belonging needed to thrive. But for many LGTBQ+ youth, that pathway is uphill, a journey complicated by discrimination, rejection and systems that do not always affirm who they are. 
 
Research shows between 2020 and 2022, nearly one in four Massachusetts residents ages 18-24 identified as LGBTQ+.  The research also shows that our LGTBQ+ neighbors are more likely to have difficulty accessing healthcare, more likely to face mental health challenges, and have household incomes below $25,000 per year.  It is important to name that these disparities are not the result of personal failures.  They reflect the ongoing stigma and systemic failures that persist in our society today. 

These challenges are compounded by new federal policy shifts – shifts that began on the first day of the federal administration’s second term with executive order rescinding previous executive orders calling for non-discrimination protections in health care and school, as well as orders that called for equity in meeting public health needs of LGTBQ+ people.  

In late April, the federal administration announced a proposal to rescind the Equal Access Rule, which guarantees equal access to programs and services funded by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity. 

HUD’s existing Equal Access protections are essential to ensuring that people seeking federally assisted housing, shelter, and services are treated with dignity and are not turned away because of who they are. The proposed rule would undermine those protections, increase barriers to shelter and housing for gender nonconforming people, invite intrusive questioning, create confusion for providers, and weaken the federal government’s historical commitment to fair and equal access to housing programs. 

These proposals fly in the face of the progress we have made. It’s why investing in the safety net systems and wrap-around supports that are inclusive, responsive and affirming is more important than ever.    

United Way is partnering with leading local organizations that are working to ensure, especially in this time of change, that our LGBTQ+ neighbors have access to the resources, support, and safe spaces they need to stabilize and thrive.  We support organizations like The Boston Alliance of LGBTQ+ Youth (BAGLY), a youth-led, adult-supported organization that has been creating safe spaces and leadership opportunities among LGTBQ+ youth in Massachusetts for over four decades.  

Research also shows that LGBTQ+ youth are over-represented among young people experiencing housing instability and homelessness.  That’s why in addition to the investments in BAGLY, United Way is also partnering with organizations like More than Words and Bridge Over Troubled Waters, which provide housing and empower young people through skill-building and employment opportunities, creating pathways for economic mobility.   
 
Beyond programs and services, United Way’s partners are creating spaces for young people to build connections with peers and strong relationships with caring, affirming staff in communities.  At a time when doors continue to close rather than open for so many LGBTQ+ young people, this welcoming approach helps instill a sense of belonging and safety that is critical to healing and thriving.  

As we come to the close of Pride Month, it’s important to remember the progress we have made together.  It is also a call to action to continue efforts to advance communities where everyone is healthy and thriving.   That means ensuring everyone has access to health care, safe housing, supportive relationships, and opportunities.  It means investing in organizations that center young adult success and helps them to navigate toward the life goals they choose.  It means standing with our LGTBQ neighbors not only during Pride Month, but every day.