While there is a clear need for nonprofits supporting LGBTQ+ youth across the nation, one could argue there is no greater need than in the Southern United States. According to The Trevor Project, "LGBTQ youth in the South had greater odds of a past-year suicide attempt compared to those in other regions of the U.S. LGBTQ youth in the South also reported having less access to LGBTQ acceptance and affirming spaces.” South Carolina’s Senate has passed a ban on gender-affirming healthcare for transgender youth (House Bill 4624), which will be voted on by the state’s House of Representatives in the coming days. Charleston-based We Are Family (WAF), South Carolina’s oldest nonprofit providing affirming spaces for LGBTQ+ youth in the Lowcountry, responds to the bill below.
"In the coming days, in partnership with the Campaign for Southern Equality, we will announce the Southern Trans Youth Emergency Project in South Carolina, which will provide grants, patient navigation support, and accurate information to impacted families to ensure that youth can access the care they need and deserve, even in the face of oppressive laws," says WAF’s Executive Director, Domenico Ruggerio. Ruggerio recognizes the disproportionate risk that these young people face and champions the organization’s programming and fundraising efforts to create the most supportive resources possible for South Carolina’s youth.
As we approach Pride Month, spotlighting Southern nonprofits like WAF is more important than ever. Since 1995, WAF has created safe and supportive spaces for LGBTQ+ young people while growing in both scope and reach in response to their needs. The organization’s statewide core projects consist of its Gender-Sexuality Alliance support and coalition-building program, Mental Health Assistance Program, ParentSpace, the Trans Love Fund, and much more.
Today, We Are Family serves 1,500+ LGBTQ+ youth annually through supportive programs, community education, and youth-led advocacy. In 2023 alone, WAF provided:
- 1,370 hours of affirming mental health sessions were provided to 103 youth through the Mental Health Assistance Program
- 678 young people participated in our annual signature events (including Queer Youth Prom, Queer Youth Fest and Spirit Week)
- 72 adults participated in ParentSpace, a peer discussion group for parents/guardians of LGBTQ+ youth
- 54 youth received a micro-grant from the Trans Love Fund.
