COMMUNITY AND NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
ADVOCACY & NETWORKING
These are national, statewide, and local resources that provide social outlets, support, health services, and advocate on behalf of the LGBT community. If there is a local resource that should be added, please e-mail info@scequality.org
National
The American Military Partner Association
American Veterans for Equal Rights
The Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD)
The Gay, Lesbian, and Straight Education Network (GLSEN)
The Human Rights Campaign (HRC)
National Black Justice Coalition
Local and Regional
Alliance for Full Acceptance (AFFA)
AFFA is a lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and ally organization working toward equality for all people and acceptance without exception.
Campaign For Southern Equality
The Campaign for Southern Equality (CSE) is based in Asheville, North Carolina, and works across the South to promote full LGBTQ equality – both legal and lived.
Gender Benders
Gender Benders, based out of Greenville, SC, strives to create a safe and supportive space for transgender, GNC, LGBT*, and allied individuals by connecting folks through friendships, providing support through resources, and initiating trans-inclusive community change through social action.
Family Equality Council
Family Equality Council’s mission is to advance legal and lived equality for LGBTQ families, and for those who wish to form them, through building community, changing hearts and minds, and driving policy change.
Girls Rock!
At Girls Rock Columbia, the campers learn to play an instrument, form a band, write an original song and, at the end of the week, perform a concert at a live music venue for the entire community. The program encourages an environment that cultivates self-confidence, challenges gender stereotypes, promotes positive female relationships, creativity, and leadership. The ultimate goal of Girls Rock Columbia is to empower everyone involved; both campers and volunteers, to take the sense of community learned from within the organization and carry that throughout the city they call home.
Harriet Hancock LGBT Center
Named after longtime activist and co-founder of the South Carolina Pride Movement, the Center provides a safe and welcoming space for South Carolina’s LGBT community and its allies.
Openings
A supportive and welcoming network of gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender persons and straight allies coming from diverse spiritual traditions to open hearts, minds, and doors. The group holds monthly meetings at different affirming congregations one Tuesday each month. Email for meeting times, location, and other information.
PFLAG – Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays
PrimeTimers – Columbia, SC
Columbia, SC Prime Timers is a social, nonprofit, noncommercial group for gay/bi mature men and other men 21 years and older who subscribe to our purpose of socialization. Our main goal is to arrange social activities and events to enhance the lives of older gay/bi men in the SC Midlands. Activities and events may include arranging guest speakers for our monthly meetings, dining out, educational programs, movie outings, card night, day trips etc.
Regional Pride Organizations
South Carolina Gay and Lesbian Business Guild (SCGLBG)
In our 24th year, the South Carolina Gay + Lesbian Business Guild, a not-for-profit, all volunteer organization was formed in 1993 to encourage networking, business development and support within the gay and lesbian community.
South Carolina GSA Network
SCGSA Network is resource hub for Gay Straight Alliances in South Carolina public high schools. The group provides education, leadership development, crisis management and networking opportunities for students who participate in approved GSA clubs and those seeking to create a GSA within their school.
It is the official position of the Federal Department of Education that all students have the government’s support to form Gay-Straight Alliances under the Equal Access Act.
Southern Poverty Law Center Best Practices: Creating an LGBT-inclusive School Climate
Teaching Tolerance kits are free to educators. Best Practices: Creating an LGBT-inclusive School Climate offers advice ranging from ensuring that a school’s anti-bullying policy explicitly prohibits anti-LGBT bullying to recognizing staff members who promote an inclusive school environment.
Southerners on New Ground (SONG)
SONG is a regional Queer Liberation organization made up of people of color, immigrants, undocumented people, people with disabilities, working class and rural and small town, LGBTQ people in the South.
We Are Family
We Are Family provides direct support, leadership development opportunities, and advocacy for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, questioning, intersex (LGBTQQI), and straight ally youth ages 0-25. We Are Family’s vision is that LGBTQQI and straight ally youth feel empowered to find their places in the world, in their families, and in their communities.