You already know that being a member of the LGBTQ community is a struggle. A person with a conservative family is less likely to come out of the closet at an early age, and as a result will feel increased guilt, shame, anxiety, and depression compared to their open or straight counterparts. Even those who do come out of the closet might be met with resistance from close friends and family members. Life can be hard — and we all deserve a helping hand once in a while.
The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) was founded in 1985 to fight against negative coverage of gay, lesbian, and trans people both in and out of media. It is now known only as GLAAD in order to remain inclusive. GLAAD has implemented the GLAAD Media Awards, the Equality Project, the Commentator Accountability Project, and the Studio Responsibility Index to make life easier for LGBTQ figures in media. GLAAD resources can be found here.
The Trevor Project was founded in 1998 as a response to the epidemic-level spate of LGBTQ suicides. The Trevor Lifeline is a confidential service that provides trained counselors to anyone who needs help. The non-profit organization provides a number of other affiliate resources ranging from conversations, coping mechanisms, how-to books on support, education, and legal options for bankruptcy.
The Trevor Project is more of a “collection” of projects, such as the film by the same name (Trevor), The Trevor Lifeline (the aforementioned phone line for counseling), TrevorText, TrevorChat, TrevorSpace, the Palette Fund Internship Program, the Youth Advisory Council, and a number of school workshops. The Trevor Project has received a great deal of celebrity support, including a fundraiser by famous YouTuber Tyler Oakley. The project hosts many awards.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) provides a number of resources to gay, bisexual, or transgender youth aimed at fostering positive environments and educating friends and family. The CDC focuses on recognizing the different struggles that LGBTQ individuals face growing up, which make it hard to relate by their straight counterparts.
CDC resources include fact sheets, the Gay, Lesbian & Straight Education Network (GLSEN), Genders & Sexualities Alliance Network, HealthyChildren.org: Health Concerns for Gay and Lesbian Teens, the It Gets Better Project, the Q Card Project, the Q Chat Space, Stomp Out Bullying. It is affiliated with the Trevor Project.
The Human Rights Campaign is associated with a number of other support projects, including: The Trevor Project, Gender Spectrum Lounge, the National Runaway Safeline, the Validation Station, the Trans Lifeline Hotline, the LGBT National Help Center, True Colors United, and PFLAG (which is a system of peer support and education for LGBTQ people across the United States, with more than 400 local chapters in all 50 states).