LGBTQIA+ Resources

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Arlington County is an inclusive, welcoming community where everyone is valued, respected, and has the opportunity to live out their dreams.

Arlington endeavors to embrace and equitably serve our diverse community. We prohibit discrimination based on race, color, gender status, sexual orientation, ethnicity, religious observance, physical or mental ability and any other characteristic subject to marginalization. 

This list highlights helpful local and national resources for Arlington’s lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer/questioning, intersex, and ace/aro residents. We welcome additions, corrections, questions and input on the resources listed below - contact Lizzi Alarcón at lalarcon@arlingtonva.us. Any email sent to/from Arlington County email addresses may be subject to disclosure under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA).

Get Help

Whether you need immediate help or just someone to talk to, there is support. You are not alone.

Safety Net Services

Food Assistance

  •  Food Assistance: Arlington County provides support in the form of food assistance or SNAP benefit to all those who qualify.
  •  Food & Friends: Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit organization that provides home-delivered, specialized meals and nutrition counseling to people living with HIV/AIDS, cancer, and other life-challenging illnesses. Services are free-of-charge to recipients, who qualify solely based on their health status and nutritional need.

Financial Support

  • Financial Support: Arlington County provides support in the form of utility assistance, clothing, childcare benefits and more to all those who qualify.

Housing:

  • Shelter and Safe Housing in Arlington. Every shelter in Arlington (those for single individuals or families of any composition) welcomes all members of our community, regardless of sexual orientation and/or gender identity. Shelter services are accessed through a centralized access system for all persons at risk of or experiencing homelessness.
  • HIV Resources Project of Northern Virginia: Northern Virginia Regional Commission’s website featuring information for people living with HIV/AIDS to find housing.

Safe and Supportive Businesses

  •  Virginia Fairness: Maintains Equality Means Business directory. Business owners must sign a pledge that protects their lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender employees, as well as affirming that they would never turn away customers or clients based upon their sexual orientation or gender identity.

Behavioral Health and Medical Resources

Behavioral Health Resources

Medical Resources

  • The Public Health Division partners with the Inova Juniper Program. Inova Juniper is a referral source for Public Health Division clients who require medical care for HIV/AIDS.
  • Teen Health Clinic: Arlington County Public Health provides low-cost or no-cost services to teens of all gender and/or sexual orientation, including free condoms, testing for pregnancy and STIs, and pregnancy and STI prevention methods including birth control and Plan B.
  • Arlington Free Clinic: Arlington Free Clinic provides free, high-quality healthcare to low-income, uninsured Arlington County adults through the generosity of donors and volunteers.
  • NOVA Salud: Improves and strengthens the health and well-being of the community through culturally competent and language-appropriate HIV/AIDS services and prevention education. 
  • Whitman-Walker: Offers affirming community-based health and wellness services to all with a special expertise in LGBTQIA and HIV care. Whitman-Walker’s mission is to empower all persons to live healthy, love openly, and achieve equality and inclusion.
  • Chase Brexton (Trans* Healthcare): Helps to ensure quality informed care for trans women, trans men, non-binary people, and others who have health care needs that are often overlooked by conventional health care organizations.
  • Family Planning Clinic: Arlington County Public Health provides family planning services for people of all sexual orientations, including basic GYN care, birth control, STI screening, and pregnancy testing.
  • GLMA- Health Professionals Advancing LGBTQIA Equality: Are you lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or queer and looking for a healthcare professional you can trust? GLMA’s online Provider Directory can help. Search for primary care providers, specialists, therapists, dentists and other health professionals in your area. The service is free and you do not need to register.
  • VA League of Planned Parenthood: Reproductive healthcare, gender-affirming care, and additional info. Telehealth options available.

Have Safe Relationships

Dating/Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Resources:

  • Doorways Safehouse and Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Hotline: Serves ALL survivors of violence, including LGBTQIA survivors. Intimate partner violence occurs across all populations. Every program Doorways operates (Hotline, Shelter, Next-Step Housing, Revive Counseling Center, and Court Advocacy) is staffed with persons trained in supporting survivors who identify as LGBTQIA , as well as staff who identify as LGBTQIA .  Doorways is here for every survivor in our community.

Legal Support and Protections

  • Just Neighbors: Provides services to immigrants and refugees who quality for humanitarian-based immigration relief. Most of their clients are survivors of domestic violence, violent crimes or persecution. Their goal is to help everyone who qualifies for their services access the immigration legal services they deserve.
  • Legal Services of Northern Virginia (LSNV): LSNV is the largest legal aid organization in Northern Virginia, helping thousands of clients each year in civil legal matters. They partner closely with other legal aid organizations, state and local bar associations, and the courts to serve the region’s low-income and neediest populations.
  • Lambda Legal: Lambda Legal is a national nonprofit organization committed to achieving full recognition of the civil rights of lesbians, gay men, bisexuals, transgender people and everyone living with HIV through impact litigation, education and public policy work.
  • Transgender Law Center: Grounded in legal expertise and committed to racial justice, we employ a variety of community-driven strategies to keep transgender and gender nonconforming people alive, thriving, and fighting for liberation.
  • TransLaw DC:  Nonprofit that provides free gender and name change clinics in collaboration with Whitman-Walker. Provides funding for anyone who cannot afford the fees associated with changing name and gender markers.

Get Involved

Advocacy, Social Organizations, and Peer Support:

  • Arlington County LGBTQIA+ Advisory Committee - a space for community members and County staff to promote and collaborate on services, programs, policies, and resources that impact LGBTQ+ community members.
  • Equality Arlington - A nonprofit advocacy organization focused on improving the lives of LGBTQ+ residents in Arlington, VA. Equality Arlington works with state and local government, nonprofits, and private sector organizations to address unmet needs and create an affirming community for LGBTQ+ residents. Has monthly meetings open to everyone with more information on the website.
  • Arlington Gay and Lesbian Alliance (AGLA): AGLA is a strong beacon for EQUALITY. It’s a nonpartisan nonprofit open to all lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer or questioning (LGBTQIA ) people and allies. AGLA provides socials, fosters civic awareness, and engages in community service. Regardless of where you reside, AGLA welcomes you. Check out their Resource Page!
  • Arlington Human Rights Commission: The Human Rights Commission receives, investigates and conciliates complaints - free of charge - from those who believe they have been victims of unlawful discrimination. The Commission’s investigative and hearing processes usually result in complaints resolution. If necessary, the Commission can, with County Board approval, seek enforcement of its decisions in court.
  • DC Area Transmasculine Society (DCATS): Peer facilitated social and support group for anyone who was assigned female at birth but believes this is an inaccurate or incomplete description of who they are. Welcomes all persons, regardless of gender, gender expression, or sexual identity.
  • Equality Virginia: Equality Virginia is the leading advocacy organization in Virginia seeking equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people. EV believes in a truly inclusive Commonwealth where all are equally valued, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity, and a Virginia that is a safe, welcoming, and equal place for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender individuals and their families to live, work, and play.
  • Impacto LGBT: A group of members of the Latinx LGBT community of Northern Virginia, committed to meeting the unique needs of the Latinx and Spanish-speaking communities, while taking charge, responsibility and the necessary actions to create changes. For information in English, visit their Facebook page.
  • LGBTQIA Cancer Support Group: A support group for individuals living with cancer and survivors of cancer who are members of the LGBTQIA community and live in the DMV area. Meetings take place over Zoom on the second Wednesday of the month at 7 p.m. Email kaitlyn.odonnell@inova.org to register or to learn more.
  • Metro Area Gender Identity Connection (MAGIC DC): Peer support group for transsexual, gender queer and other gender identity questioning people living in the greater Washington DC Metropolitan Area.
  • National Center for Transgender Equality: Non-profit advocacy group with many resources specific to the transgender community.
  • NOVA Pride: NOVA Pride is a nonprofit whose mission is to cultivate and grow a coalition to educate, advocate and celebrate in service to the LGBTQIA community of Northern Virginia and their straight allies. NOVA Pride seeks to provide a unified voice to LGBTQIA Northern Virginians- enhancing visibility and relevance in the DMV region.
  • Transgender Education Association (TGEA): Non-profit corporation that seeks to serve the needs and interests of all the people in the gender community, those affected by our community, and those who serve our community
  • Washington Blade: The oldest LGBT newspaper in the U.S. covering the latest gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender news in Washington, D.C. and around the world.
  • Virginia Pride: Community program involvement and scholarship opportunities for post high school education expenses in the LGBTQ community.

Recreational Groups - Get Active!

  •  DC Front Runners:  Running, walking, and social club for LGBTQIA people and their friends in the Washington, DC metropolitan area.

Employee Resource Groups in Arlington

Faith Communities

Find a safe and supportive faith or spiritual community:

  • Dignity/Washington and Dignity/NoVa: Non-profit organizations that provides Catholic services for the LGBTQIA community.
  • Institute for Welcoming Resources: A project of the National LGBTQIA Task Force, this provides tools to help faith communities become affirming, as well as links (at the bottom) to Christian denominational welcoming orgs.
  • Metropolitan Community Church of Northern Virginia (MCC): Founded in 1968, MCC has been at the vanguard of civil and human rights movements by addressing issues of race, gender, sexual orientation, economics, climate change, aging, and global human rights. MCC was the first to perform same gender marriages and has been on the forefront of the struggle towards marriage equality.
  • The Reformation Project: Bible-based, Christian grassroots organization that works to promote inclusion of LGBTQIA people by reforming church teaching on sexual orientation and gender identity.

Teens, Youth, Young Adults Specific

Health and Wellness:

  •  Arlington Teen Health Clinic: Arlington County's Teen Health Clinics offer the following services to all teens aged 13-19 regardless of where they live, their gender, or their sexual orientation: free condoms; pregnancy prevention education; testing for pregnancy, STIs, HIV; and pregnancy and STI prevention methods.

Social and Support Groups:

  • Y’ALLS – Youth Advocacy and Leadership Learning through Social Support – meet the first and third Wednesday of the month at 6pm. It is for youth ages 13-18 and is focused on LGBTQ issues. If you are interested in being a part of Y’ALLS please contact Julie@SafeSpaceNOVA.org or fill out this interest form: bit.ly/RegisterforYALLS
  • ALY – Arlington LGBTQIA Youth & Allies: Component of PFLAG-Arlington. A safe-space gathering for area youth ages 12 – 19 who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, questioning, queer and allies of LGBTQIA youth.  Hang out in a supportive atmosphere, meet other teens, and have fun!
  • Arlington LGBTQIA Teen Book Club: Meets monthly during the school year at the Central Library.
  • Camp Free2Be: a one-week day camp in Arlington for transgender, nonbinary, and gender expansive youth. We serve campers ages 6-14, and also have a volunteer junior counselor program for ages 15-18. 
  • He She Ze and We (HSZ&W): a statewide organization that hosts a monthly in-person meeting in Arlington(PDF, 116KB). HSZ&W also offers a social program for K-12 grade youth and their families.
  • Gay Straight Alliance Clubs: GSA clubs seek to create a safe space for LGBTQIA youth and foster understanding in heterosexual peers. Contact your middle or high school counselor or club sponsor for details.
  • GenOUT: A Youth Chorus open to all young people ages 13-18 (LGBTQIA and allies).
  • SAFE SPACE NOVA: Safe Space NOVA is dedicated to providing a safe, accepting, and supportive environment to combat social stigmas, bullying, and other challenges faced by LGBT youth.
  • SAIL - Scaffolding Advocacy and Inclusive Leadership.: SAIL promotes understanding and awareness for all through education and connections. A fundamental part of SAIL’s mission is empowering LGBTQIA+ youth through our sub-group, Advocacy, Mentorship, Partnership, Leadership, and Inclusivity For Youth, (AMPLIFY). AMPLIFY groups are virtual, youth-led groups for ages 11 - 22. 
  • QChatSpace: Online Community for LGBTQ+ Teens. Find and give support, have fun, connect around shared interests, and get good information. Chat with like-minded peers in live chats designed for you & by you, facilitated by folks who care. Learn more. 

Scholarship Opportunities:

Additional Web Resources:

  • Gender Spectrum helps families, organizations, and institutions increase their understanding of gender and consider the implications that evolving views have for each of us.
  •  Queer Kid Stuff is an LGBTQ+ and social justice website for younger children and families. The site includes links to helpful resources, videos, and more. You can learn more about the site by watching Lindsay Amer’s TED Talk HERE.
  • GLSEN: GLSEN works to ensure that LGBTQ students are able to learn and grow in a school environment free from bullying and harassment.

 

Seniors and Older Adult Specific

Ally and Family Member Specific

  • He She Ze & We: an inclusive community comprised of parents, caregivers, and loved ones of transgender and non-binary children of all ages. He She Ze & We is a statewide organization based in Richmond that supports families throughout their journey with gender identity, including support meetings, education of caregivers, schools and communities and advocacy work. Meetings are held throughout Virginia on multiple days each month, both in person and virtually. To contact the NoVa facilitator, email liz@heshezewe.org.
  • PFLAG National: PFLAG is the first and largest organization for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQIA ) people, their parents and families, and allies. With over 400 chapters and 200,000 members and supporters crossing multiple generations of families in major urban centers, small cities, and rural areas across America, PFLAG is committed to creating a world where diversity is celebrated, and all people are respected, valued, and affirmed.
  • Trans* Peer Led Support- Second Fridays: Second Friday’s offers peer-led support group for members and friends of the transgender and gender expansive community. Information and locations of the meetings, please contact us at info@mccnova.com.

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Get help now logo

If you need immediate assistance, here are a few crisis response resources available 24/7:

LGBTQIA+ Lifeline/The Trevor Project:

Crisis Text Line

  • Text HOME to 741741

SAMHSA Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 

Doorways (Intimate Partner/Dating Violence and Sexual Assault):

Virginia’s 24/7 LGBTQ+ Helpline

Community Events

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