The State Board of Education (SBE) is committed to promoting a safe,  supportive, and inclusive learning environment for all students and ensuring that every student has equal access to educational programs and activities. Due to a variety of factors, the school experience can be significantly more difficult for some students including those with marginalized identities. Students continue to face challenges that threaten their health, safety, and learning opportunities in schools. 

This glossary was written to help give people the words and meanings to help make conversations easier and more comfortable. LGBTQ+ people use a variety of terms to identify themselves, not all of which are included in this glossary. Always listen for and respect a person’s self identified terminology.

PFLAG is the first and largest organization dedicated to supporting, educating, and advocating for LGBTQ+ people and their families. PFLAG is creating a caring, just, and affirming world for LGBTQ+ people and those who love them.

Equality Michigan (EQMI) provides education, victim services, and outreach that empowers LGBTQ+ neighbors throughout the state to live in safe communities, take care of our families, and create positive impact by improving our social, cultural, and economic lives and wellbeing. We do this by ensuring underrepresented voices are amplified.

Great Lakes Bay Pride is a nonprofit organization on a mission to provide inclusive sexual orientation and gender identity/expression (SOGIE) education, advocacy, networking, and resources to individuals and organizations in the Great Lakes Bay Region. Great Lakes Bay Pride is the region’s LGBTQ+ resource organization serving Bay, Isabella, Midland, and Saginaw counties.

Compass envisions a community where everyone has access to the support needed to live a vibrant, fulfilling life. Our Mental Health program offers individual, group, and community-based services specialized to support the wellbeing of the LGBTQ+ community. Through our Mental Health Collaborative, we also strengthen the community of mental health professionals supporting our community.

The Trevor Project’s mission is to end suicide among LGBTQ young people. 

We provide information & support to LGBTQ  young people 24/7, all year round.

Reach out to one of of our trained counselors. Call, text, or chat with us anytime you need support. If you are thinking about suicide, or feeling lonely, we’re here to listen.

All of our support volunteers identify as part of the LGBTQIA+ family, and are here to serve the entire community, by providing free & confidential peer-support, information, and local resources through national hotlines and online programs.

Family Equality exists to create a world where everyone can experience the unconditional love, safety, and belonging of family. Our mission is to ensure that everyone has the freedom to find, form, and sustain their families by advancing equality for the LGBTQ+ community.

Point of Pride provides financial aid and direct support to trans folks in need of health and wellness care. Our mission is to help the most vulnerable members of our community feel seen and supported through access to life-saving health and wellness services.