Rights & Advocacy

Contents
1. Know Your Rights
2. Advocacy

State & National Legal Defense Organizations
Find organizations that can help you navigate the legal field if your rights have been violated.

Know Your Rights

ACLU WA – Know Your Rights:
➢ A Guide for Public School Students in Washington
➢ Equal Access Act FAQ (regarding GSAs)
➢ Free Speech Rights of Public School Teachers in Washington State
➢ Parents’ Guide to School Board Advocacy in Washington
➢ Title IX and Sexual Assault
➢ The Rights of Transgender People in Washington State
➢ Q&A: What the Law Says About Health Insurance and Transgender Care
➢ Encountering Law Enforcement
➢ Public Comments and Other Speech at Local Government Meetings
➢ A Guide on Protests

Lambda Legal: Know Your Rights
This page is designed to help you understand your rights and what to do if you experience discrimination. You deserve to be treated with dignity and your rights should be respect.

LGBTQ-Based Bullying, Harassment, or Discrimination in School
A guideline on what to do when you experience LGBTQ-based bullying, harassment, or discrimination in school. A partnership between GLSEN & PFLAG.

Equity and Civil Rights in Public Schools
Each student has the right to equal access to public education without discrimination. Washington state law prohibits discrimination in public schools towards protected classes.

Gender-Inclusive Schools: Protections for Transgender and Gender-Expansive Students
Civil rights laws prohibit discrimination and discriminatory harassment on the basis of gender expression and gender identity in Washington public schools. All students have the rights to be treated consistent with their gender identity at school.

How to Find an LGBT-Friendly College
Here are some suggestions on how LGBT students can look for gender-inclusive schools with strong anti-discrimination policies.

LGBTQ+ College Student Guide
In this guide, you’ll learn how to research colleges and review additional topics such as the unique challenges LGBTQ students face and the resources and legal rights available to them.

TransAthlete
A resource for students, athletes, coaches, and administrators to find information about trans inclusion in athletics at various levels of play.

Tips for Flying While Trans: The Transgender and Non-binary Travel Guide You Didn’t Know You Needed
A comprehensive how-to on traveling smart and safely while trans & nonbinary.

Transgender Law Center: ID Documents
A guide on how navigate the various processes when changing one’s name and/or gender marker on state and federal documentation.

Changes to Legal Documents
A list of recommended documents to update once you’ve legally changed your name and/or gender marker.

Advocacy

Autostraddle’s “Be The Change” series:
➢ So You Want to Be an Organizer!
➢ A Community Organizer’s Glossary
➢ Love Without Power Will Never Bring Justice
➢ Quick Tips for Finding and Keeping Activist Volunteers
➢ 5 Tips to Plan a Damn Good Activist Meeting
➢ Petitions, Postcards, Phonebanks, and You
➢ Want to Organize a Protest? Here Are 9 Things You Need to Know

What is Intersectionality
A dive into the history of the term and why it’s important to modern activism and social justice work.

Microaggressions & Resiliency
What are microaggressions and how do they impact people on the day to day?

PFLAG: An Intro to Advocacy Tools & Resources
Our resources are designed to help you with advocacy, teach you about lobbying, how to meet with your legislators, and more.

PFLAG: Straight For Equality: Trans Ally Materials
An collection of resources that focus on understanding and supporting transgender people.

Transgender Day of Remembrance is a Good Start, But Not Enough, Say Advocates
We need people to show up for our trans community year round.

ACLU: Make Your Voice Heard: A Guide to the Washington Legislature
A rundown on how our legislature works and the steps you can take to rally and make change.

PFLAG: Learn More and Take Action on Legislative Issues Affecting LGBTQ+ People
Find out what legislation is in play and how it will affect LGBTQ+ people and their families. Sign our petitions and contact your legislatures regarding nondiscrimination protections and other legislation that will protect LGBTQ+ people from harassment and harm.

#PFLAGVotes: Registration. Education. Mobilization. Protection.
Whether you commit to working deeply on one of those issues–or want to broaden your efforts across all four–you can count on PFLAG to give you the information, tools, and resources you need to vote, and help others to vote, too.

GLSEN’s Directory for Civic Action Resources
A fantastic index full of resources, guides, book lists and more. Learn about issues that matter to you and how to put your thoughts into action!

GLSEN Rise Up for LGBTQ+ Youth
As a community of advocates, educators, students, allies, and leaders, we all need to Rise Up for LGBTQ+ Youth as a collective power. Every student deserves to know they are loved, safe, and supported as their authentic selves. We must seek to transform narratives that deepen hate by supporting young people in public ways.

The Trevor Project: Creating Safer Spaces in Schools for LGBTQ Youth
Learn how to combat LGBTQ harassment, discrimination, or a lack of resources in schools.