LGBTQ+ Americans Are Under Pressure. These Advocacy Groups Can Help.

During President Trump’s second term, the LGBTQ+ community, and especially transgender Americans, have faced a surge in federal policies aimed at restricting their rights, freedom to participate fully in public life, and ability to receive appropriate healthcare.

“There have been executive orders from the Trump administration aimed at banning gender-affirming care for youth, removing protections under the Affordable Care Act, targeting trans people in the military, and banning the very mention of LGBTQ+ people in classrooms,” says Tari Hanneman, the senior director of research and education at the Human Rights Campaign.

All this has taken a significant toll on the emotional and mental well-being of the LGBTQ+ community. “When the government signals — through legislation, executive orders, or policy proposals — that your existence is up for debate, it creates a climate of fear and distress,” says Hanneman.

Nonprofit organizations around the country are mobilizing to push back on proposed policy changes and support people who are struggling to adapt and are fearful about how their lives and choices may be impacted.

A number of nonprofit organizations are working to provide mental health services to the LGBTQ+ community as well as other emotional, educational, and practical support.

Human Rights Campaign (HRC)

The nonprofit Human Rights Campaign is committed to ensuring every LGBTQ+ person can live openly, with equal rights and support.

“We’re helping people to stay engaged, stay educated, and speak out. At HRC, our top priority is making sure our community is informed. Knowledge is power — and it’s often our first line of defense,” says Hanneman.

HRC offers tools to help people find inclusive workplaces, healthcare facilities, and information on local LGBTQ+ organizations and businesses. For people who want to get involved in group action, the website provides links for volunteering, local events, and ways to contact state representatives.

It Gets Better

For young people facing challenges related to coming out, the nonprofit It Gets Better provides education, stories, and referrals to mental health professionals.

The organization holds events and also offers materials for educators available through its website.

“We are immersed in the queer youth experience, and there is plenty of evidence pointing to a continued degradation of mental health among youth, particularly within the transgender community, directly linked to anti-LGBTQ+ legislation,” says Brian Wenke, the executive director of It Gets Better.

While the organization recognizes the need to remain “vigilant and at-the-ready to fight back when needed,” Wenke says, it’s also remaining focused on its mission. “The coming out experience, and the silent tidal wave of adolescence, transcends who is in office,” says Wenke.

The Trevor Project

The Trevor Project is a mental health organization for LGBTQ+ youth founded in 1998 to provide crisis intervention for those younger than 25. Since then, the project has funded research, driven advocacy, and been a major force for suicide prevention.

For nearly three years, the Trevor Project has provided trained counselors to specifically assist LGBTQ+ people up to age 25 who call the lifeline.

“Regardless of federal funding shifts, the Trevor Project remains available 24/7 for anyone who needs us, just as we always have,” Black said.

The project’s trained crisis counselors are reachable by phone 365 days a year at 866-488-7386, via chat, or by texting START to 678678.

GLAAD

Founded 40 years ago, GLAAD is a nonprofit focused on LGBTQ advocacy and culture change. The organization works to increase media accountability and community engagement to ensure that LGBTQ stories are heard.

“GLAAD is encouraging community members not to panic when faced with what seems like bad news, and instead to focus on surrounding ourselves with community and to take commonsense measures to keep ourselves safe and informed,” says Angela Dallara, the director of rapid response and campaigns at GLAAD.

Those measures include recommendations for digital safety practices for LGBTQ people to protect themselves online and to avoid harassment or doxxing by anti-LGBTQ activists.

“GLAAD has also shared simple things LGBTQ families can do to keep themselves safe and ensure their bond will be recognized no matter what the future holds,” says Dallara.

ACLU (American Civil Liberties Union)

The mission of the ACLU is to defend and preserve the individual rights and liberties guaranteed to all people by the Constitution and the laws of the United States. That includes protecting the rights of LGBTQ+ people to live openly without discrimination and with the same rights as straight people.

The ACLU also provides legal help, know-your-rights guides, and support for lawsuits challenging anti-LGBTQ+ legislation.

The ACLU can help provide legal assistance through local branches; find your nearest office here.

Advocates for Trans Equality (A4TE)

The mission is in the name: Advocates for Trans Equality fights for the legal and political rights of transgender people in America. The group was founded in 2024 as a merger of two national trans civil rights groups, National Center for Transgender Equality and Transgender Legal Defense and Education Fund.

In addition to lobbying on a national level, the Trans Legal Services Network offers a directory dedicated to helping provide name- and gender-change services or other legal services for trans people.

National Center for Lesbian Rights (NCLR)

The National Center for Lesbian Rights works toward full equality for LGBTQ people and their families through litigation, legislation, policy, and education.

NCLR offers legal help on custody disputes, separation or divorce, immigration or asylum, transgender rights, and other issues impacting LGBTQ+ people. They also provide vital information about legal protections — including what to do if laws change — through online resources and publications.

SAGE: Services and Advocacy for LBGTQ+ Elders

The motto of SAGE is “We refuse to be invisible.” The organization offers support and resources on many issues that are important to the aging LGBTQ+ community such as HIV and aging, long-term care, housing, and sexual wellness.

“The LGBTQ+ community has always banded together in times of struggle,” says Hanneman. “Community has always been our strength.”

Remember, she says, we have each other, and we will keep showing up for one another no matter what.

To that end, “We encourage people to seek out local LGBTQ+ centers, support groups, and affirming health providers, many of which are listed through the HRC Foundation and our partners.”

“There’s also your chosen family — the people who love and affirm you — who are just as vital. Especially in times like these, leaning on one another is a radical and necessary form of care. Whether it’s a friend, a partner, or a neighbor, connection is everything,” she says.

Welke offers these additional tips for staying emotionally and mentally healthy.

• If you need a therapist or counselor, take the time to find someone who understands you and makes you feel comfortable and safe.
• Be aware of how much time you’re spending on social media. There is such a thing as “too much.” If you can’t turn it off, be proactive in how you train your platform of choice to give you the content you want.
• Educate yourself and ask questions. The stress of this moment is being exacerbated by rampant misinformation and innate biases that have the capacity to influence our perspectives, both good and bad. Always seek clarity and truth.
• Do not deny yourself the ability to experience joy.
• If you or someone you know is in crisis, immediately reach out to the Trevor Project’s trained counselors or phone 988.