The Scoop: Having a place you can go for acceptance, support, and resources is vital. For many people, that’s an LGBTQ+ community center. We talked to Stephanie from LGBTQ Center Orange County about the center’s advocacy, programs, and services, and how they’re helping protect queer people this election cycle.
I started high school in 2014, the year before same-sex marriage became federally protected. We were the generation that got iPod touches in middle school and went all-in on Tumblr, Instagram, and Twitter in no time. In other words, we were tuned in, and were way too young to be.
We saw all the coming out stories and heard loud and clear, at least from other peoples’ social media presences, that being gay was something to celebrate. But it didn’t feel that way in school– my best friend in high school, who’s still my best friend now, didn’t tell me he was gay until after we graduated.
My friend and I joke (darkly) now that we lived in the “don’t ask, don’t tell” era of our high school. My younger sibling, who identifies as non-binary, goes to the same high school we did 10 years ago. Their experience, while not perfect, stood out in stark contrast to mine and my friend’s.
They founded a Queer Culture Club and have a girlfriend who they went to prom with (twice). As happy as I am for my sibling, I can’t help but imagine what high school would have been like if we could have just been who we were, without having to do the exhausting mental calculus of whether it was “hetero enough.”
Visible queer voices and support from people who understand make all the difference for LGBTQ+ youth. And when those kids become adults, that kind of support continues to make an impact in their lives.
LGBTQ community centers are often the most visible and accessible resources for LGBTQ+ people and their communities across the nation.

We talked to Stephanie from the LGBTQ Center Orange County about the importance of queer community spaces and how the center is showing up for everyone who uses the center.
Established in 1971 in Santa Ana, California, the LGBTQ Center OC has offered education, outreach, networking, and programs for generations of Californians.
Stephanie talked to us about the history of the center, the programs they’re focused on today, and how they’re mobilizing during this election year. Anti-LGBTQ+, specifically anti-trans, rhetoric and violence have been on the rise, and LGBTQ Center OC has been combating it with opportunities for the community to come together.
“We’re one of the few LGBTQ+ organizations in the area and we provide a variety of different services to support the community and provide opportunities for folks to connect, build community with each other, and, ultimately, share space,” Stephanie told us.
Orange County’s LGBTQ Center Affirms Life
Stephanie said the Center has adjusted its approach to best serve the community since 1971. As one of the few centers in Southern California, it provides services to more than 20,000 individuals across a broad spectrum of cultures, ethnicities, ages, and economic backgrounds.
The Center has four strategic priorities:
- Strengthen Youth
- Improve Health and Well-Being
- Build Social Capital
- Advocate for Social Justice
All of the Center’s strategic priorities are aimed at cultivating and supporting a strong LGBTQ community. A big part of that is the Center’s LGBTQ Hub. The Hub gives people a one-stop shop to find organizations and groups they can get involved with around the community.
From arts and culture groups, like the Orange County Gay Men’s Chorus, to sports and recreation clubs, like the gay-friendly Surf and Sun Softball, the Hub puts all the opportunities for community and connection in one place.
The Center has designed its programs to best fit the needs of the community. “We’re still going strong and expanding our work to fit the needs of the community at large,” Stephanie said. “We offer a variety of different social support, education, mental health outreach, and youth leadership groups.”
With programs for individuals from ages 10 to 70, the Center works hard to serve its community and constantly adapt to its changing needs.
Outreach for Every Age
Since the Center serves many ages, many of its programs are organized by age group. “We have different groups that are broken up by age category,” Stephanie said. “Our youngest group is for 10-13-year-olds, then we have a group for 13-18-year-olds, and another group for 18-26-year-olds.”
The 10-13 age group is also known as the InBeTweeners. This group provides a safe and supportive environment for lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, queer, questioning, and allied youth who are exploring their identities and searching for an inclusive environment.
The InBeTweeners do arts and crafts, creative writing, and host discussions. These meetings are focused on nurturing friendships between members of the group and making sure they have access to the support and resources they need to survive middle school. (Let’s be honest– middle school can suck).
The Center also offers study groups for LGBTQ youth and allies. The Study with Pride group is for kids ages 13-18. Kids can stop by the Center for homework help, tutoring, and after-school snacks and drinks.

For older kids, VIVID works to create safe, more supportive, and intersectional spaces to engage in advocacy and social justice. Youth leaders can get involved in the group to speak at school board meetings, present at local conferences, and organize youth programming.
The groups for young adults are focused on building communities offline and outside of bars. “A lot of people want to meet others outside of the bar and club environment in an organic group setting,” Stephanie told us. “We have three young adult groups to support them.”
Prism is a group for 18-26-year-olds that welcomes all LGBTQ, questioning, and allied individuals who are looking for a safe and welcoming space where they can make friends and participate in weekly discussions, activities, and events.
“Gender Flood is for the same age group, but specifically geared toward trans individuals,” Stephanie said. Gender Flood is hosted weekly and specifically facilitated by the Center’s team to serve trans community members. You can drop into Gender Flood for conversation, mingling, and support.
All of the Center’s offerings create opportunities for members of the community to make and strengthen their connections.
Mobilizing for Election Year
This election year, LGBTQ rights remain on the ballot. As of September 2024, the ACLU is tracking 530 anti-LGBTQ bills in state legislatures across the country. These bills pose a severe threat to LGBTQ+ individuals, especially youth, and their rights to self-expression, healthcare, and participation in their communities.
I’ve been following the disturbing and disheartening legislature moving through in my home state of South Carolina. At the beginning of May this year, the South Carolina legislature passed a bill into law that made forced outings in school a statewide policy and put severe restrictions on healthcare for children.
“There’s a lot at stake this election year,” Stephanie told us. “I also oversee our advocacy and education department, so we’ve been very proactive in terms of civil engagements.”

The Center has been working with school boards, meeting with city council members, and getting the community involved in protecting LGBTQ youth. The way Stephanie sees it, getting active in local politics can be just as impactful as advocating on a national level.
“Local elections are just as important as our presidential elections,” Stephanie said. “A lot of the folks who are running for local seats carry and hold a lot of power.”
Because the Center is a non-profit, it invites all candidates to showcase their work and connect with individuals at the Center. Stephanie said the Center wants to connect local legislatures with the members of their community who can be deeply affected by legislature decisions.
“We want to have those community conversations,” Stephanie said. “There’s been so much happening in Orange County and the whole country. We want to ground people and make them feel supported.”