for the community
Being Asian and queer isn't always dragons and rainbows. rainbao aims to empower through inclusion and joy, but we aren't all safe enough to be living openly. Part of community empowerment is making sure individuals are safe, have access to information, and are able to communicate with trusted others, so here is a list for the qtbipoc (queer, trans, black, indigenous, people of colour) community as well as the people who love and support them.
The most urgent resources are top of the list, followed by non-urgent mental health and community support, then education and (hopefully) fun stuff at the bottom.
The emergency and helpline resources will be checked each month to make sure they're still running. If there are any resources that should be added or updated (especially those that are specific to countries outside of the uk, usa and australia), please get in contact.
Stay safe and be excellent to yourself 🌱✨
emergency and helplines🚨
global
- 193 countries and 44 languages
- use “find support now” button to find local help
- international association for suicide prevention
- find free support in your area using the “get help” button in the top right
https://www.rainbowrailroad.org/
- helping at-risk lgbtqia+ people get to safety all around the world
australia
lifeline - 13 11 14
- for urgent suicide prevention and crisis support
- supports chat, text and calls
kids helpline - 1800 55 1800
- anyone 25 and under
- for urgent and non-urgent support
- supports chat, text and calls
13yarn - 13 92 76
- for aboriginal and torres strait islanders
- free and confidential, available 24/7
charlee - 1800 729 367
- suicide prevention hub that you can use for yourself, someone you know, or for bereavement
- provides support through sms, email and chat, along with multi-language interpreters including auslan (1800 729 367)
- suicide prevention training
usa
GLBT National Hotline: 1-888-843-4564
- can be contacted from outside usa
GLBT Youth Hotline: 1-800-246-7743
- can be contacted from outside usa
The Trevor Project: 1-866-488-7386
trans lifeline - 1-877-565-8860
SAGE LGBT elder hotline - 1-888-234-SAGE
support and community🫂
global
- global programs and news
- podcast and commentaries
- empowering, connecting and advocating for lgbtqia+ youth (18 - 30yrs)
- international training and events
- research and advocacy campaigns
- online tools and resources
- networking activities
australia
- national
- peer support
- call or webchat
- allies welcome too
- talk about sexuality, gender, bodies, feelings, relationships, mental health support including but not limited to depression, anxiety, stress, trauma, gender dysphoria, loneliness.
- NOT a crisis service
- NSW only
- youth housing (17-25)
- youth counselling (12-25)
- community programs
- training
- prism inclusivity training for orgs, schools and individuals
- silver rainbow inclusivity training for aged care providers
- vic-based directory to find services and groups in your area
- using legal, policy and media to achieve equality
- has various campaigns for you to join in on, volunteer for, donate to
- has resources section for their reports, fact sheets and educational resources
- national
- supporting parents, guardians, carers and friends of the lgbtqia+ community
- education on gender-affirming care
- support for lgbtqia+ parents and their children
- local family catch-ups, community programs and events, educational and support resources, ally education, resources for primary and secondary schools
forcibly displaced people network
- national org dedicated to supporting lgbtqia+ people who have been displaced due to persecution based on gender identity and sexual orientation.
- along with providing community, events and mental health support, they are focused on research and promoting intersectional policies and services.
- national, volunteer-run, 100% indigenous owned and operated for aboriginal and torres strait islander people
- originally for suicide prevention, now also supports health, wellbeing, community projects and initiatives
- grassroots approach
- online directory of multicultural lgbtqia+ community groups and services in NSW, including religious groups, aged services, festivals and events, health and support, professional and legal, trans and gender diverse, university and youth groups
usa
- leading suicide prevention and crisis intervention for lgbtqia+ youth
- supports calls, texts and chat, free, with trained counsellors
- community + mental health resources and guides
- international community for ages 13-24
- org for supporting, educating and advocating
- has virtual communities for aapi community (asian american & pacific islander), black/african american community, latinx community, military, gender spectrum parents
learning and exploration🚀
didn't know how to categorise these, so
- edutainment resource spreading queer joy to kids, parents, allies, educators
- virtual storytimes, podcasts (for kids and adults), books (for kids and adults), live performances
- free and accessible education that centres the voices of the global majority
- topics include systems and design thinking, critical media studies, regenerative economics, fashion and beauty politics, collective healing, systemic racism and identity politics
- liberation-oriented, anti-oppressive, culturally informed mental health explained in small chunks
- one of my absolute all-time favourite internet strangers. makes games and interactive learning thingies called explorable explanations
- made a game about anxiety called “adventures with anxiety”
- made the “coming out simulator”
- bunches of resources on how to learn things, write things, make things, math things
- so genuine about wanting to help you understand and make things, which i am so into
media and fun stuff🎬
narrative media
lgbtqia+ book recs from reddit
queer media list (also reddit)
- list of media with lgbtqia+ themes/characters
- includes tv shows, web series, movies, books, webcomics and video games
shops
- singapore-based brand with accessories (beanies, backpacks, socks, pins etc)
- also does cool activism work
- international queer-owned business map + online community hub
- extremely excellent lgbtqia+ safe bookstore (boorloo/perth-based)
- my favourite plant store in naarm (melbourne)
tools
- a character creator that seems to be a favourite of the lgbt subreddit, popular with trans peeps for trying out new looks and aesthetics in a low-risk environment
creatives
- comedian, poet, speaker and actor
- probably the most compassionate person i've ever seen on the internet
- comforting art, mental health visualisations
- one of my favourite poets!
- comedians who paint things super gay and joyfully
podcasts
- a bit fruity podcast (politics, culture, trans + lgbt issues) by matt bernstein
- friend crush podcast by amber akilla. exploring connection, creativity, authenticity, pop-culture.
music
- chill and excellent queer pop by ellie kim