By Robyn Ochs
Words Matter
On February 23rd, Gay & Lesbian Advocates and Defenders announced a name change. Its new name is GLBTQ Legal Advocates and Defenders, and it will still go by the acronym GLAD. According to GLAD’s Executive Director, Janson Wu, “GLAD has blazed a trail of legal victories for gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and queer people across New England and the nation. As we continue our pioneering work, we’re proud to bring all of our communities into our name.”
And the GSA Network announced on April 20th that it has evolved its name to be more inclusive of all LGBTQ+ youth leaders: “As a youth-driven organization, it is our responsibility to respond to this evolution and accurately reflect the identities of the young people we serve. With the support and guidance of GSA youth leaders, we are thrilled to announce that Gay-Straight Alliance Network has officially changed its name to Genders & Sexualities Alliance Network. According to an email sent out by the GSA Network on April 20th: “The name change has been a long time coming. We have heard from countless youth leaders who understand their genders and sexualities to be uniquely theirs and have moved beyond the labels of gay and straight, and the limits of a binary gender system.”
These name changes follow on the heels of name changes by the National Gay & Lesbian Task Force, which last fall became the LGBTQ Task Force, and PFLAG and GLAAD, which are retaining their acronyms but are no longer “Gay & Lesbian.”
Represent!
Pansexual-identified Mary Gonzalez, first elected in 2013, won re-election to the Texas House of Representatives representing District 75, east of El Paso. Her opponent was a challenger who had held the seat from 2003-2013.