Bangor Pride

Sorry friends!

Queer Youth Fridays this month has been CANCELED!

But have no fear - we will see you Friday April 11 at the Bangor Region YMCA Teen Center for an afternoon of games, laughs, crafts, and snacks!
See you then!

Allies welcome, email kelly@equalitymaine.org with questions.

🌈 Join Us for the 2025 Parade! This year’s theme, Generations of Pride, is all about celebrating the connections that bring us together. Whether you're marching w/a nonprofit, business, community group, or a float w/your own family’s generations, we’d love to have you!
forms.gle/vN5nPJPMEqNJ...

We're partnering with Downtown Charcuterie to help build Bangor Pride as our own nonprofit — brick by brick!

we have 9 bricks up for grabs + more on the way! Snag one here - bangorpride-shop.fourthwall.com/products/bri... it says it will ship but you'll receive it at the event!

Nationwide economic blackout on February 28: List of stores being targeted The national economic blackout is scheduled as a way for Americans to boycott major retailers that have pulled back on DEI policies.

Somehow, the message about the February 28th economic blackout got twisted. Let’s set the record straight! We’re not boycotting every business—only those that have rolled back their commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI). This is about holding companies accountable, not hurting

Congress: Save Medicaid Now Politicians are attempting to pass devastating cuts to Medicaid right now and we must act fast. Send a message telling your member of Congress to fight back now.

The House could vote next week on drastic cuts to Medicaid that would gut critical programs that protect the civil rights and dignity of millions of Americans — including people with disabilities.

Contact your member of Congress: No cuts to Medicaid.

ID: on an off-white background with pink, purple, and yellow stars and flowers along the edges, block prints in these colors read "thank you Aaron Frey and Janet Mills for standing with trans Mainers"

Maine Governor Janet Mills: "Today, the President of the United States has targeted one particular group on one particular issue which Maine law has addressed. But you must ask yourself: who and what will he target next, and what will he do? Will it be you?"

Someone mentioned back in another post of mine that instead of posting places NOT to shop, could I post shops that support DEI inciative programs?

Yes, I can. These are stores that support DEI. Feel free to spread word out.

Hunter Schafer ‘Shocked’ Her New Passport Lists Her Gender As Male “I’m never gonna stop being trans, a letter on a passport can’t change that, and fuck this administration.”

Hunter, like every trans person, has a right to accurate identification.

We've taken Trump to court to block this policy barring trans people from passports with our correct gender markers.

Image of Mildred Loving, an ACLU client in the landmark Supreme Court case that outlawed bans on interracial marriage. This quote that was attributed to Mildred Loving is on the image: "I believe all American, no matter their race, no matter their sex, no matter their sexual orientation should have that same freedom to marry."

After marrying in 1958, childhood sweethearts Mildred and Richard Loving were arrested for violating Virginia's ban on interracial marriage.

Sign the Petition Gov. Janet Mills of Maine, keep standing up to Trump!

A friend of Pride made a petition/letter to thank Governor Mills for standing up for our trans community!

chng.it/fzwttxdDYT

Julianne Moore says her book about embracing differences was removed from Pentagon-run schools | CNN Oscar winner Julianne Moore claims her children’s book “Freckleface Strawberry” was banned by the Department of Defense’s Education Activity, a global network of 160 schools serving military families.

It’s about having red hair and freckles FFS and how to be cool with that when other kids make fun of it. By that twisted logic, you’d have to ban pretty much every children’s book, old and new www.cnn.com/2025/02/17/e...

This isn’t Donald Trump’s America.
This isn’t any president’s America.

It’s ours, and we the people will fight for it.

💚🤍🩶🖤 It’s Aromantic Spectrum Awareness Week! Love + connection come in many forms—friendship, community + self-love are just as meaningful.

Happy Aro Week to all our aro-spec friends! This week, we’ll be sharing info to educate, raise awareness + celebrate our aro-spec friends.

Defunding Freedom – Impacts of U.S. Foreign Aid Cuts on LGBTIQ People Worldwide

What happens when USAID funding stops?

- Violence and arbitrary arrests increase
- LGBTQ voices silenced
- Health care jeopardized
- Most marginalized are harmed

This report from @outrightintl.bsky.social shows the harm that is being caused by eliminating LGBTQ programming and funding.

🐾🌈 Got a fabulous furry, feathered, or scaly friend? Enter them in the 2nd Annual Bangor Pride Pets with Pride photo contest!

For questions or the links, reach out to us at hello@bangorpride.com! Let’s make this Pride celebration paws-itively unforgettable! 🐕🐾🦎

KNOW YOUR RIGHTS IN CASE OF ICE: CONOCE TUS DERECHOS EN CASO DE ENCUENTRO CON ICE:

DO NOT OPEN YOUR DOOR. ICE cannot enter your home without a warrant signed by a judge. Tell the agents to show you the warrant by sliding it under the door. NO ABRAS TU PUERTA. ICE no puede entrar a tu casa sin una orden firmada por un juez. Diles a los agentes que te muestren la orden deslizándola debajo de la puerta.

ASK THEM TO LEAVE. If ICE doesn't have a warrant, tell them you do not consent for them to enter your home and ask them to leave. At work, ICE cannot enter employee-only areas without permission. 2 PÍDALES QUE SE VAYAN. Si ICE no tiene una orden judicial, diles que no das tu consentimiento para que entren a tu casa y pídeles que se vayan. En el trabajo, ICE no puede ingresar a áreas exclusivas para empleados sin permiso.

REMAIN SILENT. You have the right to remain silent. If the agents ask you questions, tell them, "I wish to remain silent." PERMANECE EN SILENCIO. Tienes derecho a permanecer en silencio. Si los agentes te hacen preguntas, diles: "Deseo permanecer en silencio".

It is perfectly legal to know your rights and to educate others about them, too.

EVERYONE in the United States, citizen or not, has rights. I will not allow this administration to intimidate us from helping you know about them.

Here’s our shareable guide ⬇️: (pt. 1/2)

DOGE is hurting working people, plain and simple.

Federal workers are members of our communities who work hard for this country, but right now they are in fear for their jobs. It’s not right.

These are some of their stories.

We are the weirdos, mister. Join us and @theemporiumspooky.bsky.social for Queer Thrills & Chills!

Queerly ME and the Network For Older Adults is in search of 9 LGBTQIA+ storytellers ages 10-90 in Maine for an intergenerational story hour in Falmouth, May 10th 4:30pm-6:30pm.

Please include your name, age, and town in your submissions. Email your submission by March 1st.

Get ready, Bangor! After the Pride Festival, we’re bringing you a spellbinding night of drag, glam + enchantment! The exact time, date + location are TBD but you won’t want to miss this! Carmilla Velour will be hosting the Bangor Pride Drag Festival Show + ✨ABRACABANGOR✨ #ABRACABANGOR #BangorPride

⚠️ Read this! SNAP is the most effective tool we have to fight hunger in Maine, and Congressional Republicans want to make huge cuts, including to funding for meals Maine students rely on. Read the article from @pressherald.bsky.social loom.ly/zQs8zx0

Announcing a historic 191 Members of the U.S. House of Representatives have joined the Congressional Equality Caucus at the start of the 119th Congress. IMAGE: U.S. Capitol with a rainbow behind it.

Today, we're announcing that a historic 191 Members of the U.S. House have joined the Congressional Equality Caucus this Congress—the most we've ever had at the start of a Congress!

See our full membership, led by Chair @repmarktakano.bsky.social, at the link in our bio.

Senator Chuck Schumer of New York, the Senate Minority Leader, has launched a new online portal for individuals to report corruption, abuses of power, and threats to public safety, with the legal protections afforded to whistleblowers.

Graphic of three cartoon people sitting and having a conversation. The text reads: Are you the caregiver of a Trans or Nonbinary young person and interested in helping to create space for you and your peers to connect? Consider joining MaineTransNet as a Peer Support Group Facilitator! TRANS & NONBINARY YOUTH CAREGIVER PEER SUPPORT FACILITATOR TRAINING

Text above cartoon of three people chatting reads: Participants will be paired with at least one Co-Facilitator and may choose to conduct more formal support spaces, or more relaxed points of social connection. Groups will be conducted either virtually or in-person, based on facilitator location and need. Facilitators will be provided with the skills and support needed to feel confident in their ability to provide safer, structured spaces that build positive peer connections and grow allied community. This training will be delivered virtually and schedulded later in February to accomodate the needs of the cohort.

PLEASE COMPLETE THE FORM BELOW TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT THIS VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITY!

Are you the caregiver of a Trans or Nonbinary young person and interested in helping to create space for you and your peers to connect? Consider joining MaineTransNet as a Peer Support Group Facilitator!
linktr.ee/mainetransnet

Opinion | Trump’s Shameful Campaign Against Transgender Americans Trump’s attacks on trans people are on the wrong side of history and humanity.

Excellent: Holding the Trump administration accountable for dangerous anti-trans rhetoric and executive orders.

Shameful: Omitting the role that the Times and the Times Opinion page played in creating this deeply hostile, anti-trans moment in America.

We received dozens of responses when we first posted this but we wanted to put this out there again as we expand our planning committee & subcommittees and dive into the finer details of organizing.

If you have any feedback—good or bad—we’d love to hear it!
forms.gle/VjF3iv1rwvFm...

Group of smiling people against a brick backdrop

Yellow poster board with a hand drawn saying "let your light shine" with a rainbow and glitter

Quilt hanging on a a brick wall. The quilt has a navy blue border and mountains, with the saying "you can't kill the spirit, it's like the mountain old and strong it lives on."

White poster board with Wilson Center Community Norma including using I statements, listening actively, being vulnerable, respecting pronouns, and know that you are welcome

We had a great time at the Wilson Center at UMaine last night for our first queer hangout 🌈🥰 over two dozen people came by and enjoyed vegan lasagna with us. We'll see you each on the 2nd Saturday of each month from 6-8pm!

Transgender female athletes can still compete in Maine, sports governing body says The Maine Principal's Association will continue to allow transgender female athletes to compete despite President Donald Trump's executive order.

The Maine Principal’s Association said it will continue to allow transgender female athletes to compete despite an executive order from President Donald Trump that seeks to ban the practice.

We had our first queer hangout last night and two dozen people showed up 🥰