November 17 is the 2009 PrideWorks Conference for LGBT Youth, the day-long event that addresses anti-LGBT bias against youth and in schools in Westchester County and the surrounding area. Visit our News and Events page for more information and additional materials.

The first annual Westchester Pride at Playland was a great success! The region’s LGBT community, their friends and allies came together for a day of rides, entertainment, fun and information at Westchester County's family-friendly, historic Playland Park in Rye, NY. It did not seem that things would turn out that way on Saturday, Sept. 12, the scheduled date for Westchester Pride at Playland. See our News and Events page to find out what happened and how it all turned out.

Westchester County Executive Andy Spano wants you to have the latest information on how to avoid and manage the flu this season. The H1N1 flu vaccine will be available later this fall through your primary care or pediatric provider or obstetrician, but you are urged to schedule your regular flu shot now. Residents who are pregnant, age 50 and over and all children ages six months to 18 years old should be vaccinated annually for the regular flu. Each year, 36,000 Americans die from regular flu and more than 200,000 people are hospitalized. So far, H1N1 flu has caused mostly mild illness. For more information, visit www.westchestergov.com/health.

What has the Westchester County LGBT Citizens' Advisory Board been doing over the last year for Westchester's LGBT residents? The Advisory Board answered that question at the 2009 LGBT Town Hall Meeting on June 10. The board made a presentation highlighting the work it, along with the Office of LGBT Affairs, has done over the past year. The presentation, now available in pdf format, includes suggestions from the community.

A recent New York State 2008 law expands access to family court to help all victims of domestic violence. The law amends the definition of “members of the same family or household.” See the Legal Help section for more information.

The lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) community in Westchester is as diverse as the general population. We live in all parts of the county, have varied family structures, work at different types of jobs and come from myriad racial, ethnic and socioeconomic backgrounds. Some of us live as totally open lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender people — others remain in the closet for fear of reprisal. What we all have in common is the desire to be treated as equal citizens in our daily lives.

We've assembled information to help connect you with the local LGBT community, to provide access to help you might need, and to keep you informed of current events and issues. If you need help, have questions, or for more information about anything you see on these pages, please contact Yvette Christofilis, Director, Office of LGBT Affairs. (Many of the resources and publications on this site require Adobe Reader.)

"Resources: A Resource Directory for the LGBT Community" has been updated for May 2009 and is now available online. We've also increased our online resources for LGBTQ youth even as we plan the 2009 PrideWorks Conference for Youth.