On Wednesday, June 10, Westchester County celebrated Pride at the 2009 LGBT Town Hall Meeting at the Westchester County Center. Hosted by the LGBT Advisory Board and the Office of LGBT Affairs, this county-wide celebration of LGBT Pride drew approximately 150 participants at the networking and awards ceremony event. Twenty-two community-based organizations and Westchester County departments hosted exhibiting tables. County Executive Andy Spano presented awards for Person of the Year, Business of the Year and Small Business of the Year. Feedback from the community has been positive and enthusiastic.

Opportunities for same-sex marriage increase in New England states. What's happening in New York? See more in our News and Events page.

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. Check out our 2008 PrideWorks Conference for LGBT Youth page to see what it's all about.

At the 2008 LGBT Town Hall Meeting on June 11, 2008, the LGBT Advisory Board made a presentation, followed by an open mic session inviting feedback and suggestions from the community. This presentation, including the community's feedback, is now available online.