OnePioneer

Panromantic Trans Gay Gynedemisexual Bisexual Non-binary Greysexual Queer Lesbian Pansexual Gender-expansive Asexual Ace Abrosexual Gender fluid We all have something to learn about how to make camps more inclusive of LGBTQ+ people. Check out The Trevor Project's new handbook and share it with the camp you love.

I'm just going to leave this here... #SendTheRightMessage #WorthSharing

Today is #NationalComingOutDay. Dan's story shows that authenticity and mental health go hand in hand. LGBTQ youth are 5x more likely to attempt suicide (CDC, 2016). LGB youth rejected by their families are 8x more likely to attempt suicide (Ryan, et. al, 2009).... LGBTQ youth with at least one accepting adult are 40% less likely to have attempted suicide in the past year. (The Trevor Project, 2019) CAMP STAFF have the chance to BE that adult. CAMPS CAN SAVE LIVES. But anything less than an affirming and positive response to someone coming out is NOT good enough.

90 years old. Happy Birthday InterVarsity Pioneer Camp Ontario. When you blow out your 90 candles, we wish for LGBTQ+ inclusion. There, that would really be something to celebrate. To all our LGBTQ+ and allied alumni and friends, keep hoping, keep praying, keep insisting that WE BELONG, that WE HAVE VALUE and just like God's queendom, camps are at their best when all are welcome. And ain't that the truth!

"Each time I turned around at camp, I saw something to love, and over time, I came to love myself a little more, too." Thanks BC Ward for sharing this article with us! Different camp, similar story. Queer kids thrive at camp if camp would just let us be ourselves!