Wichita LGBT Health

ICT Big Gay Market returns for its 5th year in Wichita The 5th Annual ICT Big Gay Market returns Sunday, June 14, bringing a full day of vendors, food and family-friendly activities to Central Riverside Park. Organizer and founder James Boyd says the event is designed to feel like a “huge farmers market” that is welcoming to all ages and packed with...

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Today we remember Ryan White (December 6, 1971 – April 8, 1990), a teenager whose courage helped change how this country understands HIV. Diagnosed after a blood transfusion, Ryan was given just months to live and was barred from attending school because of fear and misinformation. Instead of backing down, he and his family fought for his right to an education, and in doing so, he became a national voice for compassion and truth. Ryan never asked to be an activist, he just wanted to live a normal life, but his strength and grace helped challenge stigma at a time when it was everywhere. His story helped shift public understanding and reminded people to see the human being, not the diagnosis. His story still matters. Stigma has not disappeared, and there are still people fighting to be seen, respected, and cared for. We honor Ryan by continuing that work, by choosing empathy over fear, and by making sure no one is pushed aside for something they cannot control.

The goal of the safety pods is to keep everyone safe at a grassroots level by forming safety groups of people who work together to spread important information that shouldn’t be widely accessible, etc. You may come later or leave early if that works better for you. I do think that this will be good info for trans folx, families, and allies.

The community organizers meeting is a personal & organizational safety and security training. This meeting will help “highly visible” advocates to identify security threats and provide tools to help ensure safety. We are looking forward to hosting leaders in community organization and advocacy for this event.