The three tenents of Pride Lafayette's strategic plan are: Pride, Service, and Diversity. Newcomers to the LGBTI community are often surprised at how diverse our community is. We are all people of different colors, sexual orientations, gender identities, biological sexes, beliefs, and histories. We draw strength from celebrating this diversity among us. This page is devoted to our efforts to maximize inclusion and create a welcoming space for all people.

Each section of the page is devoted to one of the major groups in our community. We seek to support each of these groups in some way. If you have ideas for how we can do better at this effort, please drop us a line at info@pridelafayette.org.

Check out this Wikipedia article for definitions of some of the terms used on this page.

For information about diversity efforts in the Lafayette-West Lafayette Community, be sure to check out the LWLDC Diversity Roundtable.

We support the lesbian women in our community by coordinating social activities that help bring women together to get to know one another. These events are open to all women regardless of relationship status. Currently, our primary event for lesbian women is our monthly social outing. Please see the community calendar for details on upcoming events.

Lesbians may also choose to sign up for our women's discussion list. Please email our webmaster at webmaster@pridelafayette.org to be added to the list.

Bisexuals in the community can often be overlooked and marginalized in the LGBTI community. We support area bisexuals by offtering a monthly discussion group where issues unique to bisexuals are discussed. The discussion group is open to all bisexuals regardless of relationship status. Please see the community calendar for details on upcoming dates and times.

Currently, there is no email list specifically for bisexuals. To suggest one please email our webmaster at webmaster@pridelafayette.org.

Intersex people in our community are another overlooked group, but they are among us and contribute to the diversity of our community. We currently have no services or programs specifically directed to the intersexual community, but we welcome intersex people to particpate in our organization and invite suggestions on how we can serve this often ignored group.

Some would say we that we have the potential to draw our greatest strength from our allies, but yet we often ignore or marginalize the allies who try to work with us and support us. The self-segration we tend to impose as we go through the coming out process probably contributes to this, particularly in bad coming out experiences where we find no allies outside the LGBT community. We feel its important to welcome our allies into our space and our events. We cannot survive in isolation, and we need the talents and wisdom that they can bring to us and our community.

To this end we are beginning an ally training program and discussion group. Please see the community calendar for more information and dates/times.

Currently, there is no email list specifically for allies. To suggest one please email our webmaster at webmaster@pridelafayette.org.

See our PLFAG/Allies page for even more information directed to allies.

We also provide a monthly social outing for gay men to help bring the men of the community together to get to know each other. These events occur at the same time as the monthly event for lesbians, but the two groups go to different locations each month--usually area restaurants. These events are open to all men regardless of relationship status. Please see the community calendar for details on upcoming dates and times.

Currently, there is no email list specifically for men. To suggest one please email our webmaster at webmaster@pridelafayette.org.

Our discussion group for the local transgender community is currently no longer meeting. The coordinator of the group has moved away. Stay tuned to our email lists, however, because a meeting will be scheduled soon to discuss how our organization can meet the needs of the transgender community.

We do have an email list for the transgender community. Please email our webmaster at webmaster@pridelafayette.org to be added to the list.

Many of us fit not into just one group but many groups. Some of us fit into multiple groups above while others are also members of ethnic minorities or other under-represented groups that can be targets of oppression and problems resulting from a lack of awareness, such as people with disabilities.

People in multiple minority groups can have unique experiences and challenges. Besides sometimes needing additional support from the community, they also have the potential to bring special strengths to us through their experiences across multiple social boundaries.

Please let us know if you have ideas for how our oganization can better support people who's identities include multiple minorities.