Everyone is Welcome Here!

June is Pride month, a time dedicated to honor and celebrate our 2SLGBTQIA+ community. The first Pride Celebration occurred in June 1970, the year following the Stonewall Riots. We are proud to live in Portland that is home to a flourishing 2SLGBTQIA+ community. YWCA is on a mission to create an equitable and just community where all are always celebrated for their identities. Explore a variety of Pride flags below and learn more about their history and meaning here.

2SLGBTQIA+

In 2023, YWCA of Greater Portland updated the acronym we use for two-spirit, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and/or questioning, intersex, asexual, and various other ways people choose to self-identify by leading with "2S." This intentional shift is part of our ongoing efforts to decolonize queer spaces, center indigenous voices and experiences, and encourage conversations around colonization, power, and privilege as we work towards peace, justice, freedom and dignity for all.

What is ‘Two-Spirit?’

An article in them explains, "the phrase encompasses the various traditional gender roles beyond “man” and “woman” that have existed in various Native communities for centuries." Watch the six minute video below to learn more about the this exclusive Indigenous term.