Pride Month is celebrated annually in June to honor the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer community and to commemorate the 1969 Stonewall riots. Whether you are a member or ally of this community, the disability community – or both! – we hope you will take time to celebrate Pride! Below are a few resources for those interested in how LGBTQ+ people with and without disabilities participate in international exchange.
Did you know that NAFSA: Association of International Educators has a Rainbow Special Interest Group (SIG)? It’s comprised of diverse international educators whose goals are to counsel international students and study abroad students who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or queer; to support lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer professionals in international education; and to combat homophobia, heterosexism, and transphobia within NAFSA. Visit the Rainbow SIG website to learn more.
Each year the Fund for Education Abroad (FEA) provides funding for LGBTQIA+ undergraduate students to study abroad, through a partnership with the Rainbow SIG. They are asked to give back to their home, host, and LGTBQIA+ communities. The Spring 2025 application will open in July! Learn how to support or apply for the Rainbow Scholarship on the FEA website.
How do YOU find community when traveling far from home? As a queer person of color (QPOC) with disabilities, Gillian Giles found many ways to connect with community while studying abroad in Europe. Perhaps one of their most cherished experience during their time abroad was attending Pride in London as well as UK Black Pride, which is Europe’s largest celebration for African, Asian, Middle Eastern, Latin American and Caribbean-heritage LGBTQI+ people. “I have never been around so many people who share a similar identity to me. There was so much joy and love in that.” Read more about Gillian’s travels in “Reflections on the Canal.”
Get to know twelve happening people – from educators and entrepreneurs to artists and creators and more – in this post by Charlotte Stasio for World Institute on Disability.
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