Traction

For every bag of Caffe Ladro’s Coffee for Good Blend sold during May and June, $3 will be donated directly to PROJECT OPEN ARMS, helping fund essential resettlement support and resources during a time of growing need.

Get yours at a Seattle metro area Caffe, or on the website: https://caffeladro.com/

Observing Pride Month through this partnership is one way Caffe Ladro - Ladro Roasting stands alongside the trans+ community—not just in celebration, but in meaningful action that supports safety, dignity, and belonging.

✨ Meet Councilmember Alexis Mercedes Rinck!

A champion for housing justice, economic equity, and community-centered leadership, Alexis Mercedes Rinck has dedicated her career to creating a Seattle where everyone has the opportunity to thrive. From her work addressing homelessness to her service on the Seattle City Council, she has consistently advocated for policies that support working people and expand access to opportunity.

We're honored to welcome Alexis to this year's Pride Brunch as we celebrate the leaders helping build a more just and inclusive future for LGBTQIA+ communities and beyond. 🌈

***rLiberation

Holy smokes!! Almost there... Give us a bump?

We're almost to our $25,000 goal!
It's Still Give OUT Day!

Thank you so much to some truly inspirational donors who rose to the challenge. We not only blew past our $5,000 match, we're almost to our goal!

There's just a few hours left. As of this message, we're at $21,393 -- LESS THAN $4,000 AWAY.

PLEASE HELP US WIN THE GIVE OUT DAY PRIZES
FOR THE MOST RAISED IN OUR CATEGORIES!!

DONATE NOW!! WE CAN DO IT WITH YOUR HELP!

(Sorry for yelling, I'm just really excited!)
https://tractionpnw.org/give

It's national GiveOUT Day!
The first day of a month-long campaign to raise funds for LGBTQ+ orgs in the U.S.

link is in our bio, or:
https://www.giveoutday.org/organization/Traction

TRACTION is trying to close a major funding gap with these funds. Come help us! The first $5,000 donated will be matched dollar-for-dollar! You'll double your gift automatically!

Join us for a heart-centered, high-energy event bringing community and civic engagement together. Hear from q***r local lawmakers, plug into the No Hate campaign, and connect with organizations making a difference right here in our communities.

RSVP: https://tinyurl.com/5n6mhcmm

Come for the food, stay for the conversations, and leave in celebration.

With Host Harper Bizarre!

The Seattle LGBTQ Commission is grieving the horrific murder of a nineteen-year-old transgender woman near the University of Washington.

We are heartbroken by this tragic loss and invite our community to mourn with us, care for one another, and continue advocating for safety, dignity, and justice for Trans and Q***r people in Seattle and beyond.

We encourage anyone directly impacted by this tragedy to seek support through 2SLGBTQIA+ specific resources such as Peer Seattle, Seattle’s LGBTQ Center, The Trevor Project, or Trans Lifeline.

Read the full statement below.

One of the things about being an ally and advocate is realizing there is always more to learn.

Recently, we've been learning more about concepts like gender dysphoria, gender euphoria, and something called transmedicalism.

For a long time, many people believed that a person had to experience intense suffering or distress (gender dysphoria) in order to be “really” transgender.

That idea is often connected to something called transmedicalism — the belief that being trans must be defined primarily by dysphoria, medical diagnosis, or a desire to medically transition.

But transgender and nonbinary people have challenged the ideas behind transmedicalism.

And as allies and advocates, we do too. (***see SPECIAL NOTE)

Because not every trans person’s story begins with pain.

Sometimes it begins with relief.

With recognition.

With joy.

With finally feeling at home in yourself.

That’s where the idea of gender euphoria comes in.

Gender euphoria is the happiness, peace, comfort, or sense of rightness someone may feel when their gender is affirmed — through a name, pronouns, clothing, hairstyle, community, or simply being seen for who they truly are.

And one thing we recently heard someone say was:

“Gender euphoria can’t exist without gender dysphoria.”

But the more we learn, the more we understand that human beings are more complex than that.

Some people understand themselves through pain. Others understand themselves through joy.

Some realize something was wrong. Others realize something finally feels right.

And that distinction matters.

Because sometimes parents, teachers and even doctors only pay attention when a child is hurting badly enough.

But joy is information too.

Relief is information too.

Peace is information too.

When someone lights up after hearing the right pronouns… When they smile more freely… When they seem more grounded, more confident, more alive…

That matters.

Because a person should not have to prove their suffering before we honor their joy.

🩵🩷🩵🩷🩵

Good allies always keep learning.

🩵🩷🩵🩷🩵

***SPECIAL NOTE: We want to make it very clear — we do NOT endorse transmedicalism.

It's harmful — mot only does it create exclusionary gatekeeping and fosters ideas that exclude non-binary people and those who experience gender euphoria rather than intense distress, but by questioning the validity of individuals, it can also increase shame, anxiety, and su***de risks, particularly for those who do not fit a medicalized, binary mold.