Counseling
410-777-7111
Public Safety
410-777-1818
Gay/Straight Alliance
Matt Patton
410-777-7177
[email protected]
Rob Hurd, trainer
410-777-2119
[email protected]
911 for immediate help
443-481-1000 nearest emergency room (Anne Arundel Medical Center)
443-481-4000 Ask-A-Nurse at Anne Arundel Medical Center
For other mental health assistance, call the Anne Arundel County Crisis Response warm line at 410- 768-5522 or Maryland Crisis Hotline at 800-422-0009 seven days a week/24 hours a day.
Chase Brexton Health Services Inc.
Serving the LGBTQ+ community in Maryland with offices in Anne Arundel County, Baltimore city, Randallstown, Columbia and Easton. Provides medical and mental health services including psychiatric consultation, evaluation and medication monitoring. A sliding fee scale is available and most insurance plans are accepted.
Gay and Lesbian Community Center of Baltimore Inc.
Provides support services to the LGBTQ+ community throughout Maryland. Services include counseling, anonymous and confidential HIV testing, support groups and resource line.
PFLAG Across America/Howard County
A national support, education and advocacy organization for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people, their families and allies.
Sexual Minority Assistance League
A Washington, D.C.,-metro area service organization solely dedicated to supporting LGBTQ+ youth.
TrevorChat
A free, confidential and secure online messaging service that connects you with a volunteer who can discuss your questions and concerns. It is intended to assist those who are not at risk for suicide.
TrevorChat is available from 3 to 9 p.m. seven days a week. TrevorText is available 4 to 8 p.m. Thursdays and Fridays. Text the word “Trevor” to 202-304-1200. Standard text messaging rates apply.
If you are feeling suicidal, please call the 24-hour Trevor Lifeline immediately at 866-488-7386. All calls are confidential and toll-free from anywhere in the United States 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Whitman-Walker Health
A Washington, D.C., community health center specializing in HIV/AIDS care and lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender care.
Sean Lare Counseling and Consulting
Specializes in LGBTQ+ issues
Kate Thomas (Sexual Therapist) 410-616-7152
Specializes in issues of gender and sex
Bluebond 410-328-2360
Genital reassignment surgeon who follows the LPATH guidelines and practices at Johns Hopkins Hospital
Out for Work
Out for Work helps students transition from college life to the workplace through career fairs with friendly employers and conferences. Career fairs occur every fall in Washington, D.C.
This is a short list of local spiritual homes known to be affirming; there may be others:
The words used to describe gender and sexuality are constantly evolving and can be confusing. We've done our best to help clarify.
Transgender – An umbrella term for people whose gender identity and/or expression is different from cultural expectations based on the sex they were assigned at birth.
Genderqueer – A term used to refer to an individual who identifies as other than “man” or “woman,” or someone who identifies as neither, both or some combination of “man” and “woman.”
Transsexual – Individuals whose gender identity differs from their assigned sex at birth (i.e., the sex listed on their birth certificates) and who may or may not desire a gender transition or have gender dysphoria (persistent discomfort with the gender role of the sex assigned at birth).
Crossdresser – A form of gender expression in which an individual wears the clothes of or appears as a different gender than that assigned at birth (i.e., the sex listed on birth certificates).
Cisgender – People whose gender identity and gender expression align with their assigned sex at birth (i.e., the sex listed on their birth certificates).
Intersex – A general term used for a variety of conditions in which a person is born with a reproductive or sexual anatomy or physiology that does not seem to fit the typical definitions of female or male.
Third Gender – Term used by those people who believe that they are neither male nor female in their gender identity and/or expression and believe that they are part of another gender altogether.
Queer – Historically a negative term for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people. LGBT people recently have reclaimed the term, and some employ it in a positive sense to refer to a more flexible view of gender and/or sexuality.
Ally – Nonqueer individual who supports the rights of LGBT people.
Lesbian – A woman who is sexually and romantically attracted to other women.
Gay – A man who is sexually and romantically attracted to other men. Also used as a generic term used to describe both men and women who are sexually and romantically attracted to someone of the same gender.
Questioning – Refers to the experience of a person being unsure of, or exploring, their sexual orientation and/or gender-identity and/or expression.
Bisexual – A person who is sexually and romantically attracted to both men and women.
Straight – A term that either refers to a woman who is attracted to men or to a man who is attracted to women.
Sex – The legal, anatomical and/or biological distinction of male and female.
Gender – The human social, cultural and psychological qualities that indicate masculinity, femininity or lack thereof.
Gender Identity – An individual's internal, deeply felt sense of being a man, a woman, something else or in-between. This identity may or may not match the individual's biological or legal sex.
Gender Expression – An individual's characteristics and behaviors such as appearance, dress, mannerisms speech patterns and social interactions that are perceived as masculine or feminine. These are not necessarily an indication of sexual orientation or gender identity.
Sexual Orientation – An identity based on whether someone is attracted to a person of a different gender, the same gender or many genders.
Transphobia – A term used to describe any level of discomfort or disapproval for people who are perceived to be transgender or people who act in ways counter to gender expectations.
Transitioning – A process during which a person changes their gender expression and/or sex characteristics. This may include changing pronouns, changing one's name, taking estrogen or testosterone and gender confirmation surgeries. The specific composition and order of the process varies from individual to individual.
Heterosexism – The usually implicit assumption that heterosexuality is ideal, preferable to other sexual orientations and/or the only valid option.
Homophobia – Any kind of discomfort or disapproval for people who are perceived to be lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender. This often leads to bias, hatred and harassment of LGBT people.
Internalized Homophobia – The experience of shame, aversion or self-hatred in reaction to one's own feelings of attraction for a person of the same gender/sex.
Partner – A gender neutral term for a person with whom one engages romantically and/or sexually.
Aromantic or Asexual - Does not experience attraction toward anyone.
Gray-romantic or Gray-sexual - Rarely experiences attraction toward anyone.
Demi-romantic Or Demi-sexual - Experiences attraction toward someone only after developing a very strong bond.
Hetero-romantic or Heterosexual - Experiences attraction toward gender(s) other than their own.
Homo-romantic or Homosexual - Experiences attraction toward the same gender as their own.
Bi-romantic or Bisexual - Experiences attraction toward the same gender as well as to other gender(s) than their own.
Pan-romantic or Pan-sexual - Experiences attraction toward all genders/regardless of gender.
Poly-romantic or Poly-sexual - Experiences attraction toward multiple (but not necessarily all) genders.