• So, your kid came out as trans. What’s next? 
• VA Pride Recap 
• Z.J.W. v. King George County: Update
• Bullying Prevention Month 
• LGBTQ+ History Month 
• Quick Community Updates

When your youth comes out as trans, you're likely to have more questions than answers. 

But by being here you’re already taking an important step: learning how to better support your youth. 

There’s no perfect way to parent, but there’s always an opportunity to become more prepared and informed. That’s why we’re inviting parents and caregivers to So, Your Kid is Trans, a four-part series to learn, ask questions, and connect with others navigating raising their trans youth. 

Together, we’ll explore the basics of sex and gender, ways to support trans youth, questions around transition and gender-affirming care, and navigating uncertainty as a caregiver. The final session series will also include an open discussion where caregivers can bring their questions, concerns, and experiences. 

The series meets the 1st and 3rd Wednesday of the month, from 6:00–7:30 PM, beginning November 4th. Sessions are hybrid and can be attended in person at Side by Side or virtually. 

Dates: November 4th, November 18th, December 2nd, & December 16th. 

Registration is required, but there is no deadline. Caregivers can join at any point during the series. 

You don’t have to figure it out alone. Click below to register!

VA Pride has officially come to a close and we ended it with a bang! Thanks to the over 200 of you who came by during Pridefest. It was a great day of connecting our youth and their families with vital resources and information about the services we provide... and making some fun buttons, too! 

A big thank you also goes to all our volunteers who made the day possible! If you want to join us for the next event, sign up to become a volunteer below.

Last month, we shared the story of Z.J.W. v. King George School Board, a case involving students who were denied the opportunity to form a Gender & Sexuality Alliance (GSA) at King George Middle School. 

Now, there’s an important update: the ACLU of Virginia and Potomac Law Group have reached a settlement with the King George County School Board. Under the settlement, the school board has reversed its previous policy and will once again allow noncurricular student organizations to form at the middle school level, including a GSA.  

For students, this means they will have the opportunity to create spaces at school where they can build community, find support, and feel a sense of belonging. 

This settlement is an important step toward ensuring that LGBTQ+ students have the same opportunities to participate in school life as their peers. But students should not have to go to court to validate their right to belong. 

If you or a youth you know needs help to develop a GSA or grow an established one, click the button below! 

Over half of LGBTQ+ young people ages 13–17 experienced bullying, according to The Trevor Project’s 2025 U.S. National Survey on the Mental Health of LGBTQ+ Young People. The effects of bullying often result in lower GPA’s, higher rates of harassment and assault, and absenteeism in school due to feeling unsafe.

The most effective tool we have to counter these rates is by creating supportive environments for our youth to thrive. While many students' schools have anti-bullying policies, few explicitly included sexual orientation and gender orientation. Similar surveys found that LGBTQ+ young people with 6 or more supportive adults have shown higher GPAs, low absentee rates, and a greater sense of belonging. 

As allies and advocates, we can fill the gap.

You can help by staying informed through training and education and creating safe spaces for our youth to thrive.

While the help of supportive adults is incredibly valuable, having the additive of a licensed professional can be the last missing piece. We offer free counseling services to any youth between 11 and 25. You do not have to be a Side By Side participant to utilize our services.  

Click the button below to learn more about our clinical services. 

As we step into October, we are proud to recognize LGBTQ+ History Month. Over the course of 35 years, we’ve made our own impact in history by standing strong as the only LGBTQ+ youth support center in the state of Virgina. We’ve created a culture of support, listening to the needs of our community, and stepping in with accessible solutions despite operating in an increasingly difficult funding environment. 

Without the support of people like you, we wouldn’t be able to create a supportive future for the next generation. Over a third of our funding is brought in from individual donations. With our new campaign Every Month Matters, we hope to break the assumption that the everyday person doesn’t have enough to contribute.  

With a monthly gift of only $25 you can make a difference.  

Help us keep a piece of history alive while also paving the way for our future youth by donating below! 

Upcoming Events:

Serve up some haunts for a great cause at the 2026 Spooky Spikes Sand Volleyball Tournament! Join us at Babes of Carytown on October 10th, 12:00-6:00pm, for a costume-filled, high-energy sand volleyball tournament benefiting TransJam, VA Pride, and of course... Side By Side! Between matches, be sure to order up a very special cocktail – The Lavender Circle – created by Side By Side staff. 

Come on out and join us at Congresswoman Jennifer McClellan's Annual Harvest Festival at the Science Museum of Virginia on Halloween, Saturday, October 31st from 5:30pm to 8:00pm. Costumes are encouraged!  

Volunteer Updates: 

The next Volunteer Orientation will be held on Saturday, December 12th from 9:00am-12:00pm. If you are interested in attending this event, please complete our Volunteer Application.   

Holiday Closures:

We will be closed Monday, October 12th in observance of Indigenous Peoples' Day. There will be no group meetings or drop-in hours that day. Regular programming and office hours will resume Tuesday, October 13th. We hope everyone has a safe and meaningful holiday! 

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