Happy LGBTQ+ History Month! Or, as we call it here in Washington state, 2SLGBTQIA+ History Month. This term acknowledges the distinct experiences of two-spirit, intersex, and asexual individuals and provides an ongoing reminder of the varied identities and perspectives that are included when we talk about sexual and gender minorities.

This month, I had the honor of speaking at the Washington State 2SLGBTQIA+ History Month Plenary, sponsored by the Washington LGBTQ+ Commission. The event, held on October 19, 2024, had four speakers: Desi Quenzer and Ling Lomanog (both  members of the commission’s Youth Advisory Council), Commissioner Jason Victor Serinus, and myself.

I spoke on the importance of remembering the 2SLGBTQIA+ past, both for members of these communities and for those who identify as heterosexual and cisgender. We are part of the national story, and a true understanding of how the United States came to be where it is today is impossible without looking holistically at those who live within its boundaries.