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Young, Queer, and Unapologetic
Young, Queer, and Unapologetic
Young people's power isn’t about achieving something—it’s about just being themselves. Queer and trans youth have always driven movements, rethought systems, and pushed for more than just getting by. They envision a better world without asking for permission, mobilize without needing credentials, and speak out against injustice in ways that challenge comfort and spark change.
At the heart of this module are the wisdom, anger, creativity, and resistance of LGBTQ+ young people—particularly those who are Black, Brown, Indigenous, disabled, undocumented, and affected by the system. Their voices aren’t just metaphors for the future; they're present and powerful, expressing grief, laughter, and strength as they build and lead.
Let this be a reminder: youth work is a sacred calling, and listening is a powerful act of love.
Core Content
Core Content
Documentary (YouTube,): Kiki (2016) - Sara Jordenö
This vibrant documentary follows LGBTQ+ youth of color in New York’s kiki ballroom culture. It’s a compassionate portrayal of creativity, chosen family, and self-advocacy amid systemic violence
Documentary (YouTube, Full-length): Pier Kids (2019) - Elegance Bratton
this film chronicles Black and Latinx queer and trans youth who survive through chosen-family networks at Manhattan’s Christopher Street Pier—navigating police violence, homelessness, and community care
Scholarly Article: Solidarity Through Mail-Based Participatory Visual Research - Burkholder et al.
A peer-reviewed case study exploring zine-making workshops with queer/trans youth in New Brunswick, Canada—demonstrating how DIY zines foster self-expression, connection, resistance, and peer-led advocacy
Documentary (YouTube, Full-length): In the Turn (2014) - Erica Tremblay
A heartfelt reflection from a queer parent on choosing joy during uncertain times, especially for their child’s sake. Grounded in love, hope, and daily action.
Article (Them): Trans Teens Throw Prom at Capitol - James Factora
A feature about trans youth organizing their own prom at the U.S. Capitol—a creative, joyful protest against anti-trans legislation that interweaves celebration and resistance
Reflect, Resist, Rejoice: Discussion & Practice
Reflect, Resist, Rejoice: Discussion & Practice
Reflection Questions (great for journaling or small group dialogue)
Reflection Questions (great for journaling or small group dialogue)
For Youth
For Youth
When did you first realize your voice had power?
What happened when you used it?
What parts of your identity feel like a protest just by existing?
How do you show joy, rage, or resistance in creative ways—online, in your clothes, in your art, in how you care for others?
Who sees you as you are—and listens when you speak?
What would you build if no one told you “no”?
For Adults
For Adults
How are you making space for queer and trans youth to lead—not just be represented?
When was the last time you listened more than you spoke in a youth space?
What systems have you upheld, intentionally or not, that silence or endanger queer/trans youth?
How do you respond when youth challenge you?
(Do you defend your role—or deepen your commitment?)What would it mean to earn the trust of the youth you serve—and keep earning it?
Critical Discussions Prompts (for classrooms, study groups, or peer-led facilitation)
Critical Discussions Prompts (for classrooms, study groups, or peer-led facilitation)
For LGBTQ+ Youth
How do adult-led systems (like schools, shelters, or nonprofits) fail to hear or protect queer and trans youth?
(Where do you feel most invisible or most powerful?)What does leadership look like when it's rooted in community care instead of hierarchy?
How can protest look like joy, performance, or refusal—not just marches or speeches?
What’s the difference between being platformed and being heard?
How do you navigate survival while still imagining the future?
For Adults
How often are queer and trans youth shaping the agendas—not just attending the events?
In what ways have you confused “protecting” youth with silencing or controlling them?
What do you do when youth push against your authority, your policies, or your beliefs?
Are your spaces trauma-informed and joy-informed?
Do you make room for youth brilliance, not just their wounds?
How do you practice accountability to youth without making them responsible for your learning?
Creative + Collective Practice Prompts (for workshops, zines, or embodied learning)
Creative + Collective Practice Prompts (for workshops, zines, or embodied learning)
Create your own protest artifact.
Design a poster, chant, patch, outfit, or dance that reflects what resistance means to you.
Where does your power live? What would you wear to your own revolution?
Document queer joy in your community.
Interview a fellow queer or trans youth (or elder!) about what makes them feel seen, safe, and powerful.
Turn it into a zine, podcast clip, or digital collage.
Throw your own radical youth prom.
Plan a blueprint for a queer-centered celebration that rejects cisnormativity and embraces chosen family.
Music?
Ritual?
Fashion?
Safety?
Start a youth liberation timeline.
Map out moments—big or small—when youth have changed the world. Include your name on it.
You're part of that lineage too.
Host an intergenerational truth circle.
Pair youth and adults to exchange letters about survival, regret, joy, and what they wish someone had told them.
What do we owe one another across time?
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