HRC has just compiled a very useful list of Scholarships for LGBT and Allied Students. Many of the scholarships, especially those from COLAGE, are open to children of LGBT parents.
Thing is, though, some children of LGBT parents prefer not to be called allies, as Abigail Garner has explained. “Ally,” she wrote, implies someone who is helping from outside a community. “I can’t really be an ally to a community of which I am already a part,” she added. Most of the commenters on the post agreed.
This is one of those tricky issues. How to be inclusive without being too wordy? “Scholarships for LGBT Students, Children of LGBT Parents, and Allies”? Something like that? Any suggestions?
In any case, it’s nice to see all of this scholarship information in one place. Thanks to HRC for compiling it.
At the Ten Oaks Project, we now use “children and youth of LGBTQ communities.”
Oh, nice. I like that.
How about “Scholarships for LGBT and Related Students”? That would encompass both those related to LGBT parents, and those related to the LGBT community by virtue of them choosing to be active for LGBT rights.
Thanks for this post- you are spot on that saying LGBT and allied students doesn’t cover it all. I know that Abigail and others have used the term “queer spawn” – would that be acceptable, is it known widely enough? Not sure when we’d implement the changes but I do know its important we accurately describe the content of the database so it is functional.
Hi, Candace,
Thank you for taking the time to comment here. I think you’re right in being a little hesitant about “queerspawn.” A lot of teen/adult children of LGBT parents seem to embrace it–but I sense that others find it too “in your face.”
The previous commenters had some good suggestions, though. At the moment, I’m favoring a variation of Holly’s “children and youth of LGBTQ communities”: “children, youth, and allies of LGBTQ communities.”