Be
Proud.
Be Heard.
Be OUTspoken.
A Movement for Queer Equity + Civic Power
give proudly.
give now.
OUTspoken Milwaukee is a new campaign of the Milwaukee LGBT Community Center — uniting queer voices, organizations, and allies to advocate for public investment in LGBTQ+ programs, health, and equity.
This was known as the “Lavender Scare”, pulling from the streak of lavender just twenty years earlier. The policy was based on the unfounded fear that gay men and lesbians “posed a threat to national security because they were vulnerable to blackmail and were considered to have weak moral characters; an aspect of American history that has largely been overlooked.
Over the next four decades, tens of thousands of government workers would lose their jobs for no reason other than their sexual orientation. But the actions of the government had an unintended effect.
They inadvertently helped ignite the gay rights movement.
In 1969, the color lavender came to symbolize empowerment & homosexuality.
As the color lavender represents a twenty-fourth anniversary or milestone, the Milwaukee LGBT Community Center proudly adopts this empowered color in the last month of our twenty-fourth year of service to remember and celebrate the many queer lives – our lavender lives – that have come through our doors.
Entering our 25th year, we need your support so we may continue providing a place to heal, the ability to help, and giving hope to those in the community who really need it.
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Show your pride & love for the LGBTQ+ community when it matters most.
Fund Queer Milwaukee
The City of Milwaukee currently has no dedicated line of funding for LGBTQ+ programs or services. OUTspoken Milwaukee is advocating for the creation of an LGBTQ+ Equity Fund in the City’s FY2026 budget — a modest but vital investment in mental health, youth leadership, trans wellness, and safety.
This fund would:
Strengthen partnerships between City departments and queer-led nonprofits.
Expand access to affirming health and safety programs.
Ensure queer equity is built into city policies and reporting.
fund Queer Milwaukee
if you luv me, will you help me?
Why It Matters
Funding Queer Milwaukee Strengthens Everyone
LGBTQ+ residents experience higher rates of housing insecurity, violence, and health disparities.
Queer and trans youth are twice as likely to face homelessness.
Milwaukee’s queer-serving organizations fill critical service gaps — often with limited resources.
Investing in these programs means investing in public safety, health, and belonging for all.
As a safe space, Project Q provides opportunities for development and leadership through a number of activities.
workforce/job skills development
leadership and life skills activities
expression/arts-based activities
alcohol, tobacco, and other drug risk-reduction activities
safer sex and healthy relationship education
health and wellness program
events: GSA Summit, drag shows, and more.
brb, i need someone to talk to.
Take Action
Your Voice Matters — Here’s How to Be OUTspoken
Email City Leaders: Use our pre-written message to urge your Alder to support the Equity Fund.
Sign the Petition: Join hundreds of Milwaukee residents calling for queer equity funding.
Donate Now: Directly support this critical work and ensure our advocacy continues.
Share Your Story: Tell us how public investment in LGBTQ+ programs would impact your life.
Join the Coalition: Become part of OUTspoken Milwaukee’s network of queer advocates and allies.
out of the closet with nothing to wear.
Clothing Closet
The Center’s Clothing Closet is a dedicated free resource that affirms and empowers queer individuals who are in need of new and lightly worn clothing and accessories.
Often overlooked, clothing is at the core of queer and gender expression.
Your donation will support the Clothing Closet program and allow the Center to sustain its hours of operation, support staff, and purchase new items as needed.
Those dressed in this program include
displaced & under-resourced youth/adolescents.
transgender, non-binary, gender non-conforming individuals.
financially struggling adults.
job seekers, and more.