Most LGBTQ+ community centers face threats and violence, yet they persist: report

LGBTQ+ community centers continue to provide vital resources to queer people across the United States, even in the face of overwhelming threats and harassment.

The vast majority of LGBTQ+ community centers (73 percent) reported experiencing anti-LGBTQ+ threats or harassment over the past two years, according to the 2024 LGBTQ Community Center Survey Report from the Movement Advancement Project and CenterLink. Most of the threats targeted centers' transgender or youth programs and events.

“This report is a crucial guidepost for us to see the positive impact of LGBTQ centers across the U.S. as well as what areas need additional resources,” said Denise Spivak, CEO of CenterLink. “As we celebrate our 30th anniversary, this report makes clear the importance of LGBTQ centers in our communities.”

The report surveyed 199 LGBTQ+ community centers across 42 states, as well as Washington D.C. and Puerto Rico, which serve over 58,700 people each week — over 3 million people each year — primarily low-income, people of color, transgender people, and youth under the age of 18.

Most of the centers (66 percent) provide physical health, mental health, and/or anti-violence services or programs, and half (50 percent) offer computer resources to the public. Nearly all centers (92 percent) engage in advocacy, public policy, or civic engagement activities.

Over one-third of centers reported having budgets of less than $250,000, with nearly two-thirds (64 percent) reported being current recipients of a government grant for services such as health and housing. The centers provide approximately 3,100 people with jobs, and enlist roughly 11,600 people as volunteers.

Tessa Juste, LGBTQ Movement Building and Policy Researcher from the Movement Advancement Project, said in a statement that the report "illustrates the vital difference these centers make in people’s everyday lives, while also highlighting the urgent need for continued funding and support of these centers and the lifelines they provide.”

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