About
Welcome to the home of Rainbow Responders! The idea for Rainbow Responders was first imagined in 2019 and finally put into place in 2020. Being a gay paramedic or transgender firefighter is not always the easiest. Many people struggle with topics like:
- Coming out as gay, lesbian, or transgender their co-workers.
- Talking about LGBT+ issues.
- Addressing gender or sexuality-related bias and harassment in the workplace.
Storytelling can help people learn ways to address these issues, and more. Reading stories is also more anonymous and less intimidating than social media groups. Writing is also a well-known way of reducing stress and working through unresolved feelings. Everyone benefits!
Additionally, oral storytelling has a long tradition in queer history and we want to honor that. These days, most people turn to the internet when they are questioning their sexuality or gender. The tradition of oral storytelling still exists on places like YouTube. However, written stories are more accessible to the reader, and have a lower barrier of entry to the writer. We had the idea of collecting stories from gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, and other LGBTQ+ first responders. These stories could then be collected in one place online where they would easy to find and always available. That way those who are questioning or dealing with issues can find stories similar to their own.
How You Can Help
If you are an LGBTQIA+ first responder, active, or retired, please consider submitting your story to our project. We do not collect identifying information unless you choose to share it with your story. The stories collected are posted on our website, Facebook page, and Twitter account.
We also hope to collect resources relevant to LGBTQIA+ firefighters/EMS personnel. Such as people who can provide culturally informed education at conferences and agencies. Or mental health resources for people who need a little extra help. If you know of any good resources we should add you can contact us here.