LGBTQ+ Services & Resources
Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer (LGBTQ+) and Questioning people experience disproportionately high levels of victimization, social isolation, suicide attempts and violence.
Houselessness, lack of adequate health care, harassment in schools/at work only add to the negative outcomes for these communities. YWCA Kaua‘i’s goal is to bridge the gap between the LGBTQ+ community and the service providers on island that serve all of our Kaua‘i communities. Through education, awareness, empathy, and cultural competence we can better serve the LGBTQ+ community on our island home.
YWCA Kaua‘i Resources
LGBTQ+ MVPFAFF Adult Group starting June 1, 2026.
Join YWCA Kaua‘i for a Pride Week Meet & Greet on June 1 from 4–6 PM, followed by the launch of the LGBTQIA2S+ MVPFAFF* Support Group (18+). Sessions begin June 8 and continue every 2nd and 4th Monday from 4–6 PM. This free, confidential, consent-based group focuses on grounding, connection, and sustainable coping skills, with tea and snacks provided. RSVP required. Contact: axel@ywcakauai.orgor 808-245-5959 ext. 121.
YWCA Kaua‘i offers LGBTQ+ Trainings designed for businesses, non-profits, service providers, community groups, and more. Topics covered include LGBTQ+ 101, Transgender Cultural Humility, Barriers to Services, Creating an Inclusive Environment, and Better Serving LGBTQ+ Survivors of Violence. These sessions promote inclusivity, awareness, and respect in professional and community spaces.
For training inquiries, please contact Matthew Houck, Director of Prevention, at matthew@ywcakauai.org or (808) 245-5959 ext. 130.
More YWCA Resources
+ Download YWCA LGBTQ+ Brochure
+ Download YWCA LGBTQ+ Sex Assault Survivor Brochure
+ YWCA Kaua‘i’s 24/7 Domestic Violence + Sex Assault Hotline is LGBTQ+ friendly
Free HIV/STD Testing, Counseling & Treatment
Transgender Services
Gender-affirming hormone therapy
Counseling and ongoing care
Local Resources
Hawai‘i Coalition Against Sex Assault
“LGBTQ+ - Enhanced Best Practice Standards for the Delivery of Sexual Assault Services in Hawai‘i” (scroll down to ‘Resources for Service Providers’)
Inclusive Mental Health Clinic for Teens
Domestic Violence Action Center (DVAC) Hawai‘i
LGBTQ+ and Immigration Advocacy Program
Statewide Resources
Book Recommendations
-
![Before We Were Trans Book cover]()
Before We Were Trans: A New History of Gender
by Kit Heyam
Non-fiction. An exploration of the history and complexity of gender highlighting diverse experiences of nonconformity across cultures.
-
![the care we dream of book cover]()
The Care We Dream Of: Liberatory & Transformative Approaches to LGBTQ+ Health
by Zena Sharman
Non-fiction. A must-read for anyone who is passionate about creating a more just and inclusive healthcare system.
-
![spectrums - autistic transgender people in their own words]()
Spectrums: Autistic Transgender People In their Own Words
Edited by Maxfield Sparrow
Non-fiction. A beautiful collection of essays by Autistic trans writers that displays the under-discussed intersection of neurodivergence and gender identity.
-
![]()
Crip Kinship: The Disability Justive & Art Activism of Sins Invalid
by Shayda Kafai
Non-fiction. A documentation of the Sins Invalid performance project highlighting queer disability justice and the radical imaginings of "disabled, queer, trans, and gender-nonconforming bodyminds of colour".
-
![It came from the closet]()
It Came From The Closet: Queer Reflections on Horror
by Joe Vallese
Non-fiction. This collection of essays celebrates queer identity through the lense of the horror genre, revisiting the origins of camp and elaborating on the draw this divisive genre can have to a community experiencing strife.
