Who are the City staff of the Commission?
Who are the members of the LGBTQ+ Commission?
To view the purpose of the commission and members, visit this page.
When does the LGBTQ+ Commission meet?
The LGBTQ+ Commission meets the 4th Thursday of the month, from 6:00 - 7:30 p.m., at 51 Inman Street, 2nd floor conference room.*
Members of the public are welcome to join the meetings. Please check the calendar for more information.
* There are no meetings in August or November. The December meeting is held on the 2nd Thursday.
What is the mission of the LGBTQ+ Commission?
The mission of the Cambridge LGBTQ+ Commission is to advocate for a culture of respect and to monitor progress toward equality of all persons with regard to sexual orientation and gender identity.
We are committed to promoting and monitoring policies and practices that have a positive effect on the health, welfare, and safety of all persons who live, visit, or work in the City of Cambridge with regard to sexual orientation and gender identity.
What are some of the LGBTQ+ Commission activities?
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Intergenerational SAGE table dinners
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Annual Pride Brunch
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Working groups focusing on Seniors, Public Health and Safety, Youth, Outreach, Policy, and Housing
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Events and workshops such as: Longfellow House Pride Picnic, Name Change Workshops with Mass Trans Political Coalition, STI Testing and Workshop, Banned Book Read-out and more!
What is the history of the LGBTQ+ Commission?
In February 2004, a citywide GLBT Town Hall meeting was held in the Senior Center at which a number of issues affecting GLBT people were raised. Subsequently, the Cambridge City Council adopted the order below on February 23, 2004 for the formation of a Commission. A second GLBT Town Hall meeting was held in October 2008.
ORDERED: That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to appoint a Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender (GLBT) Commission to take up the recommendations that came out of the GLBT meeting of February 4, 2004.
Members of the GLBT Commission were appointed by the City Manager in the fall of 2004 and the inaugural meeting was held in May 2005. The Commission devoted its initial meetings to reviewing reports from the town meeting and a GLBT Health Forum also held in 2004, creating its mission statement, establishing its internal organization and operating rules, and setting priorities.
On Feb. 13, 2017, an Amendment to Cambridge Municipal Code Chapter 2.125, Section 2.125.010 was passed to change the name of the Cambridge Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender (GLBT) Commission to the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer+ Commission and shall also be known as the “LGBTQ+” Commission.”
What are some of the LGBTQ+ Commissions accomplishments?
- Police GOAL training
- Two GLBT Town Hall Meetings
- Pride Brunch before Pride every year
- GLBT Family Liaison at Cambridge’s Public High Schools
- Participation in search for new school Superintendent
- Single Occupancy Public Restrooms in Municipal Buildings upgraded to to All Gender Restrooms or will be as part of future renovations
- City Manager issued an Open Letter to Cambridge Businesses encouraging them to Designate Single Occupancy Restrooms as All Gender
What are some other local and regional resources?
