Gay City Health Project

Last updated
Gay City: Seattle's LGBTQ Center
Formation1995
TypeLGBTQ community and health organization in Seattle
PurposeHealth services, Library, Arts, Performing Arts, Resources, ORCA LIFT
Headquarters400 E. Pine St, Seattle, WA 98122
Region served
Seattle, Washington
Official language
English
Executive Director
Nakita Venus
Website gaycity.org

Seattle's LGBTQ+ Center, formerly known as Gay City: Seattle's LGBTQ Center (until 2022) [1] and Gay City Health Project, is a 501(c)(3) multicultural LGBTQ nonprofit organization based in Seattle, Washington. [2]

Contents

History

Gay City formed in 1995 during the HIV/AIDS epidemic.

In the mid-2000s, Gay City introduced a Wellness Center that provided HIV testing and STI screening (syphilis, chlamydia, gonorrhea, and hepatitis C). [3] The health services expanded in 2019 to five locations. According to their website, Gay City is the leading HIV/STI tester in King County. [4]

In 2007, Gay City served as a research partner for the Seattle branch of the HIV Vaccine Trials Network. [5]

The Seattle LGBTQ+ Center houses the Michael C. Weidemann LGBTQ+ Library, a library focusing on LGBTQ topics with over 8,000 books. [6] [7] The library was formerly named the LGBT Lending Library and held by the Seattle LGBT Community Center, until it closed in 2009. The library was inherited by Seattle LGBTQ+ Center that same year and renamed. [8]

Locations

In April 2022, Gay City moved into a new headquarters building at 400 E. Pine Street in the Capitol Hill neighborhood. [6] Previously, Gay City was located at 517 E. Pike (two blocks south and one block east of the current location). [9]

Previous and Current Aliases

Seattle's LGBTQ Center has operated under various names in the past. The organization was founded as Gay Men’s Health Project in 1995. [1] "As treatments for HIV/AIDS improved" the organization broadened its scope, eventually changing names to Gay City at some point before 2006. [1] In 2006, the Seattle Commission for Sexual Minorities submitted a report [10] to the mayor's office which contained an appendix that mentioned Gay City by name, stating its formal name to be Gay City Health Project. [11] In 2022, the organization shortened their name from Gay City: Seattle’s LGBTQ Center[ citation needed ] to Seattle's LGBTQ+ Center, in conjunction with their relocation. [1]

By 2025, the US National Prevention Information Network listed the organization as "Seattles LGBTQ Wellness Center". [3]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Strangeways, Michael (2022-04-22). "Gay City Unpacks…And, Announce New Name: "Seattle's LGBTQ+ Center"". Seattle Gay Scene. Retrieved 2025-05-09.
  2. ↑ "Gay City". Discover Burien. May 20, 2019. Archived from the original on December 19, 2019.
  3. 1 2 "Gay City Health Project | National Prevention Information Network | Connecting public health professionals with trusted information and each other". npin.cdc.gov. Retrieved 2023-10-09.
  4. ↑ "About Us - Gay City: Seattle's LGBTQ Center - Mission/Values". Gay City: Seattle's LGBTQ Center. Retrieved 2023-10-09.
  5. ↑ Forbes, Dean (9 May 2007). "HIV Vaccine Awareness Day is May 18; Seattle research unit to mark day with remembrance and new community partners". fhcrc.org. Retrieved 13 September 2011.
  6. 1 2 "For Pride 2022, visit Gay City in its new Capitol Hill home". Capitol Hill Seattle Blog. 2022-06-24. Retrieved 2023-10-08.
  7. ↑ Goldstein-Street, Jake (2018-12-13). "Gay City has expanded E Pike library and resource center — and Three Dollar Bill Cinema as a new roommate". Capitol Hill Seattle Blog. Retrieved 2023-10-08.
  8. ↑ "Gay City Health Project". Seattle Foundation. Archived from the original on 3 February 2012. Retrieved 13 September 2011.
  9. ↑ "Gay City finds new home on Capitol Hill". Capitol Hill Seattle Blog. 2021-10-07. Retrieved 2023-10-08.
  10. ↑ Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Questioning (LGBTQ) Youth in Seattle (PDF) (Report). Seattle, Washington, USA: City of Seattle. February 2006. Retrieved 2025-05-09.
  11. ↑ Appendix A: LGBTQ Youth Resources (PDF) (Report). Seattle, Washington, USA: City of Seattle. February 2006. Retrieved 2025-05-09.

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