The holiday season can be a difficult time of year for members of the LGBTQ+ community, and Thanksgiving might well be the pinnacle, often involving unaccepting family members and charged political conversations around the table that can lead Queer people to feel unwelcome in their own family's home.

But whereas traditional family Turkey Day dinners might fall short, some Seattle LGBTQ+ organizations are returning this year to help fill the gap.

Find online support, in-person meals, and chosen family through the following handful of upcoming events from go-to local nonprofits.

PFLAG Seattle
Through regular online and in-person meetings, including peer-to-peer help and special-topics meetings, PFLAG Seattle has provided support for members of the LGBTQ+ community and their families for more than 50 years.

In monthly two-hour meetings (on Capitol Hill, in West Seattle and Renton, and online), PFLAG Seattle often explores important topics and typically reserves an hour for peer support. Last month, attendees heard updates and key takeaways from state Sen. Jamie Pedersen regarding I-2081, the so-called "Parents' Bill of Rights," which was passed by the legislature earlier this year.

This month's online meeting, (Tuesday, November 26, 7-9 p.m.), however, will be dedicated entirely to support in light of the approaching holiday season.

Registration is required for PFLAG Seattle events. Find more information and register at https://www.pflagseattle.org/events.

Wesley Club
The Wesley Club at the University of Washington is a "reconciling" campus ministry of the United Methodist Church, welcoming LGBTQ+ college students across Seattle for social activities and study space, as well as weekly dinners.

The current executive director, Martin Saunders, said that while the Wesley Club is Methodist, a majority of its student visitors do not define themselves as Christian and that there is no expectation for them to do so.

"Whatever doctrine they walk in with, whatever doctrine they walk out with, our hope is that every-body here gets to walk alongside and see where you start and see where you end, and celebrate that along the way."

The Wesley Club celebrated its 100-year anniversary in 2023, but Saunders said most of its social gatherings these days also offer a space for activism-based discussions. Weekly Tuesday dinners, written as "supper church" in a bold black Sharpie on the student lounge's large DIY wall calendar, are a mainstay for these conversations.

"We gather every Tuesday around a big meal for our kind of community gathering. So we call it 'supper church.' This is where we all get together, we eat, we talk about different [things], either social justice, spiritual, or interpersonal, community stuff that we just navigate life through," said Saunders.

At these meals, the small, student-led group has been able to accommodate various dietary needs, including vegan, vegetarian, and allergen-free options. The main goal, Saunders said, is to give college students a safe place to land and, of course, ensure that comes with free food.

"We always overcook, so that there are leftovers, and so students can come by throughout the week for studying, for free meals, for lunches, you know, whatever."

On Tuesday, November 26, the Wesley Club is prepared to host a Thanksgiving-themed "supper church" and invites anyone with a university student ID to join for free food any Tuesday from 6 to 8 p.m.

The Wesley Club student lounge is also open Monday-Thursday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., and activities are regularly shared on Instagram at @wesleyatuw.

Lambert House
Lambert House was founded in order to address the physical and mental health disparities experienced by LGBTQ+ youth, which can sometimes be aggravated by family gatherings. The social services organization hosts regular programming for LGBTQ+ and allied youth at its drop-in center and online. The drop-in center is open from 4 to 9:30 p.m. and "staffed by LGBTQ+ and ally adult role models and has board games, pool, air hockey, ping pong, art supplies, an LGBTQ-youth lending library, video games, and more," according to the website.

On Thursday, November 21 from 6 to 7 pm, Lambert House will host a "Thanksgiving Dinner with Divas" for LGBTQ+ youth aged 11-22. Parent or guardian permission is required for youth aged 12 and younger. The free event includes games and a home-cooked Thanksgiving meal with other LGBTQ+ and allied youth.

Youth who are new to Lambert House programs must complete a New Youth Orientation in order to attend programs like "Dinner with Divas." The orientation takes just about 20 minutes to complete and is available online or in person at the drop-in center.

Learn more about Lambert House's youth programs at https://www.lamberthouse.org , or stop by Lambert House's temporary drop-in center and staff offices, located on the St. Mark's Cathedral campus at 1229 10th Ave. E, on Capitol Hill. Contact Program Director Brandon Knox with any questions at [email protected] .

Notable additions
While no Thanksgiving-specific event is confirmed at this time, another resourceful and active organization supporting those impacted by addiction, mental health, and/or HIV/AIDS is PEER Seattle. Its already-full calendar of programs for the coming weeks can be found at https://www.peerseattle.org/calendar .

In addition to the organizations listed, it should be noted that Diversity Alliance of Puget Sound was to host holiday meals, but as of now, has shut down all of its regular programs, for reasons to be announced in mid-November.

Find a calendar of all upcoming events on the SGN's radar on our website at https://www.sgn.org/events.php.