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Link to the digital version of the full magazine is below.
From the Options Board of Directors
Last year, Options reached an incredible milestone: advocating and providing education for the LGBTQIA+ community for 40 years. In the 2022 print edition, our previous chair promised Options would “keep the flame burning until it is time for us to pass the torch to those who will take Options through the next 40 years.” As we step into our fifth decade, we are grateful for the foundation those before us built and eager to reach for the stars of our future. Rhode Island has a wealth of diverse Queer people who hold a variety of stories, and Options hopes to continue sharing those stories well beyond our lifetimes.
The 2023 Print Edition Is Online!
The past few years have not been kind to our community. We witnessed the introduction of hundreds of bills targeting BIPOC and LGBTQIA+ people across the nation and, in some states, very little resistance to them. The COVID-19 pandemic ushered in economic instability for many of us. Transgender and gender diverse people have been increasingly targeted just for existing and holding space. There is a wave of vitriol trying to erase our stories, but, as history shows, we persist.
Every time hate reared its ugly head, an even louder chant of love and support came booming. Rhode Island’s Black Lives Matter protests and movements against anti-trans rhetoric rallied people who share our experiences and emphasized those experiences are baked into history. The younger generations continue to come out in droves in support of our most marginalized, demonstrating that our future is in good hands. Last year, Rhode Island had over 30 LGBTQIA+ candidates run for political office, a record of representation that will only keep growing. Hope is on our horizon.
As we look into our future, we at Options strive to bear our histories and stories and immortalize them for years to come. We aim to grow our reach to a wider, younger, and more diverse audience, connecting with all corners of our vibrant community and weave a tapestry of our lives. It’s no simple task and it’s not a task we can do alone, so we open the door to you, our readers, to contribute your piece of our connected tale and aid us in continuing to spread Queer history.
We at Options invite you to fearlessly continue to share your stories. Shout them as loud as you can and even louder in the face of adversity. Our stories are permanent, intertwined, and deserve to be told. To all our readers, advertisers, sponsors, and supporters… THANK YOU! Let us partner to create a beautiful future that hosts all our colors and walks of life.
Gratefully yours,
Ryan Vigneau, Chair
Options Board of Directors