LGBTQ Center Orange County   

The History of the LGBTQ Center OC for over 50 years, the LGBTQ Center OC has been a resource for the modern LGBTQ movement, typically traced back to the infamous Stonewall riots between police and the LGBT community in New York City in 1969. Only a year after the riots, the first gay pride parades in U.S. history took place in Los Angeles, Chicago, San Francisco, and New York, and by 1977, California saw its first openly gay politician, Harvey Milk.  Here too in Orange County, the 1970s saw huge growth in LGBT activity and organization. While decades past had established local LGBT hangout spots and a well-known gay community in Laguna Beach, the 1970s brought the organization of groups such as the Gay Liberation Front of Orange County, Cal State Fullerton’s Gay Students Educational Union, and Orange County’s first gay newsletter. Gathering momentum in spite of complaints and even threats, such collaborative efforts formed The Center OC as a volunteer group in 1971 and as an incorporated nonprofit in 1975. In these early days, The Center OC consolidated the efforts of several groups and offered social events, workshops (including one on Harvey Milk), and a resource hotline as its first programs.   Now, The Center OC is the second oldest gay and lesbian center in the nation, serving more than 10,000 LGBTQ and other clients annually. It was one of the first groups in Orange County to respond to the AIDS crisis and led efforts to address HIV/AIDS among Latinos, still offering English/Spanish services today. We are committed to serving people of all colors and cultures, and our staff and client demographics closely reflect the racial and ethnic diversity of our local community. The Center OC remains the most comprehensive health and social service organization specifically targeting Orange County’s LGBTQ community, and we are proud to serve not only the LGBTQ community but also their friends and family.  Looking forward, The Center OC is becoming even more active in advocating for the rights and well-being of the LGBTQ residents it serves. Whether readying a response to the forthcoming decision on California’s Proposition 8 or supporting LGBT immigrants, The Center OC is speaking out on critical issues important not only to our region but also to our state and nation. As we take a stand on these political, legal, and social issues, we hope to become a true CENTER for support, resources, and collective movement among the LGBTQ population in Orange County.