Children of Lesbians and Gays Everywhere (COLAGE) is a left-of-center activist and networking organization that focuses on providing programs and resources to children of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender individuals. The organization was founded in 1990 and has a modest budget with a mostly volunteer staff. COLAGE operates several affinity and age-specific groups for parents and children within the LGBT community. The group was among the several LGBT advocacy groups that opposed the possible release of the writings of the perpetrator of a school shooting at The Covenant School in Nashville, Tennessee in April 2023. ^{1 2}

Background

Children of Lesbians and Gays Everywhere was founded in 1990 under the name “Just For Us.” The group began as an informal group of six young people with lesbian and gay parents. In 1996, the group specifically widened in scope to include children of bisexual and transgender individuals to its mission. The group also drove the popularity of the term “queerspawn,” a term that it says has been “lovingly adopted” by some children of LGBT parents. ³

In the early 2000s, COLAGE stated that it grew its membership thanks to the increase in LGBT couples starting families and that the group “adopted a new strategic plan that specifically included an anti-racist, social justice platform.” ⁴

In the 2010s the group reported that it expanded its programming to support gay marriage at the state level and at the Supreme Court. ⁵

Programs and Events

Children of Lesbians and Gays Everywhere operates several age-specific and affinity groups for children of LGBT parents to network. The group has groups for children ages 10-13, ages 14-18, and adults over 18. The group also facilitates affinity groups for people with trans parents, children of elderly LGBT parents, and many others. ⁶

COLAGE operates events annually including annual family weekends that are “regional gatherings of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer-identified families,” a program the group started in 2023. ⁷

Policy Stances

Children of Lesbians and Gays Everywhere issued a statement condemning the Republican-led “Parents Bill of Rights” in Congress that it calls a “devious attempt to disenfranchise the LGBTQ+ community by preventing children from learning about sexual orientation, gender identity, or LGBTQ+ history,” specifically opposing provisions supporting disclosure of books stocked in school libraries. ⁸

In October 2022, COLAGE called on Los Angeles City Council Members Nury Martinez (D), Kevin de León (D), and Gil Cedillo (D) to resign following leaked recordings of the council members making “racist” remarks and criticizing a gay colleague, Councilmember Mike Bonin (D), and his family. ⁹

The group also issued statements criticizing the policies of Florida Governor Ron DeSantis (R) and “mourning” the Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade. ^{10 11}

2023 Nashville School Shooting

COLAGE among the several LGBT advocacy groups that opposed the release of the “manifesto” of the perpetrator of the April 2023 Nashville school shooting following calls from many right-of-center groups for the Nashville Metro Police to release the document. Jordan Budd, the executive director COLAGE, told Newsweek, “The focus should be on how this was able to happen in the first place. There should not be such easy access to deadly weaponry.” ¹²

In response to the comments from COLAGE and others, Dan McLaughlin of the right-leaning National Review opined “Why are these groups taking this stance? They are plainly afraid that it would be bad to use the shooter’s words because this might cause people to blame other people who share some of the shooter’s ideas. But this is exactly what these groups, and their media advocates, would be doing if the tables were turned.” ¹³

1. “Our Story.” COLAGE. Accessed April 21, 2023. https://colage.org/our-story/
2. Fung, Katherine. “Audrey Hale Manifesto Release Raises Major Concerns From LGBTQ+ Groups.” Newsweek. March 28, 2023. Accessed April 21, 2023.  https://www.newsweek.com/audrey-hale-manifesto-release-raises-major-concerns-among-lgbtq-groups-1790938
3. “Our Story.” COLAGE. Accessed April 21, 2023. https://colage.org/our-story/
4. “Our Story.” COLAGE. Accessed April 21, 2023. https://colage.org/our-story/
5. “Our Story.” COLAGE. Accessed April 21, 2023. https://colage.org/our-story/
6. ^[1] “Join Us.” COLAGE. Accessed April 21, 2023. https://colage.org/join-us/
7. “Get Togethers.” COLAGE. Accessed April 21, 2023. https://colage.org/get-togethers/
8. Justice Brown-Duso. “Test 123.” COLAGE, May 14, 2023. https://colage.org/test-123/
9. “COLAGE Statement on Parents Bill of Rights.” COLAGE. Accessed April 21, 2023. https://colage.org/queerphobes-do-not-belong-in-leadership/
10. “Mourn Today, Organize Tomorrow.” COLAGE. Accessed April 21, 2023. https://colage.org/mourn-today-organize-tomorrow/
11. “We Say Gay.” COLAGE. Accessed April 21, 2023. https://colage.org/we-say-gay/
12. McLaughlin, Dan. “If You Don’t Publish This Manifesto, Publish None of Them.” National Review. March 28, 2023. Accessed April 21, 2023. https://www.nationalreview.com/corner/if-you-dont-publish-this-manifesto-publish-none-of-them/
13. McLaughlin, Dan. “If You Don’t Publish This Manifesto, Publish None of Them.” National Review, March 29, 2023. https://www.nationalreview.com/corner/if-you-dont-publish-this-manifesto-publish-none-of-them/.