Who We Are LGBTQ and Planning
The LGBTQ and Planning Division of APA is a forum for the exchange of ideas and information of interest to people in the planning profession who identify as part of the LGBTQ community and anyone who is interested in LGBTQ community issues.
The division addresses planning topics and issues that relate to the LGBTQ community by providing a forum for exchanging ideas and information. It provides a professional network for planners who are division members and a mechanism that allows friends of the division and the LGBTQ community to collaborate and support the division's mission.
The LGBTQ and Planning Division evolved in 2016 from the Gays and Lesbians in Planning (GALIP) Division that was created as a formal APA division in 1998 at the APA National Planning Conference in Boston. We've been an informal network since 1992 when we met for the first time at the national conference in Washington, D.C.
LGBTQ and Planning Division Statement Statement on the Removal of the Pride flag at Stonewall National Monument
Members of the LGBTQ and Planning Division,
We are writing in response to the presidential administration’s removal of the Pride flag from the Stonewall National Monument, a site internationally recognized as the birthplace of the modern LGBTQ+ rights movement.
This action, carried out under a federal directive restricting flag displays on National Park Service-managed flagpoles, has ignited widespread outrage among LGBTQ+ advocates, elected officials, and community members who see it as more than a policy decision, but as a symbolic act of erasure.
Stonewall’s significance extends far beyond bricks and mortar. It is a living site of collective memory, a marker of struggle, resilience, and progress. The Pride flag is not merely decorative: it stands as a visible affirmation of identity, history, and belonging at the very locus of the fight for civil rights. Its removal communicates, intentionally or not, a narrowing of that story and an exclusion of the people who shaped it.
As everyday planners working in local government, consulting, nonprofits, and community development, we may not control national decisions, but we do influence the spaces, policies, and narratives within our own communities. Within the scope of our work, we can:
- Uphold the APA Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct, which implore us to "Incorporate equity principles and strategies as the foundation for preparing plans and implementation programs," "Seek social justice by identifying and working to expand choice and opportunity for all persons," and "Recognize and work to mitigate the impacts of existing plans and procedures that result in patterns of discrimination, displacement, or environmental injustice." Our profession calls for us to expand belonging, not restrict it. We must remain steadfast in that responsibility and invite you to continue advancing this work.
- Cultivate a culture of respect, equity, and support in our places of work. We can foster professional environments where LGBTQ+ colleagues, community members, and stakeholders feel safe, valued, and heard. Creating inclusive workplaces is not ancillary to planning practice, it strengthens our ability to serve the public with integrity and care.
- Honor our communities by actively acknowledging our histories and openly discussing how the past impacts our present and future. Planning decisions have long shaped, and at times constrained, the lives of LGBTQ+ people and other marginalized communities. By acknowledging both harm and resilience, we help ensure that our work does not perpetuate erasure, but instead contributes to more just, representative, and inclusive places.
Though the work we do in our professional lives may vary, our commitment to great, inclusive, and equitable communities remains consistent and is the core of what it means to be a Planner.
We stand in opposition to actions that exclude or belittle any members of our communities. Though we know our communities are stronger than symbolism, the intentional removal and erasure of history is not consistent with the aspirational values of our nation or profession.
We will continue to hold ourselves to the high standards our communities deserve. We hope you will join us.
Sincerely and with Pride,
LGBTQ and Planning Division Leadership
Connect with Community Bi-Monthly Coffee Chats
Let's connect and percolate with pride! The LGBTQ & Planning Division is hosting bi-monthly coffee chats — an informal space to build community, share ideas, and support one another in planning and beyond!
Register using the following links:
📅 First Fridays at 12:00 PM ET - Register here!
📅 Third Tuesdays at 5:00 PM ET - Register here!
All beverages and identities welcome, just bring a mug and your full self!
Recent Events A Conversation with Dr. Petra Doan
In celebration of Trans Awareness Week (November 13–19), the APA LGBTQ & Planning Division invited Dr. Petra Doan for a one-hour talk exploring how zoning and land use regulations impact the creation, preservation, and erasure of queer urban spaces.
Drawing from decades of scholarship on Queer Urbanism and lived experience, Dr. Doan examined how planning tools, such as zoning codes, nuisance regulations, noise ordinances, and bar licensing policies, have historically constrained LGBTQ+ spaces while also offering opportunities for community resilience and visibility. The discussion examined how planners can recognize and protect these spaces as vital components of urban diversity and inclusion.
Recent Events LGBTQ Historic Context Statement Panel
In celebration of LGBTQ History Month, we held a special webinar:
LGBTQ Historic Context Statement Panel
This panel explored how cities across the country are preserving queer history through LGBTQ Historic Context Statements. Panelists shared how their cities developed these powerful tools and how they’re being used to guide planning and preservation today. Our Panelists Include:
- Susan Coleman, Urban Planner III, Atlanta Office of Design Historic Preservation Studio
- Alex Westhoff, Senior Planner, San Francisco Planning
- Rafael Fontes, City Planning Associate, Los Angeles City Planning Historic Resources
Moderated by the APA LGBTQ & Planning Division, this webinar offers practical insights for planners, preservationists, and advocates committed to elevating underrepresented histories in the built environment.
Events
- There are no upcoming Division-related events at this time.