Posted on July 24th, 2021
WAGLY was founded in 2011 as a group for LGBTQ+ and allied high school youth. As a part of the statewide AGLY network, it adopted a name like many of its peers, including groups like BAGLY, BrAGLY, McVAGLY, NAGLY, SShAGLY, and SWAGLY. The AGLY acronym originally stood for “alliance of gay and lesbian youth,” though […]
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Posted on May 20th, 2021
On Friday, May 21, 2021, OUT MetroWest and Framingham GLASS are celebrating LGBTQ+ and ally members of the high school classes of 2020 and 2021. All students from MetroWest-area towns and cities are invited to this free virtual event, whether or not they’ve previously attended OUT MetroWest or Framingham GLASS programs. Students are welcome to […]
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Posted on March 29th, 2021
Youth at our flagship LGBTQ+ high school program, WAGLY, were recently treated to a virtual visit from Alex Fischer (they/them), a queer bookkeeper with A Bookkeeping Cooperative, who led them through a workshop on Budgeting 101. This meeting was offered in response to participant requests for post-high school preparation. We followed up with Alex and […]
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Posted on March 15th, 2021
We get asked a lot of questions about OUT MetroWest, and we’ve tried to answer a lot of them here but, we know, it’s a lot of words. So we made a quick video answering the top three most frequently asked questions. In this four-minute video, we talk about what needs to happen before you […]
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Posted on September 3rd, 2020
Even when we’re physically distant, there are people who will listen and understand! Our meetings are all online, free, and don’t require an RSVP. Join us whenever you are able! In addition to our free online meetings, here are a few resources for when you need extra support: Trans Lifeline: 877-565-8860 The Trevor Project 866-488-7386 or […]
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Posted on April 17th, 2020
With schools closed, many LBGTQ+ youth need places to connect with supportive peers and adult role models. Since mid-March, we’ve been offering all of our regularly-scheduled meetings online. Youth can video chat, audio chat, chat by typing, or simply listen. Remember: allies are welcome at our drop-in, Nexus, and WAGLY programs! If you are not […]
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Posted on March 10th, 2020
OUT MetroWest will hold online youth meetings until in-person gatherings are deemed safe by public health officials. Online meeting times correspond to the scheduled times for our Drop-in, Nexus, Umbrella, and WAGLY meetings. Links to the online meeting locations are available on our website calendar. Please note that all meetings will be facilitated by trained […]
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Posted on October 2nd, 2019
Each year, we serve hundreds of youth at our drop-in, Nexus, Umbrella, and WAGLY programs for LGBTQ+ youth. We also offer a peer leadership cohort, a series of events for gender expansive young children and their families, and community workshops on gender and sexual orientation. While we address some undeniably tough topics through our work, […]
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Posted on August 29th, 2019
Earlier this year, the family of a recent alum reached out to us to ask how they could help OUT MetroWest. Knowing how much their own child had benefited from our programs, they generously agreed to sponsor our series of WAGLY summer parties. Summer parties are a WAGLY tradition, historically taking place the fourth Monday […]
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Posted on August 7th, 2019
We’re hosting our first ever Camp OUT! This event will be offered free of charge to participants in grades six through 12 on Friday, August 16 and Saturday, August 17. It will be held at the Hillside School farm in Marlborough. For this inaugural event, we’ve reserved the Hillside pool for a private party that […]
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Posted on August 7th, 2019
“It was 94 degrees, and we were all wearing long pants and boots. Amazingly, we all survived.” This is what one participant recalls when asked about OUT MetroWest’s July 29 service day with The Venture Out Project and the Appalachian Mountain Club. That this memory stands out is not surprising, given the weather our group […]
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Posted on June 24th, 2019
It’s an OUT MetroWest tradition to host special gatherings on the fourth Monday evenings of June, July, and August. In addition to high school participants, these events are open to parents/caregivers and WAGLY and Umbrella alums. From 6:30 to 7, we provide dinner, and then parents and caregivers can attend an optional PFLAG meeting on-site […]
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Posted on June 19th, 2019
Too often, LGBTQ+ young people don’t have LGBTQ+ role models. In fact, when we surveyed OUT MetroWest participants in April 2019, 15% didn’t know a single LGBTQ+ adult outside of our programs. An additional 41% only knew one or two LGBTQ+ adults. Think about it this way: by the time our youngest participants join us, […]
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Posted on May 5th, 2019
On Monday, July 29, we’re working with The Venture Out Project to improve a section of Bay Circuit Trail here in MetroWest. This community service event is open to queer, trans, and LGBTQ+ young people ages 12-22. No experience is necessary. The Bay Circuit Trail (BCT) is a permanent recreation trail and greenway extending through 37 towns […]
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Posted on April 1st, 2019
On April 1, WAGLY welcomed three LGBTQ+ elected officials for an interactive panel discussion. Peer leaders introduced the panel, which included Melrose school committee member Lizbeth DeSelm; State Representative Natalie Higgins; and OUT MetroWest’s former executive director, State Representative Jack Lewis. Holyoke city councilor Jossie Valentin was scheduled to appear but had to miss the […]
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Posted on March 21st, 2019
Attention high school youth and OUT MetroWest alums: WAGLY is turning eight, and you’re invited! Come celebrate our birthday at WAGLY on Monday, March 25. It’s a dress-up party: show up in fancy clothes, drag, cosplay, or whatever makes you feel festive. We’ll have birthday cake and an open mic with a special guest. As […]
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Posted on February 13th, 2019
We’re hosting a free showing of “Love, Simon” for youth in grades 6-12 on Friday, March 15, 2019. This 2018 film won both Teen Choice and MTV Movie awards and focuses on a high school senior who finds the confidence to come out as gay after corresponding with an anonymous friend online. The movie is rated PG-13; those […]
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Posted on November 26th, 2018
I went to my first OUT MetroWest meeting thinking I was there for someone else. My friend was in the process of coming out and needed somewhere she could talk, think, and feel without pretense, somewhere to just be for an hour. She was unsure of how her parents would react and needed a group […]
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Posted on October 2nd, 2018
October is LGBTQ+ History Month, but we celebrate queer and trans history year-round at OUT MetroWest. Connecting LGBTQ+ youth to their heritage and traditions helps to impart a sense of identity, pride, and community. At last month’s Come Out and Celebrate gala, youth participant Jasmin shared, “One of the most powerful things I’ve been taught […]
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Posted on July 16th, 2018
This Wednesday is our third annual Queer Ice Cream Social! We’re so glad to be co-hosting with Morse Institute Library in downtown Natick. Thanks to Morse’s teen librarian, we’ll have ice cream sundaes, a movie, tech and crafts projects, temporary hair makeovers, and access to the library’s awesome collection of queer media. This event is […]
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