OutYouth announces new executive director

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AUSTIN–Following a national search, OutYouth has selected Jaryn Holbrook Janeway (they/them), currently the organization’s director of programs and operations, to be the new executive director effective Feb. 12.

OutYouth, which celebrated its 35th anniversary in 2025, supports the physical, mental, and social well-being of youth of all sexual orientations and gender identities in Central Texas. The organization serves more than 5,000 youth every year with three locations, 16 employees, and a budget of $2 million.

Reporting to the board of directors, Janeway will lead OutYouth’s strategic direction, operations, finances, fundraising, and community partnerships; ultimately responsible for the quality and impact of all programs and initiatives.

“With Jaryn as our executive director, OutYouth is well-positioned for continued growth and success, and to serve the youth who need our programs and services more than ever,” says board chairperson Brandon Wollerson.

“Jaryn is the perfect person to help lead us into the future. During their 20-year tenure at OutYouth they’ve managed programs and operations during the period of a 700 percent increase in annual revenue, helped us adapt to completely virtual programs during the pandemic, and created a satellite-based service model after the catastrophic flooding that took our headquarters out of service in 2024, among other achievements.

“On a personal note, Jaryn and I met more than 20 years ago when we were students at UT Austin. Since then, I’ve served alongside Jaryn in numerous community leadership and advocacy roles and observed their highly effective and inclusive leadership style and deep commitment to OutYouth’s mission,” Wollerson says.

Janeway’s credentials include an undergraduate degree and an MBA from the University of Texas at Austin, and certification as a senior human resources professional by the Society for Human Resources Management; community service including spearheading the $250K budget recommendation for the City of Austin LGBTQ+ Commission’s landmark quality of life study and subsequently serving as its chairperson, on the board of the Central Texas Transgender Health Coalition, and as interim executive director of the Austin Gay and Lesbian International Film Festival.

Janeway co-authored a multiple award-winning book, “Trans +: Love, Sex, Romance, and Being You” for teens of all gender identities, published in 2019 and lauded by Publishers Weekly, Kirkus Reviews, and the School Library Journal, among many others.

Do you want a future of decency equality and real social justice

National LGBT Cancer Network calls out major media

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Do you want a future of decency equality and real social justicePROVIDENCE, R.I., March 11, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Recent news stories in Newsweek and The Telegraph on a purported connection between gender-affirming hormone therapy and cancer are misleading and dangerous, according to the leadership of the National LGBT Cancer Network, a nonprofit organization that works to improve the lives of LGBT cancer survivors and those at risk through education, training, and advocacy.

“The articles artificially elevate rare case reports as scientific ‘evidence’ of a connection between these therapies and cancer,” says Scout, executive director of the network. “Simply repeating a provider’s hypothesis that a treatment might relate to cancer does not constitute scientific evidence. The stories further misconstrue expected realignment of a person’s cancer risk with their true gender as more ‘evidence’ of problems with gender affirming therapy. For example, comparing a trans woman’s risk of breast cancer to men is deliberately misleading.”

There is no body of scientific evidence supporting a hypothesis that gender-affirming hormone therapy increases cancer risk, Scout says. “Attempting to draw this connection is a baldfaced attempt to misinterpret real science and use inflammatory language to fearmonger. There is no fire here; there isn’t even a spark.

“Most dismayingly, there is a major problem related to cancer among trans people that is not being covered by the media: how discrimination is a barrier to trans cancer screenings, diagnosis, and treatment.”

https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/national-lgbt-cancer-network-calls-out-major-media-outlets-for-misinformation-on-transgender-cancer-302085695.html?tc=eml_cleartime

Happy Pride month! 🏳️‍🌈

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Get ready to see lots of rainbow flags, including the newer Progress Pride Flag (as used by American Airlines) that includes black and brown stripes representing people of color and those lost to AIDS, and and white, pink, and light blue stripes representing the colors of the Transgender Flag.

You’ll also see Pride-themed merchandise everywhere this month, from Adidas’ new Love Unites collection, Apple’s new Pride watchbands, the Rainbow Disney collection of everything from masks to stuffed animals, Harry’s Razor’s limited edition rainbow razor, Lego’s Everyone is Awesome set, and much much more.

All of the brands mentioned above dedicate resources to LGBTQ nonprofit organizations as part of their promotions. That’s not the case with every brand that jumps on the Pride bandwagon, though. Brands that stamp a Pride flag on a product but take no positive action (or worse, use it to cover up harmful stances) will rightly be called out for “rainbow-washing.”

My colleague Tina Cannon, president and CEO of the Austin LGBT Chamber of Commerce, gets dozens of calls and emails in the week leading up to Pride month from non-member companies wanting to plan something–anything–for Pride at the last minute.

Her response: “So you want to plan for something happening in literally a few days because you failed to plan in advance and now are freaking out? Maybe start by being more intentional for next year about your engagement with the LGBT community all year round.”