This June, Metuchen was buzzing with the excitement of summer and beaming with, of course, PRIDE.
From the Metuchen Downtown Alliance’s annual Downtown Pride celebration to the schools’ Gender Sexuality Alliance clubs, Metuchen has been an inclusive and vibrant place for years, ensuring every person feels seen, safe, and valued. But there is always work to be done — especially in today’s climate. So a small but mighty independent grassroots organization took shape this past fall to address some real challenges close to home.
“People think that Metuchen and New Jersey are progressive, but the weight of politics is right at the door,” said Vidhi Goel, founding board member of OutFront Metuchen.
Not even a year old, OutFront Metuchen was founded by six passionate people who saw a need to build a more visible, vocal, and supportive space for the LGBTQIA+ community — and especially youth — in Metuchen.
Whether parents of queer kids, or queer individuals themselves, they came together to organize, uplift, and advocate for change in their own backyard.
Everyone has a different reason for being a part of the organization, and as the parent of a transgender son, Goel’s passion for this work also highlights the importance of intersectionality.
“We’re Indian… He’s not queer one day and Indian another day. He’s all those things at once,” Goel said. “You’re all those things together, and it affects how you present yourself and interact with family.”
As a partner of this year’s Downtown Pride, OutFront Metuchen hosted a booth highlighting their education, youth engagement, and civic advocacy initiatives, as well as their Rock Your Kindness Project: a rock-painting station for spreading happiness and encouragement throughout Metuchen and beyond.
Metuchen has been an inclusive and vibrant place for years, ensuring every person feels seen, safe, and valued. Metuchen Downtown Alliance holds an annual Downtown Pride celebration every June.
OutFront also brought Tashnuva Anan Shishir, Bangladesh’s first transgender news anchor, to the scene.
As a passionate activist, artist, and storyteller whose journey embodies joy and resilience, Shishir performed a traditional South Asian dance, shared reflections on her life and work, and led a powerful movement workshop.
The event culminated in connecting with community over chai, savoring Desi-inspired treats, and writing letters of support to trans individuals around the world in partnership with Point of Pride.
OutFront has also partnered with several local organizations, like the First Presbyterian Church of Metuchen, who hosted a Gender Affirming Closet event last November.
“I’m so thankful for the support in our community,” Goel said. “Most houses of faith are wonderful around here.”
OutFront’s other initiatives include their scholarship program for LGBTQIA+ high school seniors — focused on STEM and Social & Civic Advocacy — and their Get Out the Vote campaign, which encouraged middle and high schoolers to express what issues were important to them and why voting matters — even if they themselves were not yet old enough to vote.
The organization also recently visited a board of education meeting in Edison to advocate for preserving protections that New Jersey School policy 5756 — established by Gov. Chris Christie — provides, ensuring that trans and gender-expansive students have the space and dignity to “come out” on their own terms. Ultimately, the policy was repealed, despite heartfelt testimonies and expert input.
“The rationale is that parents should know everything about their child,” said Goel. “Let’s be fair; when I was a teenager, I wasn’t telling my parents anything.”
Still, the community can turn to OutFront and expect joyful events that center educational opportunities, youth programming, and continued work to advance inclusive policies, both locally and statewide.
“It wasn’t super surprising when [my son] came out,” said Goel. “As parents, we all know our children.” But it was hard for Goel to find resources for her then 12-year-old trans son near their home in Middlesex County.
This fall, OutFront will be offering a series of improv workshops for middle and high school youth with a grant from Friends of Metuchen Arts, encouraging connection in a fun, safe and enriching environment.
OutFront also collaborates with other groups like Garden State Equality, Desi Rainbow and AAPI (Asian American Pacific Islander) New Jersey, embracing overlapping social identities within the LGBTQIA+ community.
“We love Metuchen,” Goel said. “This is our home, and that’s why we do this work.”
Want to get involved? Board Members help lead strategy, plan programs, and drive advocacy, and non-board volunteers support events, help spread the word, and build community.
“We all do this on the side,” Goel said. “All of us have different jobs and different roles, so we all bring different strengths.”
OutFront is “always excited to welcome new folks,” as well as expand their network of partner organizations. Reach out to them at info@outfrontmetuchen.org, visit outfrontmetuchen.org, follow OutFront Metuchen on Facebook and Instagram, or simply come to an event.
Thanks to OutFront’s efforts, Goel has seen students come into their own, families find belonging, and community members show up with love — inspiring OutFront’s daily commitment to building a better future for all.
