AbOUTniagara
The concept of an umbrella group to serve Niagara's sexual- and gender-diverse community began to take form in November 2004. Nearly 100 people attended a forum in December of that year, which lead to the creation of a steering committee tasked with the role of developing the process and function of such an organization.

The steering committee, headed by Matt Cutler, worked through the development of the organization, writing the mission and structure documents of the organization, as well as identifying and clarifying the organization's future purposes.

Until the Inaugural Meeting of Members on April 28th, 2005 the organization was referred to as the "Pride Network of Niagara". While several names for the organization were suggested and discussed it was finally decided that "OUTniagara" accompanied by the by-line "Uniting Niagara's Sexual- and Gender-Diverse Community" fully articulated the purpose of the organization. The name describes a community of people who are active and involved in the community, who are proud to be themselves, and are in some degree (whether to themselves, or publicly) 'out' or aware of who they are as an individual.

The reference of "Sexual- and Gender-Diverse Community" was one that the steering committee of OUTniagara independently developed to encompass the range of individuals who are gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgendered, transsexual, intersexed, asexual, two-spirited, queer, questioning or otherwise diverse in their sexual or gender identity, as well as those who welcome and support them.