Mid-America Transplant’s Post

So honored to chat with CBS Chicago about the recent study from American Cancer Society detailing the health disparities experienced by the LGBTQ community. This first-ever LGBTQ+ report notes that LGBTQ+ people are probably at higher risk for cancer, yet experience multiple barriers to high-quality healthcare access (discrimination, shortfalls in provider knowledge of unique medical needs). Additionally, LGBTQ+ people living with HIV, HPV, and HCV share considerably higher risks of various cancers. Finally, screening for some cancers is low among transgender people. For more information about the report or to get screened, visit cancer.org. https://lnkd.in/gbBA_UqV

Exciting news for LGBTQ+ aging advocacy! California launches its first-ever survey to better understand the needs of LGBTQ seniors across the state. As Openhouse Executive Director, Kathleen M. Sullivan, Ph.D., rightly pointed out, "We don’t have a good idea of what the aging experience is for the LGBTQ+ community." This initiative aims to shed light on the unique challenges faced by this community, from healthcare demands to finding inclusive assisted living options. The survey, part of California's Master Plan for Aging, reflects a crucial step toward ensuring equitable and tailored support for LGBTQ+ elders. By gathering data and insights directly from the community, we can work towards closing gaps in services and promoting inclusivity in aging care. Read more about this groundbreaking effort in the San Francisco Chronicle: https://lnkd.in/gwUBR6jE Let's continue to champion initiatives that prioritize the well-being of LGBTQ+ seniors and create a more supportive and inclusive aging landscape for all.  #LGBTQ #AgingAdvocacy #InclusiveAging #CaliforniaAgingSurvey

🥂 We finally made it to February! 🥂 January always feels like the worlds longest month, so congratulations to everyone for making it through. 😂 February also marks the start of LGBT+ History Month, and with this year’s theme of ‘Medicine - #underthescope’ I wanted to highlight some of the key moments in LGBT+ healthcare history. ❤️ 1981 - The first cases of AIDS are recorded. Terrence Higgins is the first British gay man diagnosed with AIDS and his partner and friends set up the Terrence Higgins Trust after his death in 1982, which goes on to become a leading sexual health and HIV charity in the UK 🧡 1996 - Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy (HAART) is found to significantly delay the onset of AIDS in people living with HIV, marking a significant breakthrough in AIDS treatment. The NHS makes the treatment available in the UK 💛 2004 – LGBT+ History Month is founded. The UK Gender Recognition Act becomes law on July 1st, offering trans people full legal recognition of their change of gender 💚 2006 - The first annual LGBT Health Summit is held in London, providing a safe and supportive space for individuals, organisations, and activists to come together to discuss and debate LGBT healthcare practices in the UK 💙 2018 - The UK’s Government Equalities Office publishes the National LGBT Survey. Over 108,000 people participated in the survey making it the largest national survey of LGBT people in the world to date 💜 2019 - The World Health Organisation declassifies transgender as a mental illness. The UK Government appoints Dr Michael Brady as the first National Advisor for LGBT Health in the NHS This is of course just a small selection of the incredible achievements in LGBT+ healthcare. Which ones have I missed? #lgbthistorymonth #lgbtqia #lgbtqrights #lgbtqhealth #healthcare

In the 1980s, during the height of the HIV/AIDS epidemic, many countries imposed lifetime bans on blood donations from transgender individuals and MSM (men who have sex with men).   According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), transgender individuals are about 13 times more likely to be HIV-positive than the general adult population. In regions like Asia and the Pacific, transgender women disproportionately represent 7% of new HIV infections.    World Blood Donor Day calls attention to the importance of safe blood donations and the need to end discriminatory donor eligibility criteria, fostering a more inclusive and efficient global blood donation network.  https://lnkd.in/dXGEGzAn #WorldBloodDonorDay #HIVAwareness #AIDSEpidemic #TransgenderHealth #BloodDonation #LGBTQ #EndDiscrimination #Healthcare #WHO #BloodDonations #Health #Awareness #Equality #Support #Community #GlobalHealth #Indiaspend

Haven't heard of the Grand Rapids LGBTQ+ Healthcare Consortium yet? Or wonder what they do? Or even, why is it important? Well check us out!! The Consortium is a amazing group of entities and individuals who believe we can make a positive difference in our communities by collaborating, addressing real issues in innovative ways, and by sharing the work with other like minded entities and individuals. The Consortium began in 2018 and remains a grass roots movement that became a 501(c)3 in April 2021. The Consortium was 100% volunteer run until July 2023 when an executive director was hired. We have two fabulous AmeriCorps members through Cherry Health who are focused on specific projects, and a few volunteers who help with projects and programs. Not to mention our fantastic board of directors, several who have been on the board since becoming a 501(c)3! We have: Health Education Series - virtual monthly talks from LGBTQ+ affirming providers sharing about a service they offer LGBTQ+ individuals, how their office works at being safe and affirming, and answers questions. This is recorded and housed on our YouTube channel for anyone to access. Med PATH Mentors is a mentoring program focused on high school youth who want to go into healthcare as a career. Our goal is to encourage youth from the LGBTQ+ community and/or People of Color to not only pick healthcare as a career but then to join the healthcare systems in Grand Rapids post training. We will be graduating three high school seniors this year, and have two sophomores who will also be completing the program with the option to join again next year. Program runs September - May. Provider/Payer workgroup just launched and is an attempt to break down silos between groups, bring key stakeholders to the conversation to make healthcare less cumbersome, more efficient and hopefully a better experience for all, especially for the patients. Plus other projects either happening or in planning phases! Please check us out and reach out if you'd like to get involved, join a program, collaborate on something, or discuss how the Consortium can help on your journey to being a safe and affirming place for ALL! https://lnkd.in/eqc6-UPf

Amplify Voices, Break Barriers: 🗣️🔗 This HIV/AIDS Commemoration let's amplify the voices often unheard. Join our campaign, empowering marginalized groups, especially women, in the fight against HIV/AIDS. The diverse participation of key stakeholders, including CSW, LGBTQ+ individuals, marginalized groups, military, police, people living with HIV, and Human Rights organizations, CARE International, created a unique platform for collective action. By engaging these diverse groups, we've amplified the discourse on the intersectionality of HIV/AIDS and gender equality. Together, we've fostered an environment of inclusivity, ensuring that the voices of marginalized groups, such as Commercial Sex Workers, LGBTQ+ individuals are heard. The military and police presence reaffirms our commitment to breaking down barriers and fostering understanding within these institutions. This commemoration serves as a beacon, inspiring continued collaboration for a gender-equal response to HIV/AIDS. Let's harness the momentum generated during these two days to drive lasting change, ensuring that our efforts are not just commemorated but translated into tangible actions for a world free from discrimination and inequality. 🌍💙 #EmpowerEquality #HIVActionNow

The landscape of anti-transgender and non-binary legislation in the United States has been expanding, with a significant number of states proposing or enacting laws that restrict the rights of transgender and non-binary individuals. These laws cover a wide range of areas, including bathroom access, healthcare, sports participation, and more. For instance, Missouri has proposed legislation that would create a "hostile work environment" by prohibiting employees from sharing restrooms with members of the opposite sex, essentially targeting transgender individuals. Similarly, Florida has introduced a bill that would ban the use of preferred personal titles or pronouns in the workplace if they do not correspond to the person's . American Civil Liberties Union of the Nation's Capital (ACLU-DC) reports that state legislatures have been advancing a record number of bills that attack LGBTQ rights, particularly targeting transgender youth. These attacks include bills that limit the ability to update gender information on IDs, impose healthcare restrictions, and prohibit transgender individuals from using facilities that match their gender identity. The 19th News has highlighted that at least 10 states are pushing legislation that would exclude transgender and nonbinary people from accessing public services and deny them equal legal protection, affecting areas such as driver's license updates, holding public office, and using public restrooms. Human Rights Campaign also provides an overview of anti-LGBTQ+ legislation, noting that these laws have included bans on gender-affirming care for transgender youth, restrictions on diversity, equity, and inclusion programs, and the criminalization of drag performances in states like Texas. In the face of these challenges, President Joe Biden has expressed support for the LGBTQ+ community, and his administration has taken steps to advance equality and remove barriers to access government services for transgender, non-binary, and LGBTQ+ individuals . However, the effectiveness of these measures in counteracting state-level restrictions remains to be fully seen. For the transgender community and its allies, moving forward in the face of such oppression involves continued advocacy, legal challenges to discriminatory laws, and efforts to raise public awareness about the importance of transgender rights. Organizations such as Lambda Legal, the Human Rights Campaign, GLAAD and the Transgender Law Center are at the forefront of these efforts, providing resources, legal support, and advocacy to protect and advance transgender rights. Engaging in political processes, supporting trans-led initiatives, and fostering alliances across movements are crucial steps in building a more inclusive and understanding society. Arianna Lint www.AriannaLint.com

🚨 Webinar Alert: Responding to Project 2025’s Threats to Science, Rights, and Resources 🚨 🗓 Date: Tuesday, July 9, 2024 ⏰ Time: 9 AM - 10:30 AM (Eastern) Join KELIN 's Allan Achesa Maleche alongside Anne-Christine d’Adesky from Stop the Coup 2025 as they moderate an essential discussion on Project 2025. Project 2025 is part of an ongoing multi-pronged backlash to the sexual and reproductive health, gender and LGBTQ+ movements. It is likely the national game plan of a Trump administration should he win the US presidential election in November. This has serious implications for both domestic and foreign policies and programs for our communities and beyond. Building on the experience of the HIV movement in fighting these same far-right forces, this webinar will discuss potential responses through the lens of HIV affected communities and programs. Speakers will Include: Clare Byarugaba, Chapter Four Uganda Sean Cahill, Fenway Health Aleksei Lakhov, EuroNPUD - European Network of People who Use Drugs Will Ramirez, Southern AIDS Coalition Beirne Roose-Synder, Council on Global Equality Don't miss this vital conversation. Register now and be part of the movement! European AIDS Treatment Group Funders Concerned About AIDS AVAC #Project2025 #LGBTQRights #ReproductiveHealth #HIVCommunity #GlobalEquality 🔗 Register Here: https://lnkd.in/dBPCqZXd

February is LGBT+ History Month in the UK. This year, the theme is Medicine - #UnderTheScope and celebrates LGBT+ peoples’ contributions to the field of medicine and healthcare throughout history and continuing today! With studies and surveys showing that the LGBT+ communities continue to face stigma, harassment, and challenges in accessing healthcare, it is a great time to build more awareness and help reduce the barriers faced when accessing healthcare, including testing for STIs such as HIV. One of the benefits of rapid testing is the ease of use and ability to access trusted testing where it best suits your needs. With the INSTI® HIV-1/2 Antibody Self Test, you can take the test in the comfort of your home and get results in just 1 minute! Rapid testing is a great tool that can help broaden access and reduce stigma for groups such as LGBT+ communities that have struggled to access healthcare. Learn more about rapid testing for HIV: https://lnkd.in/gqzy92v . #LGBTQHistoryMonthUK #LGBTQ+UK #NationalHIVTestingWeek #hiv #hivawareness #hivtesting #rapidtesting #gotaminute