Comin’ Out for Health: National LGBT Health Awareness Week 2012!

 

 

Daniella Matthews-Trigg

Program Associate

National LGBT Health Awareness Week 2012

 

 

 

Next week, March 26-30, is the 10^th Annual National LGBT Health Awareness Week, a nationwide campaign that promotes lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) health, organized by the National Coalition for LGBT Health.

The week urges local communities to “learn more about LGBT health and to participate in promoting health and well-being for all of their members, including LGBT people”.

This year, Health Awareness Week will be focusing on four core principles:

1. Consumer Empowerment – by making resources available to the LGBT community on how to approach their health care providers about their sexual orientation and gender identity;

2. Culturally Competent Services – by directing health care providers to resources on how to become a culturally competent source of services for the LGBT community;

3. Engaged Communities – by providing outreach materials to a variety of organizations to encourage participation in LGBT health Awareness Week; and

4. Inclusive Policymaking – by engaging Congress and federal administration during LGBT Health Awareness Week and providing resources to reach out to local and state officials related to LGBT Health.

In terms of events and projects, there are two big ones:

– The Coalition for LGBT Health, along with CenterLink and GLMA, will sponsor a conference call with HRSA Administrator Dr. Mary Wakerfield on Tuesday, March 27 from 1:00-2:00 p.m. EST.

Phone Number: (530) 881-1300

Participant Access Code: 818207

*Please submit questions in advance to
Joseph Jefferson, Senior Policy Associate at jjefferson@lgbthealth.net

– The Coalition is also teaming up with Rainbow Access Initiative, Inc. to collect stories in print and on film to create “opportunities for LGBT healthcare consumers to tell their story”! To read more about this inspiring project, click HERE!

 Click HERE for fact sheets, posters, post cards and other press materials developed by The Coalition!

And…..There are lots of exciting things happening around the country for LGBT Health Awareness week! Here is a small taste:

At the University of New Mexico, Out Queer Grads will be hosting some great events for LGBT Health Awareness week, including Transgender Health 101, a critical issues roundtable about Queer Health, “Stress Reduction for Queer Folks” and a health and information fair!

University of Michigan celebrated the week early this year, with some really interesting talks, including “Intersections of Sexuality and Public Health: Examining LGBT Youth Health Disparities” with Jose Bauermeister, Ph.D.,and “Are Homosexuals Still Sick?” with David Halperin, Ph.D. (AND they have an awesome poster!)

To see even more, click HERE! Need more ideas? The Coalition has got you covered HERE.