Renewed calls to motion in Satisfaction Month

LGBTQI+ well being issues

In his latest statement marking Lesbian, Homosexual, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, And Intersex (LGBTQI+) Satisfaction Month 2022, President Biden mentioned:

At the moment, the rights of LGBTQI+ Individuals are underneath relentless assault. Members of the LGBTQI+ neighborhood — particularly individuals of shade and trans individuals — proceed to face discrimination and merciless, persistent efforts to undermine their human rights. An onslaught of harmful anti-LGBTQI+ laws has been launched and handed in States throughout the nation, focusing on transgender youngsters and their mother and father and interfering with their entry to well being care. These unconscionable assaults have left numerous LGBTQI+ households in worry and ache. All of this compounded has been particularly tough on LGBTQI+ youth, 45 p.c of whom critically thought of making an attempt suicide within the final yr — a devastating actuality that our Nation should work urgently to handle.

The president additionally mentioned:

… I proceed to name on the Congress to move the Equality Act, which can enshrine lengthy overdue civil rights protections and construct a greater future for all LGBTQI+ Individuals. …

This month, we honor the resilience of LGBTQI+ individuals, who're combating to reside authentically and freely. We reaffirm our perception that LGBTQI+ rights are human rights. And we recommit to delivering protections, security, and equality to LGBTQI+ households so that everybody can notice the total promise of America.

As with so many human rights and civil rights points that get obscured by politics, LGBTQI+ rights should be affirmed, upheld and defended by all who would declare to agree with the precept that every one human beings are created equal. In public well being broadly, and within the Gillings College of International Public Well being, particularly, we're dedicated to fairness. We acknowledge that discrimination and denial of equitable entry to rights and assets are incompatible with well being and well-being. We proceed to concentrate on growing consciousness, information, understanding, help and advocacy for LGBTQI+ individuals and their rights. Our school, employees, college students and alumni are doing vital work on this space, together with on equal entry to well being care, prevention of illness and violence, and well being promotion.

As a college neighborhood, we additionally profit from the excellent assets of the UNC-Chapel Hill LGBTQ Center, together with training on Protected Zone; Protected Zone Gender Id & Gender Expression; Well being Care Protected Zone; Protected Zone Persevering with Training (on particular elements of LGBTIQA+ identification, together with bisexuality, intersex, transgender and nonbinary, and queer) and Protected Zone Facilitator. These coaching applications are designed to extend consciousness, information and help round sexual orientation, gender identification, and gender expression, and to “develop a network of community and campus staff, faculty, and students to support people of all sexual orientations, gender identities and gender expressions on campus.”

This Satisfaction Month, let’s recommit to educating ourselves in regards to the points going through members of LGBTQI+ communities, be taught methods to advance LGBTQI+ well being, and voice our help for the Equality Act as foundational to defending the rights and well being of all Individuals. To each member of our LGBTQI+ neighborhood, we worth you, and we want you amongst us.
Barbara

Banner photograph by Jennifer Griffin on Unsplash
Due to Lisa Warren for editorial help.