LGBT Health Awareness Week Raises Important Concerns

By Lisa Weiner-Mahfuz, Senior Field Organizer/Lesbian Rights

March 16, 2005

March 13-19 marks the third annual National Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) Health Awareness Week. As a longtime advocate for lesbian rights and women's health, NOW is supporting this week's important activities.

"Lesbian, bisexual and transgender women are extremely vulnerable in a health care system that is often discriminatory and seriously lacking in information about their unique health challenges," said NOW President Kim Gandy. "Organizations like NOW have a responsibility to push for the most complete and responsive health care possible for all our sisters."

According to research by the Gay and Lesbian Medical Association:

• LGBT youth are much more likely to be victimized in school and to attempt suicide than heterosexual youth.
• LGBT people are often reluctant to seek care or to "come out" to health providers, leading to under-screening and intervention likely to result in poor health.
• Gay men and lesbian women are at increased risk for certain cancers (lung, cervical, breast and anal cancer), due to a higher prevalence of smoking and inadequate risk assessment and screening by providers.
• Elders in same-sex relationships are at high risk of economic devastation due to the fact that legal protections are not afforded to same-sex couples (e.g. Medicaid spend-down protections).
• HIV/AIDS continues to devastate LGBT populations, particularly men of color, transgender women (male to female) and LGBT injection drug users.

Throughout this week of activities, NOW urges members and supporters to organize town meetings on LGBT health issues, write op-eds for local newspapers on the health disparities experienced by the LGBT community, talk with Congress members regarding these disparities and encourage local community health centers to host LGBT health fairs.

"In order to ensure full equality for LGBT people, we must eliminate the barriers they face to leading healthy lives," said NOW Action Vice President Olga Vives.

Initiated by the National Coalition for LGBT Health, this week has four primary goals:

• Raise public awareness of the unique health concerns of LGBT people and certain health disparities found in LGBT communities;
• Educate LGBT communities about specific health issues;
• Provide community health centers, local organizations, and community representatives with tools to create a strong national and local campaign;
• Educate medical and health care professionals in the area of cultural competency with regard to LGBT health.

For more information, download a PDF of the Healthy People 2010 Companion Document for LGBT Health.