Next week marks the annual LGBT Health Awareness Week. From March 23 to March 27, national and state LGBT organizations will come together to raise awareness about sexual health while advocating for trust, truth and transparency in relationships. According to the National Coalition for LGBT Health the purpose of this campaign is to better the health and well-being of all lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender individuals.
There are a ton of exciting, and informative events planned on the week’s schedule, and even if you can’t be there in person, there are still ways that you can get involved.
Wednesday, March 25, for example, will be filled with webinars hosted by a variety of well-respected medical professionals within the LGBT community. Topics will cover transgender-friendly medical facilities, the need for further health education in major urban areas and updates on a new model for a PrEP clinic, which is a new HIV prevention method. On the following day, several speakers will discuss the need for improvement in government health programs for the LGBT community. Covered topics will include health insurance, public health systems and the need for proper data collection from government health programs, specifically on matters of sexual orientation and gender identity.
If you can’t make it to the event in person, you can stay in the know through social media. The event’s Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn pages will all be updated throughout the week. You can also connect to others and share your own stories by using the hashtags, #TIMETOGETHER, #TIME4TRUST, #TIME4TRANSPARENCY, #TIME4LGBTTRUTH, and #LGBTHealthWeek. Get involved, post pictures, and share your experiences from LGBT events you attended throughout the year.
In thinking about this campaign and all of the events set to take place, it becomes even more evident that we have come a long way as a community. As outlined in this guide to LGBT issues, it was just a few decades ago that the AIDS epidemic swept through the nation. It caused heterosexual people to fear the LGBT community while casting an unfortunate, dark cloud over its people. Today, however—and particularly during the LGBT Health Awareness Week—people of all backgrounds, gender identities and sexual orientations come together to fight for an important cause. It’s an inspiring nod to the progression of our society, though we still have a long way to go.
It’s worth noting that LGBT Health Awareness Week isn’t the only time of the year that you can get involved and make a difference. Check out lgbtweekly.jeffjungblut.com for updates on local and national events that you can participate in to further advocate for the health of LGBT members and their relationships.
