House Passes Landmark Bill
LGBT HealthLink, 3/8/2021
House Passes Landmark Bill
The Washington Blade reported on the U.S. House passing the Equality Act, which would add sexual orientation and gender identity to the Civil Rights Act of 1964. That would mean protections from discrimination in places like healthcare settings and employment. Advocates noted that, despite progress including the Supreme Court’s Bostock decision, 29 states still do not have LGBT nondiscrimination laws on the books.
Trans-inclusive Care in Family Planning Clinics
Researchers explored the integration of gender-affirming care at family planning clinics. They found that many clinics who have done so were motivated by requests from existing patients, community members, and even their own staff. They also found that about 10% of nationally networked clinics have begun to offer gender-affirming care, while more than double (21%) of independent clinics are doing so.
New Treatment Could Address LGBT Meth Epidemic
NBC News reported on a new treatment to help individuals stop methamphetamine use – an issue that is four times more prevalent among gay men than it is among their heterosexual peers. The treatment, which was recently studied, involves a daily pill as well as an injection every three weeks, and is meant to reduce cravings. No similar treatment currently exists on the market.
Sexual Orientation Data among Veterans
Researchers found that within the Veterans Health Association over the course of 20 years, most documentations of a patient being a sexual minority (58.7%) came from a mental health provider, while only 9.6% came from primary care providers, revealing a big gap that could be narrowed. They also found that documentations of sexual minority status increased about sevenfold between 2000 and 2018.
Queer Foster Care History
The New Yorker reported on untold stories of how private child welfare offices and even some government agencies began to “quietly place” gay foster children with gay foster parents in the 1970s, despite significant stigma and obstacles facing both queer prospective parents and youth. In 1982, New York became the first state to have a nondiscrimination rule for sexual minority adults looking to adopt.
LGBT Orgs Funded for COVID Outreach
The Bay Area Reporter shared examples of LGBT community centers being funded to provide services during the COVID-19 pandemic. They plan to conduct outreach to the LGBT community to answer questions about vaccination, connect folks to testing and resources, and more. Find resources from your local LGBT center using CenterLink’s interactive directory.
