ABIG Health Honors Pride Month and Advocates for Equality
At ABIG Health, we are incredibly excited to celebrate Pride Month and honor the diversity that makes our team so special. As a proud member of the National LGBT Chamber of Commerce (NGLCC), we firmly believe in the power of inclusivity and the importance of creating a welcoming environment for everyone.
Pride Month is a time to reflect on the progress we has made and the challenges that still lie ahead in the fight for equality. It is a reminder of the strength, resilience, and beauty of the LGBTQ+ community. For us and our team, Pride is not just a celebration, but a commitment to fostering a workplace where everyone feels valued and respected.
Here is a message from our founder, Dr. Adam Brown: “As a proud gay man, I am thrilled to own a company that champions diversity and inclusivity. At ABIG Health, we believe that our differences make us stronger, and we strive to create a culture where every voice is heard and every individual can thrive.”
Now, on to the news (you might 🏳️🌈 NOTICE 🏳️🌈 a theme …)
States Are Moving A Lot Of Anti-LGBTQIA+ Legislation
As USA Today reported, in 2023, state legislators introduced more than 500 anti-LGBTQ bills. Eighty four of those bills, or about 17 percent, were signed into law. Even though we are only halfway through the year, already more than more than 475 anti-LGBTQ+ bills have been proposed in 2024 so far. You can track this legislation in the American Civil Liberties Union online map here. The Trevor Project also is tracking this legislation.
According to AXIOS, in the last week alone, the Louisiana legislature approved the following three bills:
HB 122, which bans K-12 teachers from discussing gender or sexual orientation;
HB 121, which requires teachers get parental permission to use a trans student’s preferred pronouns, and protects teachers from disciplinary action if they refuse to use them; and
HB608, which bans the use of bathrooms that do not match a person's sex assigned at birth at public schools, domestic violence shelters and correctional facilities
Our BIG Thought: 🏳️🌈 VOTE 🏳️🌈 and 🏳️🌈 GET INVOLVED 🏳️🌈. The Human Rights Campaign has info here.
The Healthcare Sector Must Lead, Not Follow
An article in the suburban Chicago Daily Record reports, “LGBTQ+ populations are still subject to stigma, bias and discriminatory experiences in their daily lives. As a result, many lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people are reluctant to seek health care.”
Healthcare professionals are not immune from the bias. In April, CNN reported a survey by Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF) found that one-third of LGBTQIA+ adults reported a doctor or another healthcare provider has treated them unfairly or with disrespect, double the number of non-LGBTQIA+ adults. KFF also determined LGBTQIA+ adults were more than twice as likely to experience other negative interactions during recent health care visits, including providers making assumptions about them (40 percent), suggesting personal blame for a health problem (32 percent) and ignoring a request or question (32 percent). Less than 20 LGBTQIA+ adults of adults who do not identify as LGBTQIA+ adults reported they had experienced any of these same interactions, CNN said.
The article offers four ways that loved ones can help ease anxiety about seeking healthcare: be accepting, ask if your loved one wants your assistance, go with your loved one to the doctor and speak up about identity issues (it’s really important information), and look for resources like the LGBTQ Health Care Directory, which lists medical practices, including mental health counselors and gender-affirming care, that may provide a more comfortable experience.
Our BIG Thought: Healthcare providers must 🏳️🌈 CHANGE THEIR WAYS 🏳️🌈. Here is the American Medical Association’s advice for how to create an LGBTQIA+ friendly practice. Their
How To (Start To) Become An Ally
A new survey by The Trevor Project found nearly one in three LGBTQIA+ young people say their mental health is poor. As an ABC News affiliate recently reported, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, LGBTQIA+ adults experience mental health challenges at nearly two times the rate of their non- LGBTQIA+ counterparts.
How can allies empathize with these struggles? 🏳️🌈 READ 🏳️🌈.
Our BIG Thought: They may not be “beach reads,” but The New York Times offers 10 books “that explore the mental health and inner worlds of” LGBTQIA+ youth and adults, including Free to Be: Understanding Kids and Gender Identity, by Dr. Jack Turban, which is “a guide for caregivers who want to support the transgender young people in their lives as well as readers who are interested in exploring their own identity or wish to learn more about how some people experience gender.”
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