Menopause in the LGBTQ+ community: the health care gap few discuss
Menopause is seldom discussed in our society. There are no renowned movies, bestselling books, celebrated conferences, posh coaches, or well-known classes that focus on this life change, despite the fact that approximately 2 million Americans experience it every year. For people with ovaries, menopause is a natural process that officially starts after a person has…
HIV rates are highest in the American South, despite effective treatments – a clash between culture and public health
The American South has the highest HIV rates in the country, accounting for more than half of new HIV diagnoses nationwide in 2023. This is despite growing availability of a highly effective HIV prevention medication that has made it possible to live a long, healthy life with this once fatal disease. This medication – called…
AI-driven therapy apps bring relief, concerns in addressing queer mental health
How bots are changing the therapeutic scene, for better and worse.
Undead Voice founder Nicole Gress is rewriting the rules of trans voice training
When Nicole Gress left traditional medical settings, she wasn’t walking away from her profession: she was walking toward a new model of care. A trained speech-language pathologist, Gress, who uses she/they pronouns, saw too many transgender people hit a wall with conventional voice therapy. That frustration, combined with inspiration from the DIY innovations happening in…
GLP-1s can help address LGBTQ+ healthcare barriers: experts
Dana Piccoli tried everything to lose weight. She frequented the gym, went on and off diets and hired a personal trainer. When Piccoli decided to get on a GLP-1, it wasn’t a “short cut” to drop weight – it was a way for her to live her life comfortably. “When I told someone I was…
Left behind in the race to zero: Why Black and Brown LGBTQ+ communities aren’t seeing the same HIV gains
Jordan J. Edwards remembers the moment he was diagnosed with HIV at 22 years old. It was supposed to be a turning point where he’d receive clarity, care and next steps. But instead, it left him feeling shaken and alone. “The provider who told me the results actually pulled out a box of pens and…
Queering the gym: Inclusive fitness spaces for every body
Finding a gym where you feel seen, safe, and supported can be tough, especially if you’re queer or trans. Thankfully, more LGBTQ+ owned and affirming fitness spaces are stepping up to change that. These gyms aren’t just about lifting weights or hitting goals, they’re creating a culture of movement that welcomes every body. Here are…
Know the numbers: LGBTQ+ mental health helplines and how to support them
When you are struggling with mental health, knowing where to turn can be life-saving. For LGBTQ+ people, who face higher rates of depression, anxiety, suicidal ideation, and isolation, affirming support matters. That support took a hit when the Biden-era LGBTQ+ specialized services within the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline were discontinued under the Trump administration.…
Gay Men’s Health Crisis showed how everyday people stepped up when institutions failed during the height of the AIDS epidemic – providing a model for today
The story of the AIDS movement is one of regular people: students, bartenders, stay-at-home mothers, teachers, retired lawyers, immigrants, Catholic nuns, newly out gay men who had just arrived in New York, and many others. Some had lost friends or lovers. Some felt a moral calling. Some were just trying to balance their sexual karma.…
Gay men face alarming suicide rates amid declining mental health resources
Mental health has been in the spotlight for the last few years—and the need for resources is more dire than ever, especially for the LGBTQ+ community. Several studies have confirmed the toll that various factors have taken on the demographic. For example, when compared to heterosexual males and females, gay men are six times more likely and…
Expansion of marriage rights to same-sex couples also expanded access to the psychological benefits that come with tying the knot
Marriage and the ability to start a family are human rights. Ten years ago, on June 26, 2015, the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in the Obergefell v. Hodges case extended the right to marry to same-sex couples. With 7.6% of Americans identifying as LGBTQ+, this decision continues to have an impact beyond legal benefits. Marriage…
Data on sexual orientation and gender is critical to public health – without it, health crises continue unnoticed
As part of the Trump administration’s efforts aimed at stopping diversity, equity and inclusion, the government has been restricting how it monitors public health. Along with cuts to federally funded research, the administration has targeted public health efforts to gather information about sexual orientation and gender identity. In the early days of the second Trump…
Mental health experts sound alarm over impact of anti-LGBTQ+ politics
As the country finds itself back in the Trump news cycle with the start of his second presidency, LGBTQ+ people are grappling with heightened levels of anxiety, fear, and uncertainty. Local mental health professionals say they have seen a significant uptick in clients expressing concerns over the potential rollback of rights and an increase in…
The real-life impact of delaying gender-affirming care
The attack on trans rights, including gender affirming care for minors, did not begin with the Trump administration. The persecution of and harmful rhetoric about the trans community vastly predates Donald Trump’s presidency, not to mention the onslaught of legislation against the trans community across the globe, including the United Kingdom’s ruling excluding trans women from…
LGBTQ+ advocates and organizations respond to HHS report on transgender youth
On May 1, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services released a 400-page reporttitled “Treatment for Pediatric Gender Dysphoria.” LGBTQ+ advocates and organizations like Human Rights Campaign, Trevor Project and LPAC are condemning the report as misleading. In a Bluesky post, the Human Rights Campaign called out the report’s endorsement of ‘exploratory therapy,’ a…