Healthy New Albany Lunch & Learn | Addressing Barriers to LGBTQ+ Health | August 2022
Healthy New Albany Lunch & Learn: on Friday, August 12th, HNA and our attendees heard from two panelists, Amanda Erickson and Dr. Matthew Adkins. Moderated by Healthy New Albany’s Executive Director, Angela Douglas, she and the panel discussed barriers to health in the LGBTQ+ community.
From pronouns to healthcare, the barriers those in the LGBTQ+ community face are widespread and often misunderstood. As a community we hope to raise awareness and understanding through authentic conversations and education.
Key Takeaways
48% of sexual minority students have seriously considered suicide. It’s not enough to be neutral. You have to be affirmative.
When we think about trauma, we typically think about large scale trauma. But we forget that microaggressions serve as small, repeated traumas, that can build up to cause the same kind of effects as large scale trauma.
There is power in kids knowing they can talk to you with no judgment. Kids need to hear from family members that they are loved and belong and that they have a safe space to land. If we are not visible and outward in our support, kids don’t believe they are really safe.
Talking with your kids about sexual orientations does not make them gay. People don’t chose to be gay because it’s a fun idea or trendy. It is not an easy thing.
Pronouns matter. Be kind to yourself, be flexible, and don’t make assumptions. It’s normal that is feels awkward, it is a challenge but we can do hard things.
PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis) is a medication that can reduce the chance of getting HIV from sex or injection drug use. When taken as prescribed, PrEP is highly effective for preventing HIV.
Panelists
We were privileged to hear from a panel of experts on this topic:
- Amanda Erickson, Director of Education & Outreach at Kaleidoscope Youth Center – KYC focuses on advocating for LGBTQIA+ youth across Ohio through education for youth-serving professionals including teachers, social workers, and more.
- Dr. Matthew Adkins, DO, AAHIVS – Dr. Adkins is a family medicine specialist in Columbus, OH. He currently practices at Grant Family Medicine and specializes in LGBTQ medicine, HIV, HIV pre exposure care, sexual health, and gender affirming care.
- Moderated by Angela Douglas, Executive Director of Healthy New Albany
Resources
- Video Recording of the Presentation
- Kaleidoscope Youth Center
- Pride New Albany
- Wellbeing Connection
- Teen Connection
- The Trevor Project
- Stonewall Columbus
- Addressing Health Disparities in the LGBTQ Community
- For more resources please check out our Resource Page.
Thank you to our sponsor Bubbly Hall
Lunch for this Lunch & Learn was provided by Mr. Hummus. Bubbly Hall is a new project underway on Central College Road. Bubbly Hall is a food hall that will be opening soon with 15,000 square feet of retail, food, and event space. Thank you Bubbly Hall for your support of Healthy New Albany and our community.
