All posts tagged LBTQ

Know Your Rights


As we begin the new year and consider how we want to live in 2015, it’s a great idea to consider how you want your health to be and any new health care changes coming your way. Maybe you would like to speak with a counselor about stress in your life, are expecting a new baby in the family, or are due for your first mammogram this year.

We meet with medical professionals for help and trust their expertise. But it’s also important to know your rights when it comes to your health care. HealthCare.gov shares information with us about new rights and protections we all have, thanks to the Affordable Care Act.

How the health care law protects you

Here some additional rights and benefits, and information on how to protect yourself from fraud when you apply for insurance:

On top of what HealthCare.gov outlines as protections in the Affordable Care Act, there are protections and rights that directly support people who identify as LGBTQ. In 2014, LGBT HealthLink partnered with PROMO Missouri and lawyer Corey Prachniak to create the Healthcare Bill of Rights – a short document summarizing LGBTQ rights in the healthcare world now.

The creators of the Healthcare Bill of Rights write:

Your personal life and relationships affect your health more than you realize, so your doctor and other providers need to know your story.

We should all feel safe talking about our sexual partners, sex lives, sexual orientation, HIV status, and gender identity.

  • Learn how to file a complaint if you’ve faced discrimination.
  • See how you can find a medical provider who will respect your rights and identity.
  • Read how you can plan for your future care with a healthcare power of attorney.

Read the Healthcare Bill of Rights here:

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Learn more about the Healthcare Bill of Rights and its history here. And if you want your very own copy of the Healthcare Bill of Rights, check out the different versions available here.

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by ywcakatie on January 9, 2015  •  Permalink
Posted in BABES Network, Community Mental Health, Health Care Access, Healthy Birth Outcomes, Women's Health Outreach
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Posted by ywcakatie on January 9, 2015

https://healthaccessywca.wordpress.com/2015/01/09/know-your-rights/

In June, there’s a health fair on Broadway


2014RHF_Poster

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by ywcakatie on June 17, 2014  •  Image  •  Permalink
Posted in Women's Health Outreach
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Posted by ywcakatie on June 17, 2014

https://healthaccessywca.wordpress.com/2014/06/17/in-june-theres-a-health-fair-on-broadway/

16th Annual Rainbow Health Fair!


We are so excited to host the 16th annual Rainbow Health Fair on Saturday, June 28,from 1-5pm at All Pilgrims Church on Broadway and Republican at the Capitol Hill Pride Festival. At the Rainbow Health Fair, our mission is to offer traditional and holistic health services and education from culturally competent providers to lesbian, bisexual, and queer women and gender queer and transgender people, especially those with limited access to care.

Our vision:
A world where people of all genders and sexualities have access to the resources they need for optimal wellness.

Here’s the thing:
To make it happen we need YOU.

We need you to come by, say hi, and maybe even…

  • Get a free pap test or mammogram. Yeah, it’s nobody’s idea of a good time, but trust us, our providers love working with LBTQ patients – and did we say free?
  • Free mammograms for eligible people 40+ only
  • Free massages and acupuncture
  • Free snacks and water
  • Lots of great information for your health and wellness
  • Health resources in Seattle and the Puget Sound
  • Insurance info and enrollment
  • Win a sweet raffle prize from Babeland, Three Dollar Bill Cinema, Rat City Roller Girls, SIFF cinema and more!

We’ll be posting more soon about the awesome providers we have lined up for you, but in the meantime, save the date to come see us at Capitol Hill Pride!

The Rainbow Health Fair: free, fun, safe and queer!!

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To stay up-to-date and informed about the Rainbow Health Fair this year and every year, visit the YWCA’s LBTQ Health Blog!

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by ywcakatie on June 9, 2014  •  Permalink
Posted in Women's Health Outreach
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Posted by ywcakatie on June 9, 2014

https://healthaccessywca.wordpress.com/2014/06/09/16th-annual-rainbow-health-fair/

National Youth HIV/AIDS Awareness Day


Tomorrow is April 10th – National Youth HIV/AIDS Awareness Day. On this day, there is a particular focus to educate the public about the impact of HIV and AIDS on young people as well as highlight the amazing work young people are doing across the country to fight the HIV & AIDS epidemic.

Today’s young people are the first generation who have never known a world without HIV and AIDS. In the United States, one in four new HIV infections is among youth ages 13 to 24. Every month 1,000 young people are infected with HIV and over 76,400 young people are currently living with HIV across the country. While there has been much talk about an AIDS-Free Generation, we know that is not possible without our nation’s youth. Young people and their allies are determined to end this epidemic once and for all and this day is a way to acknowledge the great work young people are already engaging in to do so.

Want to learn a little more about HIV, how it’s transmitted, and how to access testing? Visit Amplify Your Voice’s site, where they have an HIV/AIDS FAQ.

Get involved in National Youth HIV/AIDS Awareness Day this month – check out some local events taking place over the next few days:

NYHAAD Events Flyer

Language and statistics from this blog post are drawn from Advocates for Youth’s Amplify Your Voice website.

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by ywcakatie on April 9, 2014  •  Permalink
Posted in BABES Network
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Posted by ywcakatie on April 9, 2014

https://healthaccessywca.wordpress.com/2014/04/09/national-youth-hivaids-awareness-day/

15th Annual Rainbow Health Fair


For fifteen years, the Rainbow Women’s Health Fair has offered access to health information and health care services to Seattle’s LBTQ community. Last weekend, the health fair was held at All Pilgrims Church on Broadway in the middle of Pride Weekend – and it was a smashing success!

Many thanks to All Pilgrims Church, all our volunteers and providers, and the community for their participation. We couldn’t have done it without you! And we can’t wait until next year!

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Katie  Lama, LPN, providing glucose and cholesterol screenings

 

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Doris Harris from the Breast Cancer Navigation Project

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Two Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence find Rainbow Women’s Health Fair Volunteers!

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Volunteers Gabi and Agnes do intakes for women getting their mammograms

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Volunteers Kyle and Shan offered free hugs at the Hug Deli!

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YWCA Volunteer and Rainbow Health Fair Committee Member Jen Peters and YWCA Women’s Health Outreach Program Manager Ingrid Berkhout.

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by ywcakatie on July 3, 2013  •  Permalink
Posted in Women's Health Outreach
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Posted by ywcakatie on July 3, 2013

https://healthaccessywca.wordpress.com/2013/07/03/15th-annual-rainbow-health-fair/

“We promised them we would tell the world.”


Last year, the National LGBT Cancer Network surveyed LGBT cancer survivors to learn more about their experiences in the health care system. More than 300 individuals from across the country participated in the survey and shared their stories.

After connecting with LGBT cancer survivors and conducting their research, the National LGBT Cancer Network made recommendations that fall beneath these six themes:

  1. Stigma plays a prominent role in LGBT healthcare. (pg. 8)
  2. The local healthcare environment determines one’s experience and is highly variable. (pg. 10
  3. Disclosure [to healthcare providers] is often related to perceived safety. (pg. 13)
  4. Respecting LGBT patients means respecting their support teams. (pg. 17)
  5. The pervasive expectation of gender conformity can be alienating. (pg. 21)
  6. LGBT survivors need more culturally appropriate support and information. (pg. 24)

In the report’s conclusion, they write:

Cancer doesn’t discriminate, but the healthcare system often

does, as evidenced by the many experiences reported here by survey respondents. These experiences, while taking place at one of the margins of the healthcare system, offer a rare glimpse into the opportunities for change in the entire system. A well-intentioned one-size-fits-all approach too often gives a message of unwelcome to LGBT patients, leading those who can avoid the system to do so, and suggesting to others that they need to remain silent about their lives, their support systems and their needs.

For more information and to read the recommendations, read the full report here.

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by ywcakatie on June 17, 2013  •  Permalink
Posted in Women's Health Outreach
Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Posted by ywcakatie on June 17, 2013

https://healthaccessywca.wordpress.com/2013/06/17/we-promised-them-we-would-tell-the-world/

June 29: 15th Annual Rainbow Women’s Health Fair!


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Free massage? Free yoga? Free mammograms, pap tests, acupuncture, and more – all in an LBTQ-friendly setting? Yes, please!

Come by All Pilgrims Church at Republican and Broadway between noon and 4pm on Saturday, June 29, the day of the Capitol Hill Pride Festival. That’s where the Rainbow Women’s Health Fair will be taking place. The goal of the health fair is to provide holistic and traditional health services and education from culturally competent providers to lesbian, bisexual, and queer women and genderqueer and transgender people, especially those with limited access to care. “It’s about empowering the community to take care of their health,” says Ingrid Berkhout, YWCA Women’s Health Outreach Program Manager. Since 2000, she has coordinated a team of volunteers to make the health fair happen each Pride.

Research shows that lesbian and bisexual women are less likely to get the preventive screenings they need, like mammograms and pap tests, and are more likely to experience some health issues, such as depression. Trans people of all genders face even more barriers to getting the health care they need. Yet there are very few health services in Seattle geared toward LBTQ women and trans people. The Rainbow Women’s Health Fair attempts to fill this gap, at least for one day each year.

Why attend the health fair? Ingrid offers a lot of reasons: “To experience alternative healthcare you might not know about. To get your vitals checked. To have fun, meet women, maybe find a provider, and get lots of information about LBTQ community organizations. To be proud of your health! Because if you’re not healthy, nothing really works.” All providers that participate in the fair volunteer their time and resources, and the planning committee focuses on recruiting LBTQ providers (or people with a long history of serving our community) to ensure that all services are culturally competent, as well as free, for all participants.

The Rainbow Women’s Health Fair was started in 1995 by the Seattle Lesbian Cancer Project. In later years, the fair was sponsored by Verbena Health, and after their premature demise, Ingrid and the fair moved over to the YWCA. Despite the many changes in our community, the fair is still going strong. This year’s fair will be the 15th (a few years have been skipped), and will include free yoga, massage, acupuncture, HIV tests, vitals checks, mammograms, pap smears, raffle prizes, and more, as well as interactive workshops throughout the day on topics like nutrition. Check out the YWCA’s LBTQ Health Blog for updates.

If you’re interested in volunteering, contact Nina Cole at 206.461.4482 or ncole@ywcaworks.org. To schedule a mammogram appointment or for general information, contact Ingrid at iberkhou@ywcaworks.org or 206.461.4493. See you there!

Re-posted and adapted from LBTQ Health Blog.

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by ywcakatie on June 4, 2013  •  Permalink
Posted in Women's Health Outreach
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Posted by ywcakatie on June 4, 2013

https://healthaccessywca.wordpress.com/2013/06/04/june-29-15th-annual-rainbow-womens-health-fair/

Can being an LBTQ woman increase your risk of breast cancer?


In honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, it’s important to learn how you can decrease your likelihood of breast cancer. While there are no studies that say being LBTQ makes a woman more susceptible to breast cancer, there are a few risk factors for breast cancer that are more likely in LBTQ women. The specific reasons that these behaviors are often higher in LBTQ women is not known for certain, but is believed to be due to stress associated with homophobia and being a part of a marginalized group. For more information visit HealthyPeople.gov.

First, alcohol consumption tends to be higher in women who are LBTQ than in women who are not. Consuming more than three alcoholic drinks a week increases the risk of breast cancer, so remember to drink in moderation!

Some studies indicate that lesbians are more likely to be overweight, which can increase chances of breast cancer. Changes in both exercise and a nutritious diet—not just one or the other!—are the most effective and healthy ways to lose weight.

Smoking is another risk factor for breast cancer, and another harmful activity that LBTQ women are more likely to partake in. For information on how to quit smoking, see the Washington State QuitLine website.

Giving birth before the age of thirty, which LBTQ women are less likely to do, can decrease the risk of breast cancer.

Finally, having to come out to health providers can make doctor visits stressful for LBTQ women, which can be a hurdle to getting a regular mammogram. Start by finding a doctor who you feel comfortable with. If you are over the age of 40 and have no risk factors for breast cancer, you should get a mammogram every two years. Over the age of 50, however, or if you have any heightened risk for breast cancer, you should get a mammogram annually. Every woman should do a self-breast exam once a month. To learn how, click here.

Stress is the reason that these things tend to be higher.

Being aware of these risk factors and how they affect you in particular is the first step in decreasing your risk of breast cancer! For more information on breast cancer and the possible causes of it, go to this website.

Information for this blog post was gathered from a Verbena pamphlet on lesbian health titled “Lesbian Health Matters” and the National LBGT Cancer Network.

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by ninaywca on October 23, 2012  •  Permalink
Posted in Women's Health Outreach
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Posted by ninaywca on October 23, 2012

https://healthaccessywca.wordpress.com/2012/10/23/can-being-an-lbtq-woman-increase-your-risk-of-breast-cancer/

Another successful Rainbow Health Fair!


The 14th Annual LBTQ Rainbow Health Fair on Saturday, June 23rd was a wild success! Thank you to everyone who put their time, energy, services, and passion into this wonderful event! Just in case you missed it, here are a few snapshots from the day itself. For more information on the LBTQ Rainbow Health Fair, visit the YWCA’s LBTQ Health Blog.

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by ywcakatie on June 29, 2012  •  Permalink
Posted in Women's Health Outreach
Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Posted by ywcakatie on June 29, 2012

https://healthaccessywca.wordpress.com/2012/06/29/another-successful-rainbow-health-fair/

14th Annual Rainbow Health Fair at Pride


Join us for a fun, vibrant, active, and informative health fair this Saturday at Pride! It’ll be bigger and better than ever before, at Seattle Central Community College.

Saturday, June 23rd
1pm – 5pm
Seattle Central Community College
1701 Broadway
Seattle
 
Peer providers will share their services, including acupuncture, massage, energy healing, Zumba, stretching with Tamara the Trapeze Lady, HIV testing, cholesterol checks, naturopathic consultation, coming out services, mental health education, and a wonderful laughter session provided by our own Ingrid Berkhout.
 
The Swedish Breast Center Mammography Coach will join us on-site for no-cost mammograms. Grace Chapman, ARNP, will also be providing pap tests. Eligible individuals for these no-cost services must be income-eligible, and 40 or over. Insurance is also accepted. To schedule your mammogram and pap test, call YWCA Women’s Health Outreach’s Marilyn Calbert at 206.461.4489.
 
We are so excited to be holding this health fair again this year, bringing back many interactive and critical health services to Rainbow! Check out the YWCA’s LBTQ Health Blog to learn more about the 50-odd volunteer providers participating in this health fair and bringing free services to the community!
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by ywcakatie on June 21, 2012  •  Permalink
Posted in Women's Health Outreach
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Posted by ywcakatie on June 21, 2012

https://healthaccessywca.wordpress.com/2012/06/21/14th-annual-rainbow-health-fair-at-pride/

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