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Navigating Available Reproductive Healthcare Resources
Following the recent Supreme Court decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, the Vanderbilt Program for LGBTQ Health remains committed to helping sexual and gender minority patients access available resources for reproductive health.
Those interested in speaking with someone about their reproductive health options are encouraged to use the All Options Talkline at 1-888-493-0092. The Talkline is a valuable resource for those who are pregnant and unsure how to feel or what to do next. Callers may also talk about a past or current experience concerning reproductive health. Additional resources available to all Tennesseans are outlined here.
For those wondering what the Court's ruling means for LGBTQ families, the GLBTQ Legal Advocates and Defenders and others have put together a helpful guide that you can access here. This resource gives guidance on understanding the potential implications that this historic ruling may have for marriage, parenting, and LGBTQ families, as well as advice on finding legal counsel to discuss your family's specific situation.
As always, if you are looking for any kind of LGBTQ+ affirming care in the Nashville area, the Vanderbilt Program for LGBTQ Health is here to connect you to providers. You can reach our office at 615-936-3879
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Chaplain Meredith Cox on Being KnownRev. Meredith Cox, chaplain specializing in LGBTQ care at VUMC, recently had their article published in the June 2022 edition of SGIM Forum. Their article speaks to the power of receiving care at a clinic where one's whole self is honored and understood. They also wrote about what spiritual care for transgender patients means to them. "Every part of the transgender journey is sacred to me because it is sacred to listen within and to discover what part of yourself needs to be made known. As a chaplain, I feel that it is my greatest honor to journey with someone to that inner space and to affirm with someone that truest form of self." Rev. Cox also highlights how every person our patients comes into contact with can have an impact on their spiritual health. "Each of you, by committing to the work of understanding and affirming LGBTQIA+ people, are planting seeds or watering what is already there for the transgender person to spiritually thrive."
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Aging with PrideThe Vanderbilt Program for LGBTQ Health was recently featured in a documentary by Nashville Public Television!
Decades of legal and structural discrimination have affected the well-being and economic status of many LGBTQIA+ older adults. The unique social, economic and health challenges they face are explored in NPT’s Aging Matters: Aging with Pride, which premiered Monday, June 20. The program was followed by the premiere of LGBTQIA+ Resources in Middle Tennessee, a panel discussion with Del Ray Zimmerman, director of the Program for LGBTQ Health at Vanderbilt University Medical Center; Gretchen Funk, chief program officer at FiftyForward; The Rev. Dawn Bennett, pastor developer at The Table; and Olivia Hill, a community leader. David Plazas, director of opinion and engagement at The Tennessean, moderated the discussion.
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Help Us Complete our 2022 Community Health Needs Assessment!
The Vanderbilt Program for LGBTQ Health wants to speak with LGBTQ community members about their health needs. Would you be willing to speak with us and help identify how we can best serve the LGBTQ community?
We are seeking the perspectives of LGBTQ+ people in Davidson, Williamson, and Rutherford Counties. We will be conducting short interviews over Zoom where participants can share their health needs and identify disparities, and then analyzing those responses to help us make changes in our healthcare system. We’re offering $25 Target gift cards to those who are willing to sit down and share some of the gaps in healthcare they’ve experienced.
If you are interested, please call or email us at 615-936-3879 or lgbtq.health@vumc.org
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Dr. Jesse Ehrenfeld Named President-Elect of AMA
Jesse Ehrenfeld MD, MPH, founding director of the Vanderbilt Program for LGBTQ Health, was named President-elect of the American Medical Association last month. Dr. Ehrenfeld was previously a Professor of Anesthesiology at Vanderbilt University Medical School and remains adjuct faculty today. He co-founded the Vanderbilt Program for LGBTQ Health in 2012 alongside Kristen Eckstrand, and served as the program's director for seven years.
Dr. Ehrenfeld was elected to the AMA Board of Trustees in 2014, serving as chair from 2019 to 2020. Dr. Ehrenfeld has also served as a member of the governing councils of both the AMA Young Physicians Section and the AMA Resident and Fellow Section, as well as the governing boards of the American Society of Anesthesiologists Resident Component and the Illinois State Medical Society. Additionally, Dr. Ehrenfeld is a former speaker for the Massachusetts Medical Society and the youngest officer in the organization’s 228-year history. Dr. Ehrenfeld is a practicing anesthesiologist, senior associate dean, and tenured professor of anesthesiology at the Medical College of Wisconsin, where he leads the largest statewide health philanthropy, the Advancing a Healthier Wisconsin Endowment.
Following a year-long term as president-elect, Dr. Ehrenfeld will be installed as AMA president in June 2023. Dr. Ehrenfeld will be the first openly gay person to hold the office of president-elect, and also will be the first as AMA president.
We are incredibly proud of Dr. Ehrenfeld, and know that he will continue to advocate for LGBTQ healthcare as president of the AMA. Congratulations Jesse!
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Understanding Monkeypox
Monkeypox is a rare disease caused by the monkeypox virus. Its symptoms are similar to smallpox, including a rash that looks like pimples or blisters, fever, aches, chills, and swollen lymph nodes. Monkeypox can last for 2-4 weeks and is rarely fatal.
In May 2022 about 200 verified and suspected cases of monkeypox were reported in Europe, North America, Israel, and Australia. All but one case occurred among men, and many were among gay and bisexual men. No one is known to have died in the current outbreak.
Although many of the early cases of Monkeypox have presented in gay and bisexual men, this is not a "gay disease." Viruses can and do infect anyone regardless of gender or sexual orientation. It is not an STI, and anyone can contract monkeypox through close contact, especially skin-to-skin contact. Stigma can create more fear and cause people hide symptoms or delay care. We encourage everyone to educate themselves about this outbreak, and offer some trusted resources with more information about the monkeypox virus:
The CDC is currently recommending a post-exposure vaccine strategy in communities with growing cases of monkeypox. As of this publication, Vanderbilt has not yet received vaccines from the federal stockpile. If you are concerned that you have been exposed to the monkeypox virus, we encourage you to contact your local health department immediately. You are also welcome to contact the Vanderbilt Program for LGBTQ Health at lgbtq.health@vumc.org for updated information about vaccine availability.
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Study Comparing Transgender Youth Life Experiences and Access to Care
Participants Needed: Transgender and Gender Nonbinary Youth and their Parents/Caregivers.
What are the goals of this study? Children’s National Hospital (Washington DC) and VU University Medical Center (Amsterdam, the Netherlands) are studying transgender youth life and care experiences in the United States as compared to the Netherlands. The aim of this research is to understand which gender-related policies and practices most influence the wellbeing of transgender youth in each country. The study is funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Evidence for Action Program. The United States part of the study is led by Principal Investigator, John Strang (he/him, they/them), PsyD, Research Director for the Gender Development Program.
Who can be part of this research study? Transgender and gender nonbinary youth age 11- 16 who live in the United States. (The young people participating from the Netherlands are being recruited with a separate announcement in Dutch).
What will participants be asked to do? The study is conducted entirely online and will include three short study sessions over one year. The total participation time across the three sessions in about three hours. The young people will complete questionnaires about their experiences. Parents/caregivers will also complete questionnaires about their child’s experiences.
What are the benefits of taking part in this research study? Families will receive a total of $200 for their time. The results of this study may provide information about: (1) which policies and practices in the Netherlands and the United States are most helpful for transgender youth, as well as (2) policies and practices that may be improved.
I’m interested! How do I participate? If you have questions or would like to join the research study, please contact: Abby Fischbach (she/her) Clinical Research Coordinator
Phone: 301-765-5573
Email: afischbach@childrensnational.org
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Getting Vaccinated Protects Us All
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Memories from Pride 2022!We wanted to end this newsletter by sharing some of our favorite memories of Pride Month 2022!
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