LGBT Health Reform Bill is introduced into Congress

The fabulous lesbian Rep. Tammy Baldwin from Wisconsin just introduced the Ending Health Disparities for LGBT Americans Act (ELHDA) earlier this week. Click here for Rep. Baldwin's press release on the bill.

This is so fabulous and fairly comprehensive. Here are the highlights:
• Office of LGBT Health at HHS
• Inclusion in data collection and research
• Non-discrimination policies
• Cultural competency trainings
• Recognition as a population facing health disparities

Of the priorities it talks about, getting LGBT questions into current data collection happening is INCREDIBLY important. We know so little about our health - most of the research done must create its own data sets. Which ends up skewing it: when researchers have to go out and find lesbian and bisexual women to survey, the data sets skew towards women that are more connected to community, more educated, whiter, more urban, and with a higher socio-economic status. Without a complete picture of who we as a community are - with all of our nuances and subcommunities - we do a disservice to the most marginalized and vulnerable in our community.

We must have a complete picture of what all of our health looks like. Only then can we begin to create strategies that truly improve all of our health. I want the most marginalized, queer folk to be a part of our movement - and putting health as a pillar of our movement inherently shifts who is seen and at the center.