Centering Queer Health this Pride and Beyond

Happy World Pride, NYC!

This year’s Pride celebration marks the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall riots, a series of clashes between queer communities and the police at the historic Stonewall Inn in New York’s Greenwich Village that sparked the modern day movement for queer liberation and LGBTQ rights in the United States.

As the host of World Pride, NYC will see an influx of 3 million tourists this June, and the city will celebrate with a month of parties, art shows, parades, and more. Fifty years after Stonewall, despite critical civil rights gains for LGBTQ+ communities and the increased visibility of queer issues and identities in our national discourse, we still have a long way to go when it comes to building communties that provide queer people with the tools, resources, and support they need to live fully.

One of the most critical areas we still see harmful gaps in access for queer communities is in health care. Recently, the Trump administration announced a proposal to redefine the Affordable Care Act’s (ACA) 1557 anti-discrimination protections that would remove “gender identity,” effectively gutting transgender protections. The National Center for Transgender Equality (NCTE) says the move could limit health care for 2 million transgender Americans already facing steep hurdles in accessing medical care.

LGBTQ people frequently face discrimination and mistreatment from the medical community. Discrimination in health care settings endangers LGBTQ people’s lives through delays or denials of medically necessary care — for example, the denial of HIV medications due to homophobia. Stigma is also a critical issue for LGBTQ+ populations that intersects with health care access — like fear of seeking treatment, getting tested, or learning about queer health related to fear of coming out or being discriminated against for their sexuality or having a nonbinary gender identity. LGBTQ+ people living outside of major metropolitan areas may also face greater difficulty finding the kind of care they need.

At Planned Parenthood of New York City, we’re proud to serve queer communities with compassionate, nonjudgmental care, and to advocate for policies that create a more just world for people of all sexual and gender identities.

We believe that no matter who you are, who you love, or how much money you make, you deserve health care — and that health care is a human right.

We operate five health centers across New York City (one in each borough!) and we are here for you. We provide an array of free or affordable sexual and reproductive health services including:

• STI testing and treatment
• HIV testing and counseling
• PrEP and PEP
• Abortion services
• Cancer screenings
• Wellness exams
• All 18 forms of birth control
• Gender-affirming hormone therapy
• Vasectomy
• And more!

You can make an appointment today at www.ppnyc.org!

We understand that it can be hard for some to get to a health center. That’s why our Project Street Beat Mobile Health Center brings care to those on the streets of New York — you can find out where to find us throughout the week here. Additionally, our new app, PP Direct, allows you to receive birth control and UTI treatment to your door or pharmacy with the touch of a button! It’s available from the App Store and Google Play.

Pioneering queer and transgender rights activist Marsha P. Johnson, a central figure of the Stonewall uprising, once said “As long as gay people don’t have their rights all across America, there’s no reason for celebration.”

This Pride and always, we must honor Marsha’s legacy and the many queer freedom fighters like her by continuing to fight for the world all our communities deserve.