HERE’S WHAT IS HAPPENING

In Texas, Governor Greg Abbott wants to investigate parents and doctors who help children with age-appropriate, gender-affirming care as “child abusers,” which is a vile slander.

In South Carolina, Governor Henry McMaster recently signed into law a bill that allows medical practitioners, healthcare institutions and healthcare payers — including doctors, nurses counselors, pharmacists and insurance companies — to deny any medical services based on personal beliefs rather than patient need. It limits access to critical services such as gender-affirming care, contraceptives, HIV medications, fertility care, end of life care and mental health services. It also allows insurance companies and employers to refuse to reimburse or pay for medically necessary services.

Florida also moved to deny life-saving, gender-affirming care to all Floridians who rely on Medicaid. Putting the state between patients and their doctors for no reason other than political grandstanding, the Department of Health’s new rule harms thousands of residents and creates an atmosphere of hostility toward individuals purely on the basis of their sexual orientation and gender identity.

HOW WE’RE FIGHTING BACK

Everyone deserves equal access to healthcare, bodily autonomy and family planning — the ability to seek and obtain care that they need in consultations with their doctors and providers — without state-sanctioned interference, fear or discrimination. Help HRC in partnership with our coalition partners fight back against discrimination in healthcare.

In this year’s Health Equality Index, HRC rated over 900 hospitals and healthcare facilities nationwide to promote equitable and inclusive care for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer patients and their families. Many inequities remain for our community, especially those people at the intersections of multiple identities.

WHAT YOU CAN DO NOW

It’s time to demand equitable, knowledgeable, inclusive and welcoming healthcare free from discrimination. No one facing health concerns should have to worry about receiving inequitable or substandard care just because of their LGBTQ+ identity. Tell politicians to stay out of doctor-patient relationships and let healthcare workers provide their best care.

Sign Up for our Virtual Summer of Outrage Actions: Text OUTRAGE to 472472 from your mobile phone. (Msg&dataratesmayapply. Recurring msgs. TxtSTOP2quit. HELP4info.)

Read how HRC Corrected Propaganda from the Florida Department of Health

Check Out the HRC Health Equality Index

Check Out the HRC Municipal Equality Index