Ilene Corina, President PULSE of NY addresses young people at
Pride for Youth Coffee House, Bellmore NY.
Pride for Youth is an advocacy service for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) youth under the age of 21. On November 11, 2011 Ilene Corina spoke at their coffee house to approximately 50 young people and shared stories about transgender people who avoid getting much needed healthcare because of either their embarrassment of their body, insecurity about how they may be perceived or because of past experiences of insensitivity to them by medical professionals.
“Medical professionals are not trained in the specific needs of patient centered care or compassionate care to their transgender patients” Corina explained to the group. “It’s up to each of you to advocate for each other and help each other through the healthcare system and make sure your needs are met.”
Corina’s presentation was met with questions about how they can get involved more to learn about advocating for each other. The Glossary of Transgender Terms recently published by the Long Island Patient Safety Advisory Council was distributed so young people can share them with their medical professionals and feel that they are doing something to help educate the profession.
Note: A new field guide from the Joint Commission urges US hospitals to create a more welcoming, safe, and inclusive environment that contributes to improved health care quality for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) patients and their families.
