News

For more info . . .

Vanderbilt University Medical Center providers were interviewed to get their general thoughts on interacting with lgbtq patients. For more info . . .

Kale Edmiston was pretty sure he had strep throat. He went to the doctor for a strep test, and the doctor looked at him, flummoxed, and asked if he had sex like a "regular" person. Being transgender, Edmiston's life is full of moments like this — threats, snide comments, double-takes and even inappropriate questions from probably well-meaning doctors color everyday life when you're trans.

Keanan, Cameron, and Trevor, the Program for lgbtq Health summer interns for 2015, have a blog! Please follow it to keep up with what they're doing and to get help information about the Trans Buddy program. http://yougetatransbuddy.tumblr.com/  

The Trans Buddy Program’s goal is to increase access to care and improve healthcare outcomes for transgender people by providing emotional support to transgender patients during healthcare visits.

On Sunday, the 2015 Trans 100 list was released at a ceremony in Chicago, and Petey Peterson, program coordinator for LGBTQI Life, and Kale Edmiston from the Program in lgbtq Health are both 2015 honorees.   The Trans 100 highlights exceptional work done by and for trans people, promotes those who may not otherwise receive recognition, and increases positive visibility for the trans community as a whole.

New Defense Secretary Ashton Carter said Sunday that transgender people shouldn't be prevented from serving in the U.S. military solely based on their gender identity, noting it should not "preclude" them from service. Carter made the comments at a town-hall event in Kandahar, Afghanistan, in response to a question from Navy Lt. Cmdr. Jesse M. Ehrenfeld, a doctor, about transgender soldiers serving in an "austere environment" like the one in Kandahar.

Fear of being stigmatized by health care professionals is barrier for many patients who are members of the LGBT community.  It’s one of the most reported reasons transgender individuals do not go to the doctor – fear of discrimination. Kale Edmiston and Lauren Mitchell, Ph.D. candidates at Vanderbilt, want to change that. In January the pair, along with a dedicated group of volunteers will begin serving as advocates for a pilot program called Trans Buddy.