Health

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Florida’s health department moves to block social transition; healthcare for trans kids

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Florida’s health department has issued chilling guidance to block medical care and even social transition for trans kids in the state. The guidance, issued by Florida’s department of health on Wednesday (20 April), contradicts federal guidance and guidance from the World Professional Association for Transgender Health and states that “anyone under 18 should not be prescribed puberty blockers or hormone therapy”. It also appears to promote conversion therapy, stating that trans “children and adolescents should… seek counselling from a licensed provider”. The guidance has echoes of a directive released by Texas governor Greg Abbott in March, which urges Texans to report families providing their trans kids with gender-affirming medical care, […]

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HHS To Rescind Trump-Era Anti-LGBTQ Healthcare Rule

Politico reports: The Biden administration is preparing to scrap a Trump-era rule that allows medical workers to refuse to provide services that conflict with their religious or moral beliefs, three people familiar with the deliberations told POLITICO. A spokesperson for the Department of Health and Human Services confirmed that the policy change is underway, saying: “HHS has made clear through the unified regulatory agenda that we are in the rulemaking process.” The move, which HHS could propose as soon as the end of this month, comes as many GOP-led states are moving to limit access to abortions and transgender care, and […]

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Trans-focused sexual health clinics are quietly revolutionising care for the community

For years, Mandy (not her real name), a trans sex worker, used to commute two hours from Bristol to London just to access non-judgemental sexual healthcare. “When I went to Bristol’s central clinic for a sexual health check-up, they told me they ‘don’t know how to deal with people like me,’” she tells PinkNews. “I even experienced having a student nurse brought in to look at my post-operative vagina.” This humiliating experience made her determined to find more inclusive services, but doing so was far from easy. In Mandy’s eyes, “finding clinicians that are able to handle my trans body and […]

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April is Bisexual+ Health Awareness Month

The Bisexual Resource Center (BRC), America’s oldest national bisexual organization, will celebrate the 9th annual Bisexual+ Health Awareness Month (#BiHealthMonth) social media campaign throughout March 2022. Learn more about #BiHealthMonth at https://bihealthmonth.org/.  #BiHealthMonth, founded and led annually by the BRC, raises awareness about the bisexual+ (bi, pansexual, fluid, queer, etc.) community’s social, economic and health disparities; advocates for resources; and inspires actions to improve bi+ people’s well-being. This year’s #BiHealthMonth theme is “Connection.” This theme has been chosen to highlight the importance of connecting bisexual+ people to each other, to supportive communities and to health care resources that are affirming […]

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FDA approves first condom specifically intended for anal sex

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration this week approved the first condom specifically indicated for anal intercourse.  While the One Male Condom is not markedly different from the hundreds of other condoms on the market, it is the first that will be allowed to use the “safe and effective use” label for reducing sexually transmitted infections during anal sex. It is also approved for use as a contraceptive and as a means to reduce STIs during vaginal intercourse.  “This landmark shift demonstrates that when researchers, advocates, and companies come together, we can create a lasting impact in public health efforts,” Davin Wedel, […]

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Trans teen who died by suicide was turned away by urgent mental health care services

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A trans teen died by suicide while waiting to access mental health care and a first appointment at a gender identity clinic, with a coroner warning that future deaths are possible unless action is taken. Daniel France, a 17-year-old teenager from Cambridgeshire, killed himself during the first coronavirus lockdown in April 2020 while taking medication to treat depression. He was trans, and had been referred to an NHS gender clinic – but, like thousands of others, faced several years of waiting before he would be called for his first appointment. France, described as “extremely kind” and someone who had “many friends” by […]

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COVID-19 vaccination higher among gay and lesbian adults than heterosexual adults

A study has found that COVID-19 vaccine rates in the United States are higher among gay and lesbian adults than in heterosexual adults. The Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) found that lesbians and gay men aged 18 and older reported higher levels of vaccine coverage (85.4 per cent) than their straight counterpoints (76.3 per cent). It was found that bisexual (76.3 per cent) and transgender adults (75.7 per cent) had similar COVID-19 vaccine rates to heterosexual people. The study authors explained that the data could help to “increase vaccination coverage”. The authors said: “Understanding COVID-19 vaccination coverage and confidence among LGBT+ populations, […]

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Homelessness linked to poor mental health among LGBTQ youth, report finds

More than 1 in 4 LGBTQ youth have experienced homelessness or housing instability at some point in their lives, a new report from The Trevor Project shows, including nearly half of Native/Indigenous LGBTQ youth and nearly 40 percent of transgender and nonbinary youth. Thirty-five percent of LGBTQ youth who are homeless and 28 percent who have experienced housing instability also reported a suicide attempt in the last year, compared to 10 percent of LGBTQ youth who are not housing insecure. Homeless LGBTQ youth are also two to four times more likely to report depression, anxiety, self-harm, suicidal thoughts and suicide attempts. These […]

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‘Extremely drug-resistant’ strain of STI shigella is on the rise

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The UK has seen a sharp rise in an “extremely drug-resistant” strain of the STI shigella among gay and bisexual men, according to a government report. Although not well-known, a shigella infection, from a bacterium that causes dysentery, can be very serious. Shigella is transmitted through the accidental ingestion of faecal matter containing the bacteria, such as by licking skin, condoms, toys or fingers that have been contaminated during rimming, fisting, or giving oral sex after anal sex. Even a tiny amount can cause infection. The infection affects the gut, and can cause severe and long-lasting diarrhoea, stomach cramps and a fever. Because […]

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FDA slow in responding to calls for end to ban on gay men tissue donors

As of early this week, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration had yet to respond to a Nov. 29 joint letter by 52 members of the U.S. House and U.S. Senate calling on the FDA to end its policy of restricting the donation of human tissues such as corneas, heart valves, skin, and other tissue by men who have sex with men, or MSM. The letter is addressed to Acting FDA Commissioner Janet Woodcock and Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra. The FDA is an agency within the HHS. The letter says the FDA’s restrictions on MSM […]

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