Queering Medicine

Mission Statement

Queering Medicine is a grassroots advocacy organization made up of queer people working to improve health outcomes for LGBTQ+ people in the Greater Lansing area using science-informed knowledge and practice. Systemic, institutional, and individual bias against LGBTQ+ people and a lack of experience in how to serve our communities result in less access to appropriate healthcare and worse health outcomes for queer folx. To accomplish our goals, we build coalitions and partnerships, generate new knowledge, disseminate information, and help address barriers to healthcare access. We seek to move away from the dominant and frequently oppressive hierarchical systems by having a non-hierarchical leadership and decision-making structure that recognizes members’ unique identities, experiences, knowledge, and trauma. Queering Medicine is an inclusive group that is open to any members of LGBTQ+ communities who share our values and goals and want to be actively involved in our work.

Engaging LGBTQIA+ community members to identify healthcare needs

A large part of our work is listening to queer folks in Lansing and what their specific needs are.

Improving healthcare by providing education to community members

We worked for the past two years since our inception to build connections and enter medical spaces to educate and train physicians and other provider staff on respectfully interacting with queer folks

Connecting queer and queer-friendly healthcare providers with community

We work a lot to make sure LGBTQIA+ Lansing residents are connected with providers who will respect and affirm their health needs.

Vision

Ensure high-quality healthcare and end health disparities for LGBTQ+ people in the Greater Lansing area.

LGBTQIA+ community

  • Everyone can find and access quality, affirming health care and providers

  • Individuals are well-informed and empowered in making healthcare decisions

  • Community informs and influences how healthcare is provided

  • Community has mechanisms and power to hold healthcare providers and systems accountable

  • No need for black market and grey markets for LGBTQ+ healthcare

Healthcare Providers

  • Providers are equipped to work with and deliver affirming, appropriate and intersectional care to LGBTQ+ people

  • Providers hold themselves accountable to delivering affirming care informed by community needs

  • Providers receive standardized, ongoing education on providing affirming and appropriate care to LGBTQ+ people that reflects intersectionality, best practices, and community needs

Research

  • LGBTQ+ people define the need for and appropriateness of biomedical, medical, and healthcare-related research on and about LGBTQ+ people, and intersectionality is taken into account

  • Researchers investigating LGBTQ+ issues hold themselves accountable to LGBTQ+ communities

  • Researchers recognize that LGBTQ+ communities are not homogenous, and that all people with the same identity do not have the same experiences, needs, or views

  • Adequate funding is available for research on LGBTQ+ issues

  • Research findings on LGBTQ+ issues are available and accessible to LGBTQ+ people

Community Organizations and Partnerships

  • Organizations with similar missions and goals to Queering Medicine provide resources and support to one another

  • Organizations have partnerships that address the intersectional experiences of LGBTQ+ people

  • LGBTQ+ community organizations have a clear role in…

    • Including training and competence specific to LGBTQ+ populations in licensing requirements and professional organization certifications

    • Changing laws and policies that impact LGBTQ+ people

    • Changing policies in the biomedical field that impact LGBTQ+ people

    • Changing policies and practices in research about and including LGBTQ+ people

  • There is a vibrant ecosystem of grassroots organizations working on intersectional LGBTQ+ healthcare issues locally and nationally

Greater Individual and Community...

  • Humility

  • Accountability

  • Agency

  • Autonomy

  • Understanding and acceptance of intersectionality

  • Understanding of power and privilege

  • Commitment to lifelong learning

Eliminating...

  • Homophobia

  • Transphobia

  • Cisheteropatriarchy

  • White supremacy

  • Ableism

  • ...and any other systems of oppression and stereotypes impacting LGBTQ+ people




We envision a world where our basic needs and healthcare are no longer something we need to advocate for.