At a recent LGBT healthre nference, I was somewhat surprised to disver that many LGBT nurs attendance (and other healthre provirs and alli) were not aware of the disparate ways that gay male and lbian nurs have experienced the disciple of nursg. In some fields, LGB and T people may be lumped together bee…
Contents:
- FLASHBACK FRIDAY - WHEN GAY NURS ORGANIZED FOR CHANGE
- GAY NURS ALLIANCE RERDS
- GAY NURS ALLIANCE
- GAY NURS ALLIANCE
FLASHBACK FRIDAY - WHEN GAY NURS ORGANIZED FOR CHANGE
Durg Pri Month, we highlight one of the earlit natnal anizatns for gay rights--tablished, not surprisgly, by nurs. * gay nurses alliance *
The Gay Nurs Alliance (GNA), found 10 months earlier by two registered nurs, E. “A gay nurse who ‘ out’ or is ‘disvered’ may shortly fd herself or himself unemployed.
Their symposium, “Gay People/Straight Health Care, ” featured an d-visual prentatn pictg the problems gay people enuntered. This was news for the mastream dience: a gay man unable to vis his lover tensive re bee the hospal do not regnize homosexual relatnships; a nurse aaid to challenge anti-gay jok ma by lleagu; and a patient whose drsgs are neglected by homophobic hospal staff after a vis om his lover. The GNA beme the first natnal anizatn for gay, lbian, and bisexual nurs when lnched 1973 Philalphia, wh fewer than a dozen members.
Its goal was to make the healthre system safe and rponsive for gay people—staff and patients alike. That same year, homosexualy was officially stck om the Amerin Psychiatric Associatn’s roster of mental illns. Unls and until they are ted and sensized about gay health re issu, gay people will ntue to enunter problems and poor attus, if not outright hostily the health re system.
GAY NURS ALLIANCE RERDS
Gay Nurs Alliance. Que the same Wikipedia. Jt better. * gay nurses alliance *
Lawrence, RN, print of the Gay Nurs Alliance. ”Most gay people worry about beg given equal treatment if they are hospalized and somehow their sexual preference be known. In addn to providg a fom and support system for gay nurs, the GNA sought to te the health-re muny about gay liftyl and health ncerns.
At that time, nursg curriculums clud ltle sexual tn and the GNA phed for velopg urs that would clu material on gay liftyl. Supporters of the Gay Nurs Alliance durg a rally. Wh a year of s formatn, the Gay Nurs Alliance had chapters 17 stat and Canada.
GAY NURS ALLIANCE
* gay nurses alliance *
Jeri Dilno, left, and Carolyn Inn of the Gay Nurs Alliance cir 1974. They created the ground-breakg "Gay People/Straight Health Care" program. By 1977, the GNA had upwards of 900 paid members and a ntact list of several thoand gay nurs, acrdg to John C.
“Nurs are very nservative and therefore difficult to anize and te about gay issu, ” he wrote The Empty Closet, a newsletter published by the gay muny Rochter, NY. “Also, there are many gay nurs who hold very powerful posns nursg but, as wh most profsnals, they have a lot to lose and are reluctant to e out of the closet. “Nurs are the backbone of the health-re system… unls and until they are ted and sensized about gay health re issu, gay people will ntue to enunter problems and poor attus, if not outright hostily the health re system, ” he add.
The Gay Nurs Alliance ntued to grow but lack of member volvement led to s eventual mise. Still, a relatively short span of time, s re of mted members had helped to raise the visibily of lbian and gay men the profsn and te many nurs about the needs of LGBTQ patients. David Waldron -found the Gay Nurs'Alliance (GNA) Philalphia, PA, Augt 1973 to advote for gay patients and nurs and te health re profsnals and others.
GAY NURS ALLIANCE
Enuraged by her mentor Barbara Gtgs, Inn approached Waldron wh the ia of tablishg a gay uc wh the Amerin Nurs Associatn. In October of 1973 they gave the prentatn"Gay People/Straight Health Care" at the Pennsylvania Nurs Associatn nference.