Equal Health Policy is Queer Liberation

The month of June is recognized globally as Pride Month for the LGBTQ+ community. Set in motion at Stonewall and in my home of Kansas City where organizers of the movement met in 1966. It is a time to recognize those who have come before us, the progress we have made, and the continued commitment to live and love freely, authentically, and visibility.

The fight for equality has never been without its legislative setbacks, The Defense of Marriage Act, Don’t Ask, Don't Tell, and California’s Proposition 8. In recent years, a disturbing trend has emerged across the United States and beyond: a wave of legislation that directly targets the LGBTQ+ community—particularly transgender individuals—under the guise of public health, education, or religious freedom. While often framed as matters of morality or parental rights, these laws have very real and dangerous consequences for the health and well-being of our communities. The political weaponization of identity not only marginalizes communities but creates systemic barriers to healthcare access, exacerbating existing disparities such as houselessness, substance misuse, and mental health. 

“In an era where queer lives are being legislated out of public existence and public health is being gutted for political theater, allyship means more than rainbow logos—it means resistance. It means leveraging your voice, your access, and your platforms to push back loudly, not later.” - Travis Manint, Director of Communication Community Access National Network

The Legislative Landscape: An Escalating Crisis

From bills banning gender-affirming care for youth, anti-DEI initiatives, and restricting LGBTQ-inclusive education, to efforts allowing providers to deny care based on religious beliefs, the legal attacks on LGBTQ health are mounting. In 2024 alone, hundreds of anti-LGBTQ bills were introduced across state legislatures—many of them passing into law.

Additionally, the suggestion of any cuts to HIV funding, including prevention, takes many back  to times in our history when the Regan administration turned their backs on our community, and allowed an entire generation to be wiped out, citing moral panic as a reason to deny federal funding.  

These measures are not benign. When transgender youth are denied access to hormone therapy or counseling, their mental health suffers, and a community more likely to consider suicide When schools are forbidden from discussing LGBTQ topics, students lose access to information that affirms their identities. And when healthcare providers can legally refuse to treat LGBTQ patients, trust in the healthcare system erodes. Each policy sends the wrong message: you do not belong, and you are not safe here.

The Health Consequences of Discrimination

LGBTQ youth experience houselessness at a rate far higher than their peers, with some studies indicating they are 120% more likely to experience it. While only 7% of the overall youth population identifies as LGBTQ, they comprise up to 40% of homeless youth. This disparity is particularly pronounced for transgender and nonbinary youth, with some research suggesting they experience houselessness at even higher rates. Houselessness is not limited to LGBTQIA+ youth, Sexual minority adults are twice as likely as the general population to have experienced homelessness in their lifetime. 

Substance misuse is highly prevalent among LGBTQ+ persons, data on the rates of substance abuse in gay and transgender populations are sparse, it is estimated that between 20 percent to 30 percent of gay and transgender people abuse substances, compared to about 9 percent of the general population, yet affirming treatment centers for our community continue to be scarce. In 2021, over half of LGBTQ youth (56%) used alcohol in the last year, including 47% of LGBTQ youth under the age of 21. Over one in three LGBTQ youth (34%) used marijuana in the last year, including 29% of LGBTQ youth under the age of 21. One in 10 (11%) LGBTQ youth reported having used a prescription drug that was not prescribed to them in the last year, and this rate was the same for those under and over the age of 21. The stress that comes from daily battles with discrimination and stigma is a principle driver of these higher rates of substance use, as gay and transgender people turn to tobacco, alcohol, and other substances as a way to cope with these challenges.

Research has consistently shown that LGBTQ individuals face disproportionately high rates of mental health conditions, substance use, and chronic illness—not because of their identities, but because of the stigma and discrimination they face. According to the CDC, LGBTQ youth are more than four times as likely to attempt suicide compared to their non-LGBTQ peers. Transgender individuals face elevated risks of depression, anxiety, and suicidal ideation, especially when denied gender-affirming care. According to the Trevor Project 39% of LGBTQ+ young people seriously considered attempting suicide in the past year — including 46% of transgender and nonbinary young people.  

Policy plays a pivotal role in either perpetuating or addressing these health disparities. Restrictive laws not only block access to care but foster environments of fear, alienation, and trauma. Conversely, affirming policies—such as nondiscrimination protections, inclusive data collection, and funding for LGBTQ+-specific services—create pathways to health equity.

LGBTQ+ Health Must Be a Policy Priority

Healthcare policy should be a tool for protection, not persecution. We must hold legislators accountable when they propose or support bills that endanger LGBTQ+ lives under the guise of “protecting children” or “religious liberty.” At the same time, we must uplift and support policies that affirm identity, improve access, and invest in LGBTQ+ health. Prioritizing LGBTQ+ health is not a matter of inclusion—it’s a matter of survival. Our laws should reflect the values of dignity, equity, and compassion. 

In an environment where our very existence is being attacked in legislative sessions, it is time we draw from our history, become voices, not victims, and for our allies to stay engaged. It is our turn to make history, demanding better of our lawmakers. Because at the end of the day affirming, culturally competent, equitable LGBTQ+ healthcare is Queer liberation.