PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 2, 2024
Contact: Eli Duffy
Communications & Development Manager
eduffy@glma.org
WASHINGTON D.C. — GLMA: Health Professionals Advancing LGBTQ+ Equality applauds the recent American Medical Association (AMA) announcement of a new LGBTQ+ Section. Adding an LGBTQ+ section is a significant move towards ensuring that health policies affecting the LGBTQ+ community are influenced by those directly impacted. This is a crucial development in today's political climate, where LGBTQ+ communities face ongoing threats to their access to comprehensive, evidence-based care.
The AMA sections offer members the opportunity to shape AMA policy, increase relevant knowledge and skills, and interact with peers with similar interests or backgrounds. The LGBTQ+ Section will be open to all AMA members, regardless of career stage, practice setting, or background, and will provide a platform for these individuals to advocate for policies and positions that directly impact their communities.
"GLMA is immensely proud to contribute to the formation of the new LGBTQ+ section." said Alex Sheldon, MA, GLMA Executive Director. "This section significantly increases the number of voices at the table addressing the critical need for diverse LGBTQ+ representation in healthcare professions and policy influence. It also fortifies the impact of GLMA's current voting seat in the AMA House of Delegates. In an expansive organization like the AMA, consolidating these forces for collaborative and enhanced influence is essential for power-building within the LGBTQ+ community. This ensures that community-driven insights and lived experiences shape health policies affecting LGBTQ+ populations.”
“The launch of the LGBTQ+ Section is a significant milestone in ensuring that the needs and voices of our community are adequately represented and addressed by the AMA,” said Jason Schneider, MD, Inaugural Chair of the LGBTQ+ Section and Former President of GLMA. “I am deeply honored to serve as the inaugural Chair and eagerly anticipate leveraging our collective expertise to address the diverse needs of the LGBTQ+ community. Our section will continue to prioritize LGBTQ+ health within the AMA, ensuring better outcomes for this community for years to come.”
GLMA looks forward to collaborating with the LGBTQ+ Section to enhance health policies affecting our community and bolster our advocacy efforts at the AMA. By joining forces, we can better ensure that AMA policies recognize and address the unique challenges faced by the LGBTQ+ community.
Learn more about the AMA’s LGBTQ+ Section here.
About GLMA: Health Professionals Advancing LGBTQ+ Equality
GLMA is a national organization committed to ensuring health equity for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ+) communities and equality for LGBTQ+ health professionals in their work and learning environments. To achieve this mission, GLMA utilizes the scientific expertise of its diverse multidisciplinary membership to inform and drive advocacy, education, and research. www.glma.org