Where?  San Francisco!

When? September 19-23, 2012!

Indeed, if you are a health care professional or student, have an interest in LGBTQ health and want to learn more, the GLMA (Gay & Lesbian Medical Association)  conference is for you!  This is a prime opportunity to meet leaders in the field and network with other professionals who are committed to LGBTQ health.  You can also earn nursing or medical continuing education credits.

  GLMA started as a physician-only organization, but over the past several years the group has become inclusive of all health care providers.  It is the only place where we can all come together.  Of course the technical and professional content of the conference programs is important because of the central focus and concern on LGBTQ health issues.  But the networking with other health care professional people has been, for me, the real highlight of the conference.  In my experience, homophobia is the norm among the professional people in my academic world. As a result, for LGBTQ nurses, our day-to-day concerns have to do with navigating our way in a realm of closets and innuendos.  None of this exists at the GLMA conference.  This is a space/place where to be open is the norm, and the concern is more focused on where it should be – the health of our LGBTQ friends, colleagues, patients and communities.

I will be there, so if you can be there, let me know!