Donna Weinberger, CEO LGBTQ Rehab, Inspire Recovery
“We’re celebrating the small victories for pride this year, but there’s so much more that needs to be done for queer and trans health rights,” says Donna Weinberger, CEO of LGBTQ rehab.
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (PRWEB) June 15, 2021
Last month, President Joe Biden announced that his administration will be reviving an anti-discrimination bill that will protect queer and transgender people from discrimination in healthcare. In response to Biden’s decision, Donna Weinberger of Inspire Recovery, a Florida-based rehab responded to the news stating:
“This decision will save thousands of lives across the country. So many of our clients come to us with severe mental health issues as a result of the ongoing trauma of being denied basic human rights just because they are queer and/or trans. Not being able to have access to the necessary healthcare, and gender affirmation treatment has severely harmed the trans community in particular.”
While the recent announcement from the Biden administration is taking the necessary steps, Donna Weinberger says that there is still so much more to be done:
“We’re celebrating the small victories for pride this year, but there’s so much more that needs to be done for the queer and trans health rights. A lot of our queer and trans clients come to us with severe underlying mental health issues as a result of oppression and discrimination. While this move is definitely a positive step towards equality for LGBT folks, there’s still so much that needs to be done to provide a safer world for our community.”
2021 has been a record-breaking year for anti-trans legislation, with over 117 bills submitted. Last month, Arkansas became the first state to ban gender-affirming care for transgender youth, which would prohibit physicians from providing hormone therapy and puberty blockers to young people under the age of 18. The ban would have also applied to people who have already begun and are in the middle of their gender-affirmation treatment. Florida and West Virginia have passed bills that would ban young trans kids from playing in schools’ sports teams that align with their true gender. Representatives in Alabama, South Dakota, Mississippi and Tennessee are petitioning for a similar bill to be passed.
Mental health and addiction have greatly impacted the LGBTQ community in recent years. According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, people who identify as lesbian, gay, or bisexual are at greater risk for substance abuse and mental health issues compared to their heterosexual counterparts. Addiction and alcoholism treatment for the queer community is crucial now more than ever.
Inspire Recovery is a West Palm Beach rehabilitation center that specializes in recovery programs designed to cater to unique experiences and trauma related to recovering members of the LGBTQ+ community. Staff members and therapists are trained to accommodate and affirm clients’ gender identity and expression, and sexual orientation, and create a safe space for recovery despite the traumatic events that may occur outside of treatment. Inspire Recovery, aims to offer a safe and affirming space for trans and queer addicts and alcoholics.
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