Summit is set for March 6-8 in San Francisco
The deadline to submit workshop proposals for the 2009 National Lesbian Health Summit (NLHS) is Jan. 21, summit organizers said this week. Proposals can be submitted online through at https://lesbianhealthinfo.org/NationalLesbianHealthSummit/EmailProposalForm.html.
The summit, organized by the Lesbian Health and Research Center at University of California, San Francisco and a broad national coalition, will be held March 6-8 in San Francisco. Subtitled "Expanding Our Movement," it seeks presentations on a wide variety of topics related to the wellbeing of lesbians, bisexual women, queer women and transgender people.
NLHS will offer health care professionals, advocates and other community members "the opportunity to learn from each other and from the best available research and information," organizers said. Topic areas include clinical care, community initiatives, education and training, leadership development, public health policy, research and sexuality.
"The mental, physical and spiritual health of lesbian, bisexual and queer women and transgender people are complex and under-discussed topics," said Diane Sabin, executive director of the Lesbian Health and Research Center and organizer of the summit.
"At the summit, we will broadly discuss how health plays into the lives, loves, and communities of LBT people around the country. In addition, we are excited about hosting a section dedicated to controversies in our community — creating a safe public space for complicated engagement," Sabin said.
Confirmed panelists and workshop presenters include pioneers in lesbian and queer women’s health: Rebecca Fox, director of the National Coalition for LGBT Health; Dr. Sandra Hernández, chief executive officer of the San Francisco Foundation; Dr. Marjorie J. Hill, chief executive officer of the Gay Men’s Health Crisis; Sheila James Kuehl, the first openly gay California legislator; and Dr. Caitlin Ryan, Director of Adolescent Health Initiatives, César E. Chavez Institute, San Francisco State University, who has addressed lesbian and gay health for over three decades.
More information on the 2009 National Lesbian Health Summit including registration can be found online at https://lesbianhealthinfo.org/NationalLesbianHealthSummit/.