About the National Lesbian Health Summit

This Summit is focused on addressing lesbians, bisexual women, queer women, and transgender people. We welcome all lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex and queer (LGBTIQ) communities, and our important friends and allies, nationally and internationally.

We will come together to rebuild a multi-issue, multicultural women’s health movement focused on long-term strategic goals for lesbian/bi/queer women’s health and wellness that is reflective of the diversity of our community.

We are committed to creating access for marginalized individuals and communities. For more specific information, see Accessibility.

The summit approaches health issues from the perspective of those who face disparities and discrimination and who also generate health and resilience everyday. We will engage in deep thinking and extended discussion to create new responses and innovative programming that reflect our lives.

This summit will include speakers, panels, workshops, organizing meetings, interactive exercises, experiential education, creative festivities, yoga and other forms of self-care.

Principles

The World Health Organization’s definition of health: “the state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity”.
Five major workshop areas: clinical care, community initiatives, education and training, leadership development, and research.
We are committed to diversity among Summit organizers and participants reflective of the compelling diversity of our community. Our core group, working committees, and publicity & outreach strategies include substantial representation based on: race, ethnicity, class, age, ability status, sexual orientation, gender identity, and geographic location.
Three phases : a strong collaborative planning process; the Summit itself; and post-Summit publications including a synopsis as well as appropriate position/policy papers from the proceedings.

Objectives
In addition to the education and training of all involved, outcomes include:

Refocusing on issues of health resiliency and well-being for healthcare providers, educators, and community organizers
Reinvigorating a national Lesbian Health Movement, utilizing health as a vehicle for social change, through the design and development of the Summit itself
Creating national publications and implementation guides, including policy papers and the pertinent proceedings of the Summit as an update to the 1999 IOM Report and 2000 Implementation Guide

Who We Are
The Coordinating Collective for the National Lesbian Health Summit currently has representation from many diverse groups and individuals nationally, including: 1) Callen-Lorde, NY - Anita Radix; 2) Center for Minority Health, University of Pittsburgh – Karen Reddick; 3) Fenway Community Health, Boston - Julie Ebin, Marta Perrupato; 4) LA Gay & Lesbian Center, Los Angeles – Susan Cohen, Precious Stallworth; 5) LGBTI Resources @ University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) – Shane Snowdon; 6) Lesbian Community Cancer Project, Chicago – Cat Jeffcoat; 7) Lesbian Health & Research Center @ UCSF – María Cora, Diane Sabin; 8) Mautner Project, Washington, DC – Rachelle Dixon, D Magrini, and Sara Jaye Sanford; 9) Mazzoni Health Center, Philadelphia – Nurit Shein; 10) National Association of Lesbian & Gay Addiction Professionals, Washington, DC – Cheryl Reese; 11) National Coalition for LGBT Health, Washington, DC – Rebecca Fox

This conference follows a proud tradition of activism and a large body of work regarding lesbian health, including the 2001 National Lesbian Health Summit sponsored by GLMA, LHRC, Lyon-Martin Women's Health Services; the 2002 National Lesbian Health Conference hosted by the Mautner Project; and the 2004 Third National Lesbian Health Conference, hosted in Chicago and sponsored by the University of Illinois and their National Center of Excellence in Women’s Health.

In addition, this Summit also grows out of the robust conference system that has built and sustained our movement, including Creating Change and the Gay Men’s/LGBTI Health Summits. Individual, autonomous national Summits are currently being organized for the {L}, {G}, {B}, {T} communities and will be presented over the next 18 months. These activities are connected by a national LGBTI Health Summit coordinating committee, where information and best practices are shared and discussed.