LGBTQ+ Politics and Health

If you’ve ever left an appointment replaying exactly what was said, wondering whether you were just treated differently because of who you are, this post is for you.   A provider hesitates. A receptionist’s face changes when you say your name. A doctor suddenly finds a reason to refer you somewhere else. You know the […]

If you’ve ever sat in a waiting room rehearsing how you’ll explain your own body before a doctor even walks in, this post is for you.   This year has given LGBTQ+ people a genuinely reasonable question to ask before every appointment: will this provider still be treating people like me next year, and will

Transgender youth in Texas are important parts of our families, schools, and future. Just like their cisgender counterparts, they deserve support and care. Yet waves of recent legislation are targeting young LGBTQ+ people at a national and state level. Meanwhile, public health guidance is clear: discrimination and social rejection are linked with worse health outcomes

By Syd Young (pictured right), PT, DPT, CSCS, FAAOMPT I trained to be a physical therapist here in Texas. From day one, my professors drilled two things into us: evidence and empathy. Evidence tells you what to do. Empathy helps you figure out how to do it for the actual human in front of you.

On August 28, the Texas House pushed SB 8 through on an 86–45 vote after hours of testimony and tension. Because representatives changed the bill, it now boomerangs back to the Senate; if senators concur, it heads straight to the governor. A late amendment cranked up penalties on public institutions that don’t enforce birth-certificate bathroom

In 2025, classrooms across Texas are becoming less safe—not because of students, but because of policies designed to target and silence them. (cover photo courtesy of Equality Texas) As educators, parents, and community members, we want schools to be places where every student feels safe, respected, and able to learn. But that’s not the reality