How would you describe your organization’s mission?
Planned Parenthood of Maryland’s (PPM) mission is to promote sexual and reproductive health for all people. PPM is guided by a vision of safe and affirming health care for everyone, especially people made vulnerable by systemic inequities.
At Planned Parenthood, we take our role as a health care provider and sex educator seriously. That means we work every day to ensure health care and education are inclusive and accessible to all.
Tell us about how that mission is brought to life through your work?
PPM provides affirming health care services, education, and advocacy. At PPM we recognize that everyone’s lived experiences have value, and we can learn from our patients just as much as they can learn from us. We partner with local community-based organizations to bridge the gaps in health care our patients are experiencing. We help build connections between health care services and other needs like housing, food, financial assistance programs, etc., all of which improve our patients’ overall health and well-being.
What would happen if your organization suddenly did not exist?
PPM serves Maryland through more than just sexual and reproductive health care. It also plays a pivotal role in connecting patients with other resources that improve the overall well-being of all Marylanders.
Between July 2021 and June 2022, PPM’s care coordination program connected patients from all counties in Maryland with over 1300 vital resources. And in 2022 alone, PPM connected over 500 gender diverse patients to life-saving hormone therapy. Additionally, from June 2022 to March 2023, PPM connected patients to over 900 resources across Maryland — including application assistance for state cancer screening programs and financial assistance, primary care, behavioral health, pharmacy help, gender affirming services, and more.
What can people do to get involved and help make sure that never happens?
Contact your elected officials. Let them know you support transgender and nonbinary people by supporting legislation that protects and expands transgender care. For instance, in Maryland folks can support the Trans Health Equity Act SB 682 that expands Medicaid coverage for transgender health care, and in any access state that is considering laws to “shield” providers from out-of-state prosecution, folks can encourage lawmakers to include providers of gender affirming care.
Why does LGBTQ+ visibility matter to you?
LGBTQ+ visibility is about being seen as more than just our sexual orientation and gender identities. Visibility creates a sense of belonging and security for LGBTQ+ people, especially BIPOC trans and nonbinary people. Sadly, an unprecedented number of anti-LGBTQ bills have been proposed in state legislatures across the United States. Sharing diverse and inclusive LGBTQ+ stories is extremely important to correctly representing the struggles folx are facing.
In your own words, what does “LGBTQ+ safety and support” mean specifically?
LGBTQ+ people frequently encounter discrimination, mistreatment, and physical violence. Safety and support means people are free to live their lives without anyone impeding or disrupting them. It starts with keeping space for folx to be open about their identity and not othering people with different lived experiences. Support and safety can be as simple as inviting the “new guy” to lunch with the group or calling a pharmacy on someone’s behalf when the person is anxious or depressed. Support of and safety within the LGBTQ+ community comes in many forms, but is achieved by first having acceptance for one another. It is from this basis that we can have empathy for one another’s experience and begin to comfort and support LGBTQ+ people.
Who are some of your LGBTQ+ heroes?
Dr. Jules Gill-Peterson is an associate professor of history at Johns Hopkins University who’s written on the concept of gender and our current medical model. I had the pleasure of hearing Dr. Gill-Peterson speak at a conference and was moved by her advocacy efforts for reproductive health and justice.
If you could give LGBTQ+ youth one message, what would it be?
I would tell LGBTQ+ youth to be fearless when approaching life. Although there is a lot of hate in the world, there is just as much love as well. There is no blueprint for life but have the courage to be unapologetically YOU every day.
Tell us about a time when you felt like the work you do at your organization really mattered or made a difference for the communities you serve?
My work allows me to serve my community by providing guidance on how to navigate the complicated health care system. For instance, when patients see a provider at PPM, the provider may want them to follow up with another clinician. I am able to help folks search for primary care and specialty doctors who are both qualified and LGBTQ+ informed.
Additionally, my work provides me an opportunity to advocate for my community. Personally, being able to share stories about my gender transition helps me inform the wider community and serve as a role model for other transgender Latinos. These are just a few ways that my work is both impactful and rewarding.
To learn more and get involved in supporting the work of Planned Parenthood, click HERE.
Liz Achanta
