Posted on 05/17/2024 4:43:51 PM PDT by nickcarraway
We should all celebrate strides in healthcare
In the aftermath of a major policy change that moves a system toward inclusion, it's important to show that the sky doesn't fall.
For example, as a combat veteran in the U.S. Navy who deployed to Afghanistan, among other places, I have seen firsthand how expanding open service to LGBTQ+ people has significantly strengthened our military and received vocal, sustained support from a bipartisan array of leaders.
Now, as we celebrate the 20th anniversary of the freedom to marry for same-sex couples in parts of our country -- with May 17, 2004 markingopens in a new tab or window the first-ever state-sanctioned weddings between same-sex couples in Massachusetts -- we have another opportunity to review the evidence and see that none of the apocalyptic predictions came to pass. Instead, the opposite happened: The health of families was helped, and no one was harmed.
This week, the RAND Corporation published a new reportopens in a new tab or window presenting one of the most comprehensive evidence reviews about marriage for same-sex couples. The report analyzes nearly 100 quantitative studies from over 20 years and underlines the many positive effects of the freedom to marry -- for same-sex couples, their kids, and the general population -- with zero adverse effects.
As the president of the American Medical Association (AMA), the nation's largest and most influential association for physicians, I'm especially heartened by the impact of marriage equality on greater health outcomes.
Some of the most important changes have been related to health insurance: Expanding marriage to same-sex couples led to a spikeopens in a new tab or window in private health insurance coverage among same-sex couples. After the decision, the number of same-sex couples in which both members had private insurance coverage increased from 79% to 88%. Reliance on Medicaid coverage slightly decreased, and marriage equality contributed to children of same-sex couples having access to private insurance. The impact of this is critical: When people and families are insured, they are better able to access the services they need and take care of themselves and their loved ones.
Other benefits are also encouraging, including a reduced number of emergency department visits among young people related to sexually transmitted infections (STIs). Decreasing state-level rates of STIs generates billions of dollars in savings to the nation's healthcare system each year. Another especially powerful, affirming findingopens in a new tab or window is the potential correlation between the freedom to marry and a reduction in the proportion of high school students who attempted suicide.
Advocating for the LGBTQ+ community in the healthcare field has been one of my greatest professional accomplishments. In past and current roles, I strive each and every day to fight against inequities in healthcare access and ensure that everyone has access to the same high-quality, effective care. Ensuring that our healthcare system treats everyone fairly has long been a professional priority, and I'm committed to doing everything I can to push forward.
This topic is also deeply personal for me: 7 years ago I married my husband Judd in Nashville, Tennessee. We are now the proud parents of two young sons who are the joys of our life.
Securing the freedom to marry was so important to both of us. It felt especially important during my deployment in Afghanistan, prior to the 2015 Supreme Court ruling in Obergefell v. Hodges that established a national right to marry. It felt strange putting my life on the line for the freedoms that we all enjoyed, yet not having the freedom to marry the man I love. Because of this inequality, we were left out of important protections, like the ability for Judd and me to see each other in case of an emergency or a medical issue.
It is a relief to be raising our boys at a time where the freedom to marry is available to all people. It's so clear to me that allowing same-sex couples to marry has led to so many critical steps forward, contributing generally to lower stress and greater health outcomes overall for same-sex couples and their children.
Same-sex couples, their families, and society at large are better off, and healthier all around, because of the freedom to marry. On this 20th anniversary of a major breakthrough, that's something we can all celebrate.
Jesse Ehrenfeld, MD, MPH,opens in a new tab or window is the president of the American Medical Association.
War is peace. Freedom is slavery. Ignorance is strenghth.
Are you certain this isn’t a Babylon Bee article????
Written by a member of the Film Actors Guild.
Some of the opening statements in the article would’ve made a perfect Babylon Bee piece.
Steaming pantload alert
This is more leftist Imagining the outcome they want rather than the outcome that is
I find myself wondering how someone could write this without being embarrassed
Look up the history of Magnus Hirschfeld.
The taking over of the institutions...
GAG.
It does raise that question.
See. Not all md’s finish top of class. Or (p)residents either.
Imagined Equity of Outcome, rather than non-predictive Equity of Opportunity.
If only I was running the World, it would be Utopia. The other 40+ times it was tried, they weren't doing it right.
People believed this. Some people, anyways. Not me.
For the rest of us, it took the Delta variant, followed by Monkeypox for the public to truly learn about the Grindr-driven orgy lifestyle that permeates among gay men.
In short, gay men have a lot of sex and with a lot of different men. Nothing ever changed.
This is America. Everybody is guaranteed their own viewpoint.
The author’s stated experience is diametrically different than my own.
I watch a lot of crime shows. When we see someone that has been stabbed 50, 60 or even 90 times, I call “gay divorce” simply because it is so common. And sad, really.
I’ve seen firsthand the impact of gays in the military - not good IMO. OTOH, I’m no longer active duty - so DILLIGAS? MY son bailed and no longer would recommend a stint in the military for the same reason.
Liar.
Freaks in the military and freaks in general are not a ‘boon to health’.
Yup.
On an importance scale of 1 to a million, it rates as 1,000,001.
Grindr is a gay hookup app. It's very popular.
Here's what straight guys are missing out on:
Gay dudes swipes on his app to another gay dude in his area who he's never met. He messages him.
"Hey bro. I've got an hour for lunch. Wanna meet up somewhere for sex?"
"Sounds awesome dude! I'll bring my friend!"
And they do this every day. I kid you not.
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