June 1st marks the start of LGBTQ+ Pride Month! Since 1969, the month of June has served as a time to recognize the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer / questioning (LGBTQ+) people who started the Gay Liberation Movement for civil rights, gender equality, marriage and family recognition, and healthcare activism. It is a month of remembrance for community members who came before, and a celebration of those who are with us today. The first rainbow Gay Pride flag debuted in 1978, designed by Gilbert Baker, who chose rainbow colors to represent themes of life, healing, harmony, nature, art, sunlight, sexuality, and spirit. It was updated to the Progress Pride flag in 2018 by artist Daniel Quasar to emphasize the importance of the queer Black, Brown, and transgender communities to LGBTQ+ activism.
In 2022, Advocate Health Midwest earned the title LGBTQ+ Healthcare Equality Leader by the Human Rights Campaign, with all 27 hospitals earning a perfect score. The score reflects “…policies and practices dedicated to the equitable treatment and inclusion of LGBTQ+ patients, visitors, and employees,” per the award announcement.
An abundance of resources on LGBTQ+ health care considerations and topics can be found on the Advocate Health Library – Midwest website, as part of our growing Diversity, Equity, and Inclusivity (DEI) guide.
Below is a picture of teammates from Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center participating in the Chicago Pride Parade in 2008 (found in AIMMC’s Momentum Express publication). The parade route runs through the LGBTQ+ neighborhood of Northalsted (formerly Boystown) in Lakeview, just a few blocks from where AIMMC is located.
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