CONCORD, NH — On Saturday, November 19, equality and civil liberties-focused groups will bring together transgender Granite Staters, healthcare providers, teachers and school administrators, advocates, and supporters of New Hampshire’s transgender community to explore a day-long program about barriers transgender people face when accessing healthcare. Organized by Freedom New Hampshire, the TRANSforming NH Healthcare Summit will take place from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the University of New Hampshire School of Law, 2 White Street in Concord.
There is no fee to attend, and breakfast and lunch will be provided. A social hour will follow the event, and run from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m.
“As organizations across the state grapple with addressing and implementing legal protections and non-discrimination policies for transgender people, the need for an inclusive, understanding and informed citizenry has never been more pronounced,” said JeanMarie Gossard, campaign manager of Freedom New Hampshire.
The five-session, day-long event is headlined by featured speaker Mara Keisling, founding executive director of the National Center for Transgender Equity (NCTE), a national social justice advocacy organization winning life-saving change for transgender people.
Since founding NCTE in 2003, Keisling has led organizational and coalition efforts that have won significant advances in transgender equality, including the inclusion of gender identity in the Employment Non-Discrimination Act, the first-ever Congressional hearing on transgender issues, and countless federal administrative and state-level wins. As one of the nation’s leading voices for transgender equality, she is regularly quoted in national and local media.
The event will also convene healthcare providers, community organizations, government agencies and health and legal programs to discuss, educate and share information about improving access, transparency and cooperation around the healthcare practice and policies affecting transgender people in New Hampshire. Appropriate for adults and children of all ages, attendees will leave the summit with customized knowledge to help them understand legal rights and advocate for fair treatment.
“Our goal is to connect people to resources and broaden the understanding that offering inclusive healthcare practices and policies is not optional, whether at a hospital, school, or anywhere within our nation’s complex healthcare system,” Gossard said. “This summit is a safer space to talk about healthcare experiences from the perspectives of transgender and gender nonconforming individuals, their friends, families and allies.”
Specific workshops, which follow a moderated conversation format, include: Trans/Gender Nonconforming Only Safer Space: Sharing Healthcare Experiences; Assessing Trans-Friendly Healthcare, Building Respectful NH Schools, a “Know Your Rights” workshop sponsored by GLAD, and Navigating Coverage, among others.
To register, visit freedomnh.org.
What: Join Freedom New Hampshire and partners for a one-time, day-long event to discuss and learn about issues of access, transparency and cooperation around healthcare practices and policies affecting transgender Granite Staters.
Where: Warren B. Rudman Center, University of New Hampshire School of Law, 2 White Street Concord, NH 03301
When: Saturday, November 19, 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
Presented by ACLU New Hampshire, Endowment for Health, Freedom New Hampshire, GLAD, Harvard Pilgrim Health Care, University of New Hampshire Health Law and Policy Institute for Health Policy and Practice.
