By Dany Seiler, GHC-SCW Applications Analyst
Today marks the 13th annual International Transgender Day of Visibility (TDoV).
The day celebrates the resilience and success of transgender and gender-nonconforming people and raises awareness of transgender rights. GHC-SCW is proud to honor this day while raising awareness of transgender and gender-affirming health care inequities.
Activist Rachel Crandall founded TDoV in 2009. Crandall became inspired by the fact that there was no holiday in existence dedicated to honoring the achievements and contributions of transgender people. At the time, the only major transgender-centered commemoration was the Transgender Day of Remembrance, which mourns the victims of hate crimes and violence.
At GHC-SCW, we have established an LGBTQ Health Committee to help improve the equity and inclusivity of care experienced by patients who identify as LGBTQIA+. We hope to continue working together with these patients and members to ensure they receive the best safe and welcoming care. To learn more about our GHC Primary Care Providers interested in LGBTQIA+ care, head to https://ghcscw.com/health-care/lgbtq.
Our affirmation also extends to those who have not yet shared their gender identity at GHC-SCW.
For more information on organizations that support transgender and non-binary individuals, check out:
For transgender and non-binary folks interested in celebrating the day and connecting with other trans folks within the community, join fellow community members for Celebrate Trans Joy in Community on April 23rd. More information is below.
Article reference: https://www.glaad.org/blog/transgender-day-visibility
In December of 2021, Dr. Ann Hoyt headed to Seoul, South Korea, to participate in the 33rd World Cooperative Congress. The Congress brings together more than 300 cooperative federations and organizations from 109 countries. The conference this past year worked under the theme “Deepening Our Cooperative Identity,” where the conference focused on the current COVID-19 crises and held discussions aimed to deepen the cooperative identity. Dr. Ann Hoyt brought back immense knowledge that will help GHC-SCW work towards being Better Together for everyone.
By Dr. Ann Hoyt, GHC-SCW Board Chair
Early last December, 500 brave souls from around the world got vaccinated, boosted and tested to stand up to the pandemic and attend the 33rd World Cooperative Congress sponsored by the International Cooperative Alliance (ICA). An additional 1500 people joined the conference online. What, you might ask, would generate such a high level of international participation in a cooperative conference. It was an opportunity to explore how to live the values and principles that are the shared identity of the cooperatives throughout the world.
ICA is the global steward of the internationally accepted Statement of Cooperative Identity, which describes cooperative businesses’ values, principles, and definitions. The goal of the Congress was to focus the cooperative movement on exploring and deepening its identity by “examining its values, strengthening its actions, committing to its principles and living its achievements.” The statement combines fundamental moral and ethical values and principles that guide all cooperators when we need to make difficult decisions, and it is the essence of who we are.
Martin Lowery, the Chair of ICA’s Identity Committee and the force behind the Congress, has explained, “there’s something unique about people who are attracted to the cooperative enterprise that doesn’t show in any obvious way; it shows more in the subtlety of [their] relationships. There’s a sense of wanting to collaborate, a sense of kindness, a sense of caring for one another…. There’s a commonality there, a commonality of humanity, of a sense of belonging and caring for one another that one doesn’t always find in society.”
In focusing on our identity, the Congress was informative and inspiring. We learned of the many opportunities to increase inclusivity throughout our co-ops; we have increased needs for culturally relevant education and training regarding our cooperative identity in various formats; and climate change demands a new socio-economic model that lies in multilateralism and cooperation. These and other themes were consistent with the nearly 100 year ICA commitment to fostering peace. That is, not only ending overt violence but creating communities of cooperation and integration, reconciliation, and equality.
To quote one of our speakers, “The time for talking is done, and the time for action is now.” And to quote a wise teacher, “I wish we could learn to love ourselves less and our children’s future more.”
This is our moment!
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You and read more about the Congress at https://icaworldcoopcongress.coop/stories/
You can find the Cooperative Identity Statement at https://www.ica.coop/en/cooperatives/cooperative-identity