Metro Health Violence Prevention Hosts Events Focused On Helping LGBTQIA+ Families Thrive In San Antonio

Press release from the City of San Antonio:

June 15, 2021

SAN ANTONIO (June 15, 2021) — The San Antonio Metropolitan Health District’s section for Violence Prevention hosts a series of events to celebrate LGBTQIA+ families during Pride Month. The first event on June 17 is a panel discussion on supporting LGBTQIA+ youth and will stream live on Facebook @SAViolencePrevention. The second event on June 24 is a virtual mixer for LGBTQIA+ parents. Registration is available at www.sanantonio.gov/LGBTQfamilies.

All children need and deserve loving, supportive homes that affirm their gender identity and sexual orientation. Supportive families make all the difference for LGBTQIA+ children. LGBTQIA+ youth whose family affirms their gender identity and sexual orientation are 50 percent less likely to attempt suicide than LGBTQIA+ youth whose families are unsupportive. Additionally, LGBTQIA+ youth are 120 percent more likely to experience homelessness due to family rejecting their sexual orientation or gender identity.

The panel discussion will give parents and caregivers tools to create a loving and supportive environment for the LGBTQIA+ youth in their lives. The conversation is moderated by Pamela Herrera from The Pride Center San Antonio. It will feature local experts and advocates on the panel, including Sandra Whitley from Thrive Youth Center, Alex Gomez from The Trevor Project, Gideon Del Rio from the San Antonio Gender Association, and Fiesta Youth F. Leanne Lindsey from Center for Health Care Services. The event will take place on June 17, 2021, from 6:00 – 7:30 PM and live-streamed on the @SAViolencePrevention’s Facebook page.

“Preventing violence starts with loving, supportive homes that affirm both the child and parent. Celebrating and supporting the LGBTQIA+ families in our community not only is core to supporting the human rights of all people but creates a safer community,” said Jenny Hixon, Public Health Administrator overseeing Violence Prevention at Metro Health. “What our families teach us about love, belonging, and self-respect we take into the world in all our interactions.”

The Violence Prevention team also hosts a virtual mixer for parents who identify as LGBTQIA+ to support connection. The COVID-19 pandemic has created a sense of isolation for parents throughout our community. As our community begins to re-imagine a new sense of normalcy, we recognize the importance of creating social connections and community-building opportunities. The virtual mixer will include games, information on community resources, and door prizes. The virtual mixer will take place on WebEx on June 24, 2021, from 6:00 to 7:30 PM. Registration is available at www.sanantonio.gov/LGBTQfamilies.

The LGBTQ+ Families event is an initiative of the Triple P program within Metro Health’s Violence Prevention section. View more information on Metro Health’s Violence Prevention initiatives.

This press release was produced by the City of San Antonio. The views expressed here are the author’s own.