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stretchjournalemerson · 5 years

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Turn and Face the Strange: Academia’s Failure to Account For Changes in Current LGBT+ Culture

By Matt Pifko

In the world of academic writing, there is no dearth of queer writing. Whether coming from authors belonging to the LGBT community or focusing on the community itself (such pieces often inhabit both spaces), this sort of academic discourse is prevalent. Countless journals are entirely dedicated to sexuality, queer communities, queer texts, and the general study of queer culture. Despite all of this writing, I see a gap in the academic sphere. I see a blank space, a disparity between the world I see every day and the world represented in these journals. There are essential modern queer texts almost entirely absent from the conversation, iconic figures that have yet to be mentioned by slothlike academia, and important features of the community mentioned only by non-scholarly pop culture magazines and niche community websites. In other words, these academic journals that proclaim to deep dive into queer communities with authority and accuracy appear to fail to illuminate and investigate the vibrant, ever-evolving community.

To explain the gap I perceive, I must first explain the other half of the equation. In other words, I must explain the life experiences I have had over the course of the past year. After graduating from my small, homogenized, exceedingly white and conservative high school, I was thrust into that age-old, all too familiar cliche - a wacky arts school in a major city. Emerson College, despite its notorious lack of racial diversity, was a culture shock to me, mostly due to its famous inclusive and vibrant queer community. Here, I was introduced to people of all kinds of sexualities, genders, philosophies, and nationalities. It was here that I was educated in a new language - that of queer culture.

I had been familiar with the LGBT community’s most beloved celebrities and most popular terminology, thanks to the internet and the widespread appropriation of this terminology (which is an entirely different and important discussion best saved for another occasion), but Emerson gave me a whole new vantage point. Here, I could watch other queer people discuss celebrities, films, TV shows, literature, and all varieties of pop culture that they valued. Thus, when I entered the academic sphere, which seemingly includes so many queer voices, I was perplexed to find very few voices discussing the same “icons” I had heard about in person at Emerson.

To understand this relationship between the current LGBT culture I perceive and the culture discussed in academic journals, we must first establish the context in which this relationship exists. The context, in this case, would be LGBT culture of the past, and the general concept of this culture. This culture is both incredibly storied and often hidden/undocumented, a result of the stigma around homosexuality and other “deviant” sexualities in almost every historical society. Given that LGBT individuals existed throughout history in every time period and every region, there has been a lot of lost culture.

It is most useful to examine LGBT culture in the last few decades, in that it is the most similar to the culture of today’s community, and additionally, most information available pertains to this period. LGBT “culture” is not merely a underground collection of gay-themed media, but rather, more like a vast web of mainstream media that is selectively chosen and incorporated into the community, combined with certain works that directly deal with LGBT

themes. Historically, music has been particularly important to the community. In his extensively researched article about gay and lesbian music tastes in the Belgium queer community, Alexander Dhoest (and his assistant researchers) gives some background, explaining that “music contributed to the evolution of lesbian and gay cultures on several levels... it not only provided means to meet other lesbians and gays, whether belonging to a community and the construction of lesbian and gay identities” (e.g. Chauncey, 1994; Taylor, 2012)” (Dhoest et al., 208).

Furthermore, Dhoest notes that lesbian and gay tastes can vary from one another, but there are certainly overlapping artists and sensibilities. Particularly important to the LGBT community is “camp”, a style connected to gay culture that can be described, in the briefest, simplest terms, as a heightened parody of the feminine and “tasteful” society. Such culture is showcased in drag queens and the worship of pop divas. Dhoest elaborates, claiming “In a musical context, camp can be identified not only at the level of the performer and their stage performance; it is also audible through lyrics and musical execution.” Examples of such campy divas include Judy Garland, Madonna, and Whitney Houston (Dhoest et al., 209). LGBT culture is vast and dense, and campy pop singers constitute a small fraction of the bigger picture. Other genres can fall under the lens of camp, such as punk and disco. Additionally, from observations and life experience, I have noted there is a historical admiration in the community for female performers in all musical genres, such as Bjork, Blondie (Debby Harry), and Fleetwood Mac (Stevie Nicks). Historically, camp has also existed in the world of film, in everything from What Happened to Baby Jane? (1962) to the more overtly queer John Waters “Trash Trilogy” (Pink Flamingoes) (1972), Female Trouble (1974), and Desperate Living (1977) (Snider).

So, where has queer culture gone since the 20th century? In an age where the community has been increasingly more accepted and visible, especially in western culture, what content has emerged? In Lauren McInroy and Shelley Craig’s article “Perspectives of LGBTQ Emerging Adults on the Depiction and Impact of LGBTQ Media Representation,” a valuable cross-section of early 2010s LGBT culture is illuminated. As the title suggests, the researchers interviewed various self-identifying members of the community whose ages ranged from 18 to 22 (all located in a Canadian city where McInroy works as a professor) on the subject of LGBT representation in media, particularly TV and film.

In terms of representative shows, the researchers found the following to be the most commonly mentioned/popular among LGBT interviewees: Queer As Folk, The L Word, Degrassi, and Glee. Movies included Brokeback Mountain (2005), Boys Don’t Cry (1999), A Single Man (2009), and Hedwig and the Angry Inch (2001) (mistitled “Hedwig and the Angry Itch” in the article). Already, it is clear that LGBT culture in the 2000s and early 2010s revolved much more around properties with actual LGBT characters in the narratives. Moreover, the musicians the community supported more openly supported the community in return, as is the case with musician Lady Gaga. Gaga was a favorite due to her larger-than-life media persona and biting wit, but she affirmed the community in return, notably premiering the LGBT pride centered track “Born This Way” in 2011. In these interviews, the LGBT emerging adults (who, it

must be said, were overwhelmingly white and LGB) noted the improved media representation but struggled to name a character or show/film they consumed that displayed queer people in a completely accurate light. Many of the emerging adults preferred new media, i.e. blogs and social media, for LGBTQ representation, because on these platforms the community can represent itself authentically and not be forced to appeal to mass audiences (McInroy). Unfortunately, the 2016 article fails to mention specific new media or new media celebrities, leaving the reader to guess at what exactly the subjects consume.

Regardless of in which era LGBT individuals consumed media, what they consumed, or why they consumed it, it is very clear that this media has an enormous impact, especially when it features some kind of direct representation. In a 2011 study at the Austin Pride Festival, an overwhelming amount of GLB individuals identified media figures as instrumental in their coming-out process (Gomillion et al.). In other words, through these storylines and characters, members of the community can see their own stories, which in turn legitimized and clarified their own hidden experiences and emotions. In a community like the LGBT community, where members typically grow up isolated in heteronormative households/communities, media representation is absolutely essential - for many, including myself, it is a bridge to understanding and acceptance.

Thus, the discrepancy I see between the current LGBT youth culture and the academic sphere does not have anything to do with this underlying understanding. Academic writers understand and have proven through empirical research that media is important to the LGBT community - it’s just that they fail to keep up with, or rather, fail to process this constantly evolving culture in meaningful ways. Each of the academic pieces I have cited contain valuable information, and yet, they all have significant shortcomings. Namely, they are out of date. To a degree, this cannot be helped, as the articles were published in 2015, 2016, and 2011, respectively. That said, the articles do not reference any representative films that were released post-2009, and the most recent TV show referenced began in 2010. Furthermore, these articles are some of the only LGBT-centered academic writing I could locate that deals with the actual community. After scouring the internet and using all the means provided to be as a student at a well-funded communications college, I found that almost all the well-researched, quantitative data on LGBT media and its impact on the community dated back to 2016 or earlier.

To a degree, this is not so much an issue specific to queer academic writing as much as it is emblematic of the faults of the academic genre as a whole. The peer-reviewed, extensively examined processing of academic papers serves as quality assurance, but it also ignores factors such as urgency or influence. This is not to say that academic writing is completely ineffectual in its antiquity and specificity - rather, I believe academic writing is incredibly important, and that the haste with which new material and new research is released should reflect that. In the case of research on LGBT narratives and their effects on the community, perhaps these articles need to be released more expeditiously and become more readily available to the LGBT youth who are

concerned with such matters. Articles like “Radical Love in a time of Heteronormativity: Glee, Gaga, and Getting Better” simply lose relevance in only a few years time.

Therefore, when the cultural items that are examined are no longer essential topics of conversation in the LGBT community, much of the research loses its teeth, and conclusions reached about the community itself can seem inaccurate or outdated. This is not to say that the history of the community cannot be documented, nor are older cultural items like “Glee” unimportant to the visibility of the community. Rather, these simply do not reflect the current values and shared culture of the community, especially for LGBT youths who joined the community long after Madonna and Glee had phased out of popularity. Even in the academic world, timing must be considered. Research regarding an evolving world has to evolve with it and remain relevant, or else the authority of academia will wane further.

Moreover, in the world of academic writing, specifically that which was available to me through my liberal arts style institution, I see two misguided avenues which queer academia often heads down. The first is that of the misguided research. If academic research is to illuminate the influences of media on LGBT individuals, it is essential that the researchers actually interact with LGBT individuals. It is not enough for the researchers to be queer themselves (as is the case with many of the aforementioned articles) - the subjects must be as well. In the piece “Sexuality and Teen Television: Emerging Adults Respond to Representations of Queer Identity on Glee” by Michaela D.E. Meyer and Megan M. Wood, an empirical study is conducted by interviewing various students at a college about their experiences with the TV show Glee. In their opening statement, the authors stress that while previous research has established that queer media can have an impact on emerging adults, they wanted to focus on how these adults are impacted, and in what ways their identities can benefit. This is a valuable vein of research that has yet to be touched, and yet, the researchers miss the mark by solely interviewing straight-identifying individuals. In a study about LGBTQ representation in a show famously important to the community, the researchers allowed for their 97 fans of Glee to be unanimously heterosexual. While the data itself is well organized and analyzed, this oversight renders the data useless in terms of LGBT impact. When the world of academic writing is already so exclusive and, for lack of a better term, narrow, a journal like “Sexuality & Culture: An Interdisciplinary Quarterly” in which this study was published should be providing more accurate and insightful data.

On the other hand, academic writing can miss the mark by focusing too much on the thematic analysis of queer media. After finding article after article about the state of the community written in 2015 or earlier, I began to look for specific articles about current LGBT cultural items of which I knew, those that I had heard in conversations with actual LGBT emerging adults. Researching these items, I found some peer-reviewed entries (there were significantly more entries on queer film/TV as opposed to queer music, despite music’s aforementioned important role in the community), and yet, these were almost always a thematic analysis of the text. Specifically, “Beating Hearts: Compassion and Self-Discovery in Call Me By Your Name” by Joanna Di Mattia and “Call Me By Your Name: Not Pedophilia, Still Problematic” by Renee Sorrentino and Jack Turban are examples of such analytical articles about a relevant LGBT cultural item. Call Me By Your Name, a 2017 film based on the book of the same name, has been immensely popular due to its sensitive and visually splendorous take on gay romance, and therefore, would be a fantastic artifact to conduct research on. That said, these authors, despite writing for publications such as “Screen Education” and “Psychiatric Times,” offer up little more than their review of the material through slightly different lenses. The articles vary in their opinion on the quality of the representation, but each neglects to investigate the actual effects of the material on the represented people. “Beating Hearts” almost purely focuses on the technical and narrative elements of CMBYN, while Sorrentino and Turban’s article makes a surface level connection between modern LGBT youths who use hookup apps and the main character of the film’s experiences. Thematic analysis and opinion based evaluation is not without merit, but there are plenty of conversations on film analysis and queer themes already going on outside of the academic sphere. In order for academia to be necessary and essential in today’s world, it must differentiate itself by providing the kind of empirical data and findings that art journalism cannot cover.

If the goal of the academic sphere is to educate other academics, then researchers must make an effort to reach out of the academic world and learn about things outside of their domain. If the goal of the academic sphere is to educate students my age, then research that is genuinely reflective of the world in which we live must be made available to us. Many of these articles are valuable in certain respects, and on the whole, this body of research constitutes a wealth of useful information when cross-referenced with one another to fill in the gaps. Nonetheless, we, as a community and as young people with a thirst for information, deserve better. Ultimately, the most crucial oversight in the queer academic community is simple - there is a lack of new voices with new information. Whether in the form of impactful texts or influential figures within the community, these perspectives must be addressed and must be heard. Meaningful research must be done that intimately involves these voices in the process itself. It is not easy to change gears within the academic community, to ask a sloth to move faster, but valuable change is never easy. Strong academics do not teach and communicate because it is easy, but rather, because they understand that knowledge and perspective is unimpeachably important. Perhaps, academics can understand that communicating with the current culture themselves is the first step towards communicating this knowledge to others.

Works Cited

Bingman, Andrew. Influence of Media on Gay and Bisexual Identity Formation. 2016.

EBSCOhost, search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=edsbas&AN=edsbas.D7683790&site= eds-live.

Boyer, Sabrina, and Erin Brownlee Dell. Â€ ̃Pop Culture Is Our Religionâ€TM: Paulo Freire, LGBTQ Rights and Radical Love. 2015. EBSCOhost, search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=edsbas&AN=edsbas.EED4E14&site=e ds-live.

Dhoest, Alexander, et al. “Into the Groove: Exploring Lesbian and Gay Musical Preferences and ‘LGB Music’ in Flanders.” Observatorio (OBS*), no. 2, 2015, p. 207. EBSCOhost, search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=edssci&AN=edssci.S1646.595420150 00200011&site=eds-live.

Di Mattia, Joanna. “BEATING HEARTS: Compassion and Self-Discovery in Call Me by Your Name.” Screen Education, no. 91, 2018, p. 8. EBSCOhost, search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=edsgao&AN=edsgcl.576220095&sit =eds-live.

Kies, Bridget, and Thomas J. West, III. "Queer nostalgia and queer histories in uncertain times."

Queer Studies in Media & Pop Culture, vol. 2, no. 2, 2017, p. 161+. Contemporary Women's Issues, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A496450962/CWI?u=ecl_main&sid=CWI&xid=b2c 1e0b. Accessed 8 Apr. 2019.

Meyer, Michaela D. E., and Megan M. Wood. “Sexuality and Teen Television: Emerging Adults Respond to Representations of Queer Identity on Glee.” Sexuality & Culture, vol. 17, no. 3, 1 Sept. 2013, pp. 434–448. PsycINFO, Emerson College, doi:10.1007/s12119-013-9185-2.

Mcinroy, Lauren B., and Shelley L. Craig. “Perspectives of LGBTQ Emerging Adults on the Depiction and Impact of LGBTQ Media Representation.”

Journal of Youth Studies, vol. 20, no. 1, 19 May 2016, pp. 32–46. Taylor & Francis Online, Emerson College, doi:10.1080/13676261.2016.1184243.

Snider, Sarah. “The John Waters Trash Trilogy.” Culture Wars, 19 June 2007,

www.culturewars.org.uk/2007-06/trash.htm. Sorrentino, Renee, and Jack

#academia #lgbtq #research #matthew pifko #stretch2019

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travelguy4444 · 6 years

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The Top 5 Lesbian Travel Destinations in 2019

Posted: 2/21/2019 | February 21st, 2019

We want to speak to a wide range of voices on this website so have added an LGBTQ column to talk about travel issues that are important some of our community members. This month, Dani, one of our LGBT columnists, shares the top five lesbian travel destinations in 2019.

I have told you everything you need to know about traveling as a lesbian and how to plan the perfect lesbian-friendly trip, but what about lesbian-friendly destinations? What are the greatest locations for an unforgettable lesbian vacation — where you don’t have to be afraid to get weird stares or have to be careful with PDAs if you’re with your partner.

There are dozens of spots that fit the bill, some of which became more interesting at certain times: Lesbos became popular with gay women when the Sappho Women’s Festival was created in 2000, Los Angeles saw an increase in lesbian travelers when The L Word first aired in 2004, and Madrid was particularly popular with queer visitors during 2017 WorldPride.

So which destinations are having their “lesbian moment” in 2019?

Here are five that welcome LGBT travelers and have something that makes them particularly interesting for lesbians now, no matter if you’re solo or with your significant other. Read on for why I think you should hit up one of them this year:

1. New York City, USA

Why go?: New York City is not only known as one of the gay-friendliest cities in the world and the top-ranked LGBTQ destination in the US but it is where the Stonewall riots kicked off the modern gay liberation movement in 1969.

2019 marks the 50th anniversary of this significant event in LGBT culture, and to commemorate, New York City will host WorldPride in June — the Pride of Prides, a full month of festivities, with over 50 events. It’s the first time in its 20-year history that WorldPride is being held in the United States, and many celebrities are expected to join the festivities, including Madonna, who rang in the 50th anniversary year with a surprise performance at the historic Stonewall Inn bar on New Year’s Eve.

While this is a great excuse to visit NYC this year, there are many more things that make the city attractive for lesbian tourists — from world-class art museums to stunning Broadway productions and dozens of neighborhoods to explore, New York City is always worth a visit. In the summer, you will get to enjoy free performances by the New York Metropolitan Opera and the Philharmonic in the city’s parks, free outdoor movie screenings, and weekend flea markets and food markets. Check out Matt’s 3-day NYC itinerary that covers all of the city’s famous sights and museums.

You’ll also want to check out New York’s lesbian nightlife, including the iconic Cubbyhole Bar and Henrietta Hudson in the West Village, the popular Hot Rabbit party, and a number of Pride parties exclusively for women, such as the Femme Fatale rooftop party.

If you want to learn more about the LGBT history of New York, I recommend this informative LGBTQ History Walking Tour of Greenwich Village.

When to go: June. The biggest event, WorldPride, takes place on Sunday, June 30, 2019.

Before you go: Check out the lesbian events calendar before you visit NYC. There are regular lesbian stand-up comedy shows, dance parties, and exquisite drag shows. Events like lesbian speed dating or a comedy show are especially great if you are traveling solo.

2. Montreal, Canada

Why go?: Canada legalized same-sex marriage in 2005 and has been a popular destination for LGBT-travelers ever since, and while cities like Vancouver, Toronto, or Quebec are all LGBT-friendly , Montreal is known as the city with the biggest LGBT nightlife scene and is particularly lesbian-friendly (unlike most other popular LGBT destinations, which usually focus on male clientele). The favorable exchange rate of the Canadian dollar right now also means that a trip there is not too expensive.

Rue Sainte-Catherine is where most of Montreal’s gay nightlife is centered, and it’s the center of “the village,” Montreal’s gayborhood. Sadly, the infamous Le Drugstore, a lesbian bar on eight floors, closed down, but there are still plenty of amazing destinations. Don’t miss Complexe Sky, the biggest gay club in all of Canada, whose four floors each have different styles of music; the terrific rooftop terrace includes a pool and hot tub.

No matter if you make it to Montreal in time for Pride or not, I do recommend visiting in the summer, since the city prides itself on an abundance of outdoor activities during the warmer months. The streets are decked with outdoor seating, and you can relax on Jean Dore Beach on the shores of St Lawrence River, just minutes from downtown. Climb up to the top of Mount Royal for sweeping views over the city, marvel at the murals on Boulevard Saint-Laurent, and swing by lesbian-owned industrial warehouse-meets-beer garden Bar Alexandraplatz in the up-and-coming Mile-Ex neighborhood for a cold beer.

When to go?: No dates have been released yet, but there will hopefully be another edition of the popular Slut Island Festival, a feminist-queer DIY music festival that was founded in Montreal in 2013 mainly for performers and audiences who identify as women, trans*, gender-fluid, nonbinary, or people of color. The festival usually occurs in July.

Montreal Pride 2019 happens August 8–18, 2019.

Before you go: LezSpreadTheWord, an organization that publishes the feminist LSTW magazine and created the popular queer web series Féminin/Féminin, hosts the bimonthly girls party “Où sont les femmes?” — try to plan your trip around one of their awesome parties.

3. Mallorca, Spain

Why go?: Mallorca has been a popular holiday destination with Europeans for decades, but in 2012, the Spanish island popped up on the lesbian travel map for the first time thanks to the inaugural Ella Festival in Palma, Mallorca’s capital. In August, the festival celebrates its seventh edition, and no matter if you identify as lesbian, bisexual, queer, transgender, or intersex, every woman is welcome at Ella! You’ll get to enjoy beach parties, concerts, and a number of activities, from paddleboarding to beach volleyball, as well as island excursions.

While most of Mallorca’s LGBT nightlife happens in Palma, I recommend exploring the rest of the island as well. The easiest way to get around is by car, but you can also reach many beautiful beaches and little towns by bus. There are over 260 beaches in Mallorca, but make sure to visit the picturesque small bays of Cala Formentor and Cala Pi, and Cala Mesquida and Playa de Muro for wide sandy beaches. Also worth a visit: the Cap de Formentor lighthouse on the northern tip of Mallorca, and as many as you can of the charming little villages that dot the island, for example, Sóller, Fornalutx, Valledemossa, and Deià.

When to go?: The Ella Festival is August 30–September 6, 2019. Add on a week of island exploration before or after the festival.

Before you go: Check out Lesbian Mallorca, the “lesbian lifestyle directory” of the island, has a great overview of lesbian bars and lesbian-friendly and lesbian-owned restaurants, hotels, and shops.

4. Provincetown, Mass., USA

Why go?: Provincetown, often referred to as P-Town, is a small fishing town at the northern tip of Cape Cod, and it has long been a favorite with LGBT travelers. The charming little seaside destination is a fantastic vacation spot for anyone — straight or gay — with over 200 independent shops, plenty of art galleries, delicious restaurants, and great beaches, but its focus on lesbian travelers and the celebration of freedom of expression are what makes this open-minded community so attractive for girls.

Provincetown has more lesbian-owned businesses per capita than anywhere else in the US, the highest concentration of same-sex households in the US, and many LGBTQ-owned B&Bs and inns. No matter if you are solo or with your partner, there’s something for everyone: Provincetown is home to the oldest gay bar in the US, the A-House; the gayest main street in the world, Commercial Street; one of the top ten gay beaches in the world; and the East End Gallery District, offering world-class art. No matter what time of year you’re visiting, you’re likely to stumble upon one of the town’s many themed weeks or weekends (see below).

The daily tea dance (4–7pm) at the Boatslip, an expansive deck that overlooks Provincetown’s West End Harbor, is something you have to experience once — expect a packed dance floor and great people-watching. You’ll make new friends there for sure.

When to go: Try to plan your visit around one of the many women-focused events, depending which one best fits your preferences and interests: Women’s Media Summit (April 5–7); Single Women’s Weekend (May 17–19); Womxn of Color Weekend (May 30– June 2); Pride (May 31– June 3); Girl Splash (July 23–27); Family Week, the largest annual gathering of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer-identified families in the world (July 27–August 3); the incredible Carnival, which attracts 90,000 visitors (August 15–25); Women’s Week (October 14–20); or the weeklong transgender celebration Fantasia Fair (October 20–27).

Before you go: Since there are so many events year-round, make sure to check what’s going on in P-Town during the dates of your visit. If they happen to be during Carnival, for example, be aware that the town turns into party central. Never arrive without having accommodation booked in advance — B&Bs and hotels tend to fill up quickly.

5. Puerto Rico

Why go?: Just over a year after devastating Hurricane Maria hit Puerto Rico with full force in September 2017, the island is bouncing back. Almost all hotels are open again, the New York Times just awarded Puerto Rico the #1 spot on its popular 52 Places To Go in 2019 list, and thanks to its status as a United States commonwealth, the legal rights of LGBT citizens (same-sex marriage has been legal since 2015) have had a great influence on Puerto Rico, which is now the gay-friendliest of all Caribbean nations. Especially for Americans, Puerto Rico is an easy getaway: there are plenty of direct flights from East Coast airports (and other US hubs), you don’t need a passport, and it’s a fantastic winter escape, with temperatures around 81° Fahrenheit (27° Celsius) in January.

Both San Juan, the capital, and Ponce, the island’s second largest city, have several gay and LGBT-friendly bars and nightclubs, and last year’s Pride Parade in San Juan attracted more than 5,000 people. Most gay bars are in San Juan’s vibrant Santurce neighborhood. Circo Bar is the most popular, and Oceano is a sophisticated, gay-owned, open-air beach bar across from Condado Beach. While there aren’t any lesbian bars per se (the last one, Cups, closed a few years ago), the go-to place for lesbians is El Cojo Bar (in the Hato Rey district), but all of Puerto Rico’s gay bars welcome women. Also worth a visit are Tía María Liquor Store and Splash Lounge.

While San Juan is the best base during your Puerto Rican gay-cation, don’t miss out on the rest of the island. The jungles of El Yunque National Forest will wow even avid hikers, the underground caves of Río Camuy Cave Park are spectacular, and of course there are dozens of picture-perfect Caribbean beaches all over the island.

A quick ferry ride brings you to Puerto Rico’s hidden gems: the island of Vieques, which is famous for Mosquito Bay and has the most bioluminescent bays in the world, and Culebra Island, where the turquoise waters at the stunning Playa Flamenco makes all your Caribbean beach dreams come true.

Vieques, a small dreamy island largely untouched by tourism, is especially popular with lesbian travelers. Don’t expect any LGBT nightlife there, but instead serene beaches, unspoiled nature, and even wild horses that roam freely in some parts. TripAdvisor listed Vieques as one of Top 25 Beach Destinations in the world, because the island has “more than 40 beaches and not one traffic light.” If you’re looking for a relaxing hideaway or a lesbian-friendly wedding spot—the W Resort offers same-sex ceremonies—Vieques is the place for you.

When to go: Puerto Rico is a wonderful beach destination during the winter months in the northern hemisphere. Mid-April to June, before the summer rainy season starts, is also a good time to visit — you’ll encounter less crowded beaches and fewer tourists. The gayest event of the year is Puerto Rico Pride, but the date for the 2019 edition has yet to be announced; it usually happens on Memorial Day Weekend.

Before you go: The upscale beachfront Ocean Park area of San Juan is where most LGBT travelers tend to stay. Not far from there is Condado, a pedestrian area with a gay-friendly beach (the stretch facing the gay Atlantic Beach Hotel). TripSavvy has a list of gay and gay-friendly hotels in San Juan.

***

Of course, these are not the only places that are worth a trip this year — there are hundreds of others around the globe. You don’t have to trek halfway around the globe to discover new amazing destinations. Why not plan a lesbian break during Pride weekend in a city nearby? But, out of all the places I’ve visited, I’ve found these had some of my favorite welcoming and vibrant Lesbian communities! They shouldn’t be missed.

What are your favorites? Leave a comment and let us know.

Dani Heinrich is the vagabonding writer and photographer behind GlobetrotterGirls.com. Originally from Germany, she has been nomadic since 2010, when she quit her corporate job and embarked on a round-the-world-trip. She has traveled through over 60 countries on four continents and has no plans to stop any time soon! You can also follow her adventures on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.

Book Your Trip: Logistical Tips and Tricks

Book Your Flight Find a cheap flight by using Skyscanner or Momondo. They are my two favorite search engines because they search websites and airlines around the globe so you always know no stone is left unturned.

Book Your Accommodation You can book your hostel with Hostelworld as they have the largest inventory. If you want to stay somewhere other than a hotel, use Booking.com as they consistently return the cheapest rates for guesthouses and cheap hotels. I use them all the time.

Don’t Forget Travel Insurance Travel insurance will protect you against illness, injury, theft, and cancellations. It’s comprehensive protection in case anything goes wrong. I never go on a trip without it as I’ve had to use it many times in the past. I’ve been using World Nomads for ten years. My favorite companies that offer the best service and value are:

World Nomads (for everyone below 70)

Insure My Trip (for those over 70)

Looking for the best companies to save money with? Check out my resource page for the best companies to use when you travel! I list all the ones I use to save money when I travel – and I think will help you too!

Photo credits: 3, 5

The post The Top 5 Lesbian Travel Destinations in 2019 appeared first on Nomadic Matt's Travel Site.

source https://www.nomadicmatt.com/travel-blogs/lesbian-travel-destinations/

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dreisculpture · 7 years

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Queer Art and Politics Seminar

1.0

What is queer?

Queer culture is a sexual freedom and liberation of all individuals. The term Queer distinguishes itself from sexual preferences such as Gay or Lesbian, as Queer it is not restricted or directly linked too sexual activity. Although this umbrella term is politically ingrained in standing for and changing the conditions of all individuals oppressed based on their sexuality and gender. The Queer culture understands the source of its oppression to be one of a class struggle. This has lead to contemporary Queer politics aligning itself with anti-capitalist, feminist and racial equality movements supported in the work and writing of groups such as the VNS matrix and Laboria Cuboniks. Contemporary Queer theory since its origins in the 1990’s has been about the fluid identity of Queer individuals.

What is Queer Theory?

Man and women, male and female, masculine and feminine: one and zero looked just right, made for each other: 1, the definite, upright line; and 0, the diagram of nothing at all: penis and vagina, thing and hole, hand in glove. A perfect match. It takes two to make a binary, but all these pairs are two of a kind, and the kind is always kind of one. 1 and 0 make another 1. Male and female add up to man. There is no female equivalent. No universal woman at his side. This male is one, ones everything, and the female has “nothing you can see.” Woman “functions as a hole,” a gab, a space, “a nothing- that is nothing the same, identical, identifiable, a fault, a flaw, a lack, an absence, outside the system of representations and auto- representations. This quote by Sadie Plant on page 35 of Zeros and Ones accurately portrays the social dominance of the masculine patriarchy, which results in the oppression of other individuals. This formulates the fundamental bases of Queer theory, which is to embrace and then abolish the otherness of identity. There is plant and animal, machine and organism, black and white, human and robot, male and female, queer theory aims to abolish all of these false dichotomies. In order to embrace and then abolish the otherness of identity caused by sexuality and gender, individuals must be viewed subjectively and not from the hegemonic social perspective which only reinforces the masculine patriarchy, but for all people to be embraced for their otherness, where the difference of every individual is celebrated. Donna Harroway in the Cyborg Manifesto summarises this by stating “the power to survive, not on the basis of original innocence, but on the basis of seizing the tools to mark the world that marked them as other.” Once the uniqueness and otherness of all individuals is embraced and celebrated it becomes equalised and reduced to nothing resulting in the fluid identity of all individuals. Therefore it is emancipated and no longer formulates the basis of oppression.

Eradicating the idea of the Natural

Nothing should be accepted as fixed and permanent, neither material condition and social forms, nor the technological horizon. The glorification of ‘nature, has nothing to offer. Laboria Cuboniks in Xenofeminist manifesto. As I have explained earlier the objective of Queer theory is to embrace and abolish otherness resulting in a fluid identity. One main idealogical concept used to deploy these objectives is to eradicate the cognitive idea of nature. Nature being something that exists outside of culture, a predetermined higher force fighting for a universal equilibrium. All knowledge and imagination is within culture and nothing lies outside of this, any predetermined ideas only reinforce current white western patriarchal and hierarchal power structures. Explained by Laboria Cuboniks “to claim that reason or rationality is “by nature” White, patriarchal and European is to simply concede defeat. Nature is used as a tool to reinforce dogma by a individual, group or organisation as it is utilised to morally justify thought and action, restricting the ability for change.

What is Technoscientific Queer Theory?

Technoscientific Queer theory, is a branch of contemporary Queer theory and politics that highlights the potential for the emancipation of oppressed individuals through the coding and programming of future hegemonies. Aligning itself with the Philosophy and theory of technology that understands technology as a species that will outlive the human race. Technoscientific Queer theory argues that long lasting gender, class and racial equality will come through the incorporation and providing of equal opportunities to all individuals through the diplomatic coding and programming of future technologies. Queer and transgender theorist Jack Halberstam’s work investigates the possibilities of oppressed individuals aligning themselves with technology evident in his quote “self and other, self and technology, self and power in queer feminism.” Technoscientific Queer is part of the origins and foundations of Queer theory first introduced into popular discourse in the 1990’s with writers such as Sadie Plant and Donna Harroway. Presently Technoscientific Queer thoery is still evident in philosophy, theory and literature and has spread to a range of social mediums such as the political movement “accelerationism” artists such as Goodyn Green and Kaitlin Jane also heavily incorporate the ideology. In order for us to better understand the formation of Technoscientific Queer theory in stage 2 of the seminar I will aim to provide the historical context of the time Queer theory entered popular discourse.

2.0

Queer theory marks its official formation and introduction into popular social and academic discourse in the 1990’s. Although post-structurlist ideologies influence in the formation of the major themes and concepts in Queer theory date back to the 1960’s. Derrida was one of the first theorists to bring to attention the limitations of structuralism while lecturing in 1966. Theorists such as Roland Barthes, Jean Baudrillard and many other influential theorists of the time begun to produce work from a post-structuralism standpoint. By 1968 post-structuralism was already experiencing academic popularity, Gilles Deluze writes his doctrine paper “Difference and Repetition” which continues to be one of the driving forces behind post-structuralism and Queer Theory. Gilles Deluzes states “the self is only a threshold, a door, a becoming between two multiplicities.”

3.0 In the third stage of the seminar we will investigate and deconstruct two art collectives that align, identify and incorporate Queer theory and politics as apart of their practice. The first is the multi disciplinary queer, feminist art collective the VNS matrix. Forming in 1991 in Perth, Australia at the origins of Queer theories introduction into popular social and academic discourse. Although being geographically isolated from the epicenter of radical queer and feminist discourse of the time the VNS matrix were instrumental to the rise of it’s awareness. The VNS matrix are the founders of “Cyber feminism,” a vastly significant branch of contemporary Queer culture. This allowed for the Queer community to move away from “folk political thinking” which focused on local politics and movements. But instead to incorporate and utilize computer technology and the possibilities that a worldwide network such as the Internet offered. The collective produced a wide range of work including installation, video games, and literature, their first piece “the cyber feminist manifesto’ in 1991 was shown first here in Australia and then internationally as a billboard famously citing “the clitoris is a direct line to the matrix” the following year they released the video game and accompanying video works “all new gen.” This video is currently apart of Red, Green, Blue a history of Australian video art showing at the Griffith Galleries if you have not already seen the piece I highly encourage you all to view the work. Between the years 1992-1997 the VNS matrix would release works such as “ensenual fragments” and, “bitch mutant manifesto” in 1994 and “bad code” in 1996. The collectives work continues to show here in Australia and internationally, as a driving force and influence on Queer and feminist art, theory and discourse. The formation of Cyber feminism and collectives such as the VNS matrix have directly laid the foundations for Queer and feminists collectives to expand in the twenty-first century. One such collective would be Laboria Cuboniks an international collective of 6 members, working from five separate locations around the world. The name is an anagram of Nicolas Bourbaki, a 20th century male dominated French mathematics collective. Forming in 2014 based on an interest in neo-rationalism and shared experiences of animosity as Queer females from institutions when showing interest in reason, science, technology and mathematics. As a fairly new collective their work has been centered around creating a new branch of feminism. First introduced in their 2014 “Xenofemnist” manifesto which aims to dismantle gender, reshape the “family” structure and do away with nature as a guarantor for inegalitarian political positions. This work has had a significant impact of Queer and Feminist communities since it’s release showing in institutions around the world and nationally here at first draft in Sydney. Laboria Cuboniks manifesto marks a time where Feminist, Queer and Trans discourse come together and aim to dismantle and reconstruct a new global hegemony. The VNS matrix and Laboria Cuboniks have both aesthetically and conceptually been instrumental into Queer theories emergence into institutional academic and social discourse.

4.0 How Queer theory and Politics has influenced my practice?

Reading and researching Queer theory is an important element of my practice. My research on Queer theory is focused on a post nature society that understands the limitations of post-structuralist epistemology. Instead calling for a Queer theory that supports and makes firm depends for moral and political universals that support all individuals. This has lead me to look at the work of Technoscientific Queer theorists and artists. The VNS matrix and Laboria Cuboniks work with visual and conceptual themes to create a unique fluidity between the aesthetic and theoretical elements of their practices, where the art gallery becomes the library and the internet becomes the art gallery. The themes and concepts presented by the VNS matrix and Laboria Cuboniks as well as the fluidity between art and literature are influential to my practice. I aim to be apart of contemporary Queer culture that looks through post-structuralism, which still reinforces linear power structures. To a society that supports sexuality, gender and identity as a matrix, or a sphere, where nothing is fixed or permanent, there is no start or end. Ingrained in a Queer theory and politics that, abolishes nature as a tool used to reinforce dogma and restrict the ability for social change. Instead forming a Queer community that separates itself from sexuality but instead embraces the liberation from sexual oppression of all individuals.

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demitgibbs · 7 years

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Gloria Estefan’s Very Gay Year

Why of course global queer icon Gloria Estefan – subject of Broadway musical On Your Feet, and muse to drag queens worldwide – has a daughter who is not straight.

To close out 2017, Gloria’s 23-year-old daughter, Emily, celebrated – for the first time publicly – her one-year anniversary with girlfriend Geremy Hernández via Instagram. Emily’s snap of the couple was captioned, “Happy anniversary to my delicate, bold, intelligent, important, honest, loving, funny (but not funnier than me), brave, compassionate, patient, badass, talented, and the most beautiful… Moon Flower. I love you.”

Considering Gloria’s everlasting love and support for the LGBTQ community, Emily’s refreshingly matter-of-fact coming out, then, must’ve been the sweet, sweet icing on her pop-legend mother’s already-queer year.

Gloria, who left an indelible stamp on ’80s pop music with trailblazing crossover hits like “Conga” and “Rhythm is Gonna Get You,” starred in last year’s seemingly made-for-Trump-voters, empathy-spurring dramedy A Change of Heart, winner of the OUTshine Film Festival Audience Award for Best Feature. The Queen of Latin Pop portrays Dr. Fajardo (her “alter ego,” as she originally studied psychology at the University of Miami and planned to be a doctor), the therapist who advises Jim Belushi’s bigoted, Fox News-watching dad character, Hank, as he comes to terms with the foolish possibility that his new heart from a recent transplant is, as Gloria puts it, “pumping gayness into him.”

Hank’s youngest daughter, Josie (Aimee Teegarden), also just happens to be a lesbian, but neither Estefan nor her husband Emilio (both produced the film, while longtime Gloria-collaborator Kenny Ortega directed) never mentioned Emily’s own queerness when we met up at a red carpet event at the festival in late April in their hometown of Miami to discuss the queer-themed project – the woke Estefans know you let your children make that statement when they’re good and ready. But they did express, as always, their passion for equality, with Gloria acknowledging – because she is officially Global Mother to the Gays now – “I just felt natural in the role.”

“To us we’re allies because we’re human beings,” Gloria simply stated. “That’s the bottom line. Everybody is a human being. We’re all the same. We always see everyone as the same, whatever their preference is for love, sex, religion, culture. That’s always been important to us.”

That creed extends to their roles as equal-opportunity business owners. Regarding Estefan Enterprises, which comprises their entertainment company, restaurants, hotels and a beach resort, Emilio says, “(Whether) you’re Latino or gay – you have to see somebody based on the kind of work they’re gonna do, and I think that’s happening now. I think it’s a lot better – much, much better.”

Gloria’s life, and career-long commitment to stand for racial and economic justice, immigration equality and marriage equality, culminated in October 2017, when Gloria was honored by the National LGBTQ Task Force (Miami) with the National Leadership Award for being a staunch LGBTQ ally and “for her work to support … the issues that affect their lives every day,” the press release noted.

“Her recent work serves as a testament of her humble beginnings as a Cuban immigrant and as an artist who has always held her LGBTQ fan base in her heart,” said Josue Santiago, chair of the Task Force’s Miami Gala.

Gloria’s gay-aligned ventures don’t stop there: Given her 2017, the singer’s contribution to the queer update of Netflix’s endearing reboot of One Day at a Time – the show’s theme song, advising that you “keep doing what you do” – seems right in step with her gay-adjacent career. Her musical roots are, after all, steeped in queer fandom.

“The gay community was one of the first communities that supported us because we were huge in the clubs and in the gay clubs, particularly, because the gay community is usually a little bit ahead of trends and musical trends and fashion trends,” she recalls.

DJ Pablo Flores, remixer of Gloria’s megahits “Dr. Beat” and Conga,” spun songs she produced with Emilio at a Puerto Rican gay club during the onset of her career with the Miami Sound Machine, when she joined in 1977 as the band’s frontwoman (talk about gay – the band was originally called the Miami Latin Boys). Gloria describes Flores and the gay clubs who took them under their wings in the ’80s as “cutting edge and very supportive of us and our music in the beginning.”

Gloria was spurred to action on behalf of the LGBTQ community around that time, when AIDS took the lives of many of her dearest friends and music-business colleagues.

“In the ’80s, when the AIDS epidemic was huge, we were losing a lot of our top people and people were becoming even more scared,” she recalls. “We lost many close friends and coworkers. I just think when someone is under attack, anything I can do to support them is a good thing.”

In a statement to press, Gloria said, “I feel incredibly honored to be receiving the National LGBTQ Task Force’s Leadership Award and feel doubly blessed that it (is) in my beautiful hometown, Miami Beach. I look forward to the day when no task forces are necessary in order to ensure that each individual is considered equal in every respect.” On Dec. 26, 2017, Gloria was recognized yet again for her unwavering support and empathy for every kind, becoming the first Cuban-American to receive the prestigious Kennedy Center Honor Award during the event’s 40th year.

Her now-out daughter, Emily, a fellow musician, attended with her girlfriend and performed Gloria’s inspirational official song for the 1996 Summer Olympics, “Reach,” a dreamer anthem with strong ties to people within the queer community. Two of Gloria’s biggest singles, “Always Tomorrow” and “Coming Out of the Dark,” have also long served as LGBTQ lifelines.

“(Gay people) tell me wonderful things, but not just because they happen to be gay, but because they were going through tough things in their lives and my music inspired them to push forward or to stay positive in a situation,” Gloria reflects, passionately. “My fans – I have a lot of gay fans. I still look out into the audience and I have fans from two years old to 80. I have very young kids on my Twitter – young gay kids who for some reason my music speaks to them. Maybe the empowerment, or they use it to get through tough moments. That’s what music is about. That’s what makes me happy about getting to make music.”

from Hotspots! Magazine https://hotspotsmagazine.com/2018/01/25/gloria-estefans-very-gay-year/ from Hot Spots Magazine https://hotspotsmagazine.tumblr.com/post/170122486225

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cynthiajayusa · 7 years

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Gloria Estefan’s Very Gay Year

Why of course global queer icon Gloria Estefan – subject of Broadway musical On Your Feet, and muse to drag queens worldwide – has a daughter who is not straight.

Gloria was spurred to action on behalf of the LGBTQ community around that time, when AIDS took the lives of many of her dearest friends and music-business colleagues.

source https://hotspotsmagazine.com/2018/01/25/gloria-estefans-very-gay-year/ from Hot Spots Magazine http://hotspotsmagazin.blogspot.com/2018/01/gloria-estefans-very-gay-year.html

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hotspotsmagazine · 7 years

Text

Gloria Estefan’s Very Gay Year

Why of course global queer icon Gloria Estefan – subject of Broadway musical On Your Feet, and muse to drag queens worldwide – has a daughter who is not straight.

Gloria was spurred to action on behalf of the LGBTQ community around that time, when AIDS took the lives of many of her dearest friends and music-business colleagues.

from Hotspots! Magazine https://hotspotsmagazine.com/2018/01/25/gloria-estefans-very-gay-year/

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ramblingsandthings · 7 years

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Outings and Drunk People

So my cousin Jen celebrated her 30th birthday on Sat. I am so happy for her and I am love how she and her family grow and interact. She is the sister I sometimes wish I had had growing up. I am an only child and I have grown to love and embrace the quiet of being alone and entertaining myself. But over the course of my life I have lived with Jen for a good number of years. So I wanted to be with her when she celebrated this milestone.

She had her party in BR at a show Brad and his buddies were doing. I am not usually someone that goes out much in general, but the fact that it was in BR was another big thing to add to it. I was also going to a show on a Sat. night when I had to open at work the next day. It was a thing for me. Something that put me out of my comfort zone.

I am happy to say that I went. I carpooled with a friend of ours Codi. She is cool, and is someone I don't spend any time with away from Jen. So we went together with the arrangement that if she got too drunk I could drive home cause I am not good with getting smashed and then getting up and going into work. I am one of those that doesn't really function well around people in a work environment without at minimum 5 to 6 hours of sleep.

The party was at a dive bar called Hound Dogs. I am a big fan of dive bars. I am not good at all with the crowds that show up at clubs and other places like that. Usually if I am going out to a bar my intention is to drink. I don't want to have to deal with the mental and emotional things I have going on in my head while I am in public around to many people and loud noises. Probably one of many reasons I have not been to more concerts or festivals. I have come to the conclusion as I have gotten older that I don't like large crowds. I don't like having so many people in a confined space that I have to physically navigate through. I am fat. I take up more room then most people. I am also not very good at being assertive with people. So all that added to large groups of people and not enough space to move around in without having to move people out of the way. I have had a couple of experiences that would probably be described as panic attacks or something close to one.

But I wanted to see Brad play and be with my cousin for her party. And the bar turned out to be the perfect type of place. The music was cool and I think I might have lucked out on that end. The show they were doing was centered around 80′s, 90′s, and mash-ups with recent types. Which means it was not anything to far out of reach. I am happy about that and I was excited to be in a space to hear new styles I was not familiar with.

Now knowing I was going to drive and had work in the morning I didn't drink much of anything. I was able to listen to the music and enjoy it with my friends and I even had a few really good conversations with a few of the women there that knew Brad and Jen. I have a good track record of being able to have at least one good conversation with someone when I am out at something like this. I talked books, Dr. Who, and comics/tv. It was cool and I did have fun.

I have not gone out for an evening like this in a very long time. Which meant I was happy in my corner watching everyone else and not being extrovert and outgoing with people. I feel bad cause I was asked more then once if I was good or having fun and cause it was a bar people kept offering me drinks. I did have fun and I was fine and I didn't want to get to a place where I was to drunk to drive home. I was not able to just say fuck it and skip work. I am kinda sad about that but that is another entry all together.

I was amused at one incident that happened that night. I as hanging out and talking with Codi while Jen was getting settled and getting drinks and waiting for Brad to start his set. Codi was talking about how she had to tell here boyfriend that if any guys hit on her at the bar she would just use me as a “girlfriend decoy” of sorts. She would slide in close and make it look like we were an item to get the guy in question to back off. Of course I laugh and agree to help her if needed. It amused me to think about the fact that she would think to use me as the decoy not knowing that I was coming to terms with my own identity. I didn’t say any of that to her but did say that I had the haircut for it so we might as well.

The only problem popped up when it was time to go. I would have left the party around midnight or maybe even before that if I had had my car with me. But I am horrible at putting my foot down and forcing people to do the things I need them to do which meant It was 1 o’clock in the morning and I was more then ready to go but I couldn’t get Codi to leave. She was hammered as I knew she would be cause I was there to drive her home. I don’t get out much which usually means getting on the highway and going somewhere is a bit of a big deal for me. With the help of both Brad and Jen we were able to get out of the bar and on the way home around 1:30 am.

I get onto the highway and I am feeling ok driving in an unfamiliar car when Codi opens her door and leans halfway out of it. I am about to have a fucking coronary while going almost 70 down I-10. I am not happy about this. I don't want to have to deal with her doing things like this and drive down a highway that I knew for a fact was going to have construction in few places. She was puking out her car. I should have stopped and let her deal with it but she said it was good and to keep going. She was nice enough to not open the door while on the highway again. She did lean halfway out the window and puke a few more times. I believe some of it blew back into the car and hit me In the face. I am not happy about that but I dealt with it and after dropping her off at here house and getting my car I was able to get home and crawl into bed around 3:30. A said and done I was able to sleep for 5 hours and get to work on time so it ended up good.

I have heard and read about people’s coming out stories and they talk about just the act of having to come out to friends and family and it was always a big step. It was always something I couldn't get around. I didn't always get the difficulty and how much courage it took to tell people something like that. I am know first hand sitting in the exact same place. I think about it periodically and wonder about how and when I would tell my people. And then I am sitting in front of my cousin, one of the people I love more then myself sometimes, and I can't say anything. I can't figure out how to begin to say what I want to say. I feel like I need to write a speech of some sort. Something physical and thought out that I can have in my hand. Then I feel like that is the stupidest thing ever. I should be able to just say that I am Bi to my cousin.

I have been listening to a handful of podcast with queer themes. So in the spirit of the finding new and interesting material to consume I have been liking and following pages on FB. I am happy to have the articles and other information on my FB feed. I also am having this annoying thought about if my FB friends can see me liking and following all these new things and are making assumptions. I follow a lot more queer and lesbian pages on my tumblr but I don't feel as visible on this platform. I don't have any of this stuff on my other feed and I don't put much more then reposts on that feed. I feel stupid that I am immersed enough in the social media culture that I am affected by what others might think if I change my about section on preference for FB. That is really one of the main reasons I started this side blog here. I wanted somewhere that I could yell everything I wanted to say into the void of the internet and not feel self-conscious about the people that read it. I don’t even know if anyone has read any of it and I can say I really and truly don’t care. I have never been that good at keeping a journal but I am happy with the way this blog has been going so far.

#party night #lgBt thought and actions #confessional therapy

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isaacscrawford · 7 years

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A New Definition Of Health Equity To Guide Future Efforts And Measure Progress

Editor’s note: Paula Braveman was one of the theme advisors for the June 2017 Health Affairs equity theme issue.

Until recently, talking about “equity” as a health researcher in the United States seemed almost radical.

Today, the term “health equity” is mainstream. The number of scientific papers with “health equity” in the title or text has skyrocketed. Some of this work examines the health effects of racism and other forms of discrimination, some addresses biases in science, and some explicitly mentions social justice. It’s gratifying to see a broad research agenda developing around health equity.

In particular, it is thrilling to realize that explicit discussions about health equity are occurring across the country, among health policy researchers and their funders — and in boardrooms, hearing rooms, community meetings, in print, and online.

Yet it is clear that health equity means different things to different people. And while it’s not imperative that everyone define it exactly the same way, a common understanding of the core elements of health equity is essential — for researchers, advocates, decision makers, and policy makers. The words we use can matter. Definitions can matter. While some differences in definitions may reflect only stylistic preferences, others convey values and beliefs that can be used explicitly or implicitly to justify and promote particular views, policies, and practices.

Clarity is particularly important because pursuing equity often involves engaging diverse audiences and stakeholders, each with their own constituents, beliefs, and agendas.

And in an era of data, a sound definition is crucial to shape the benchmarks against which progress can be measured.

Health Equity in a Culture of Health

The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation’s “Culture of Health” initiative aims for a society in which “every person has an equal opportunity to live the healthiest life they can.” “Every person” includes those who have been most marginalized — people of color, those living in poverty or with disability, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual Transgender, and Queer or questioning persons, and others who have historically been excluded from mainstream society. Embarking on this initiative led RWJF to explore how people were talking and thinking about health equity.

My colleagues and I at the University of California, San Francisco, joined RWJF staff in that exploration a year or so ago. That joint work culminated in a report “What Is Health Equity? And What Difference Does a Definition Make?,” released in May.

There is no lack of definitions of health equity—the American Public Health Association, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Health Resources and Services Administration, National Association of County and City Health Officials, World Health Organization, and countless other public health organizations have their own—each with its own strengths and weaknesses. In crafting a definition, this was both encouraging and a bit daunting. We identified a set of criteria, trying to capture the essential elements. We sought a definition of health equity that would:

Reflect a commitment to fair and just practices across all sectors of society. This means that education, housing, transportation, community development, commerce, finance, and other sectors must be involved in efforts for health equity, and that our definition should acknowledge explicitly that health equity requires efforts beyond the health care sector.

Be sufficiently unambiguous and concrete that it can guide policy priorities. We felt that many existing definitions were inspiring to those who already were committed to this work, but some were abstract and general enough that they left too much room for interpretation.

Be actionable.

Be conceptually and technically sound, and consistent with current scientific knowledge.

Be possible to operationalize for the purpose of measurement, because without measurement there is no accountability.

Be respectful of the groups of particular concern, not only defining the challenges they face but also affirming their strengths.

Resonate with widely held values in order to garner and sustain broad support.

Be clear, simple, intuitive, and compelling without sacrificing the other criteria, in order to create and sustain political will.

In other words, we set our sights high.

Where We Landed

After months of research, reflection, and consultation with some of the nation’s leaders in health disparities and health equity research and policy, we landed on the following definition:

Health equity means that everyone has a fair and just opportunity to be as healthy as possible. This requires removing obstacles to health such as poverty, discrimination, and their consequences, including powerlessness and lack of access to good jobs with fair pay, quality education and housing, safe environments, and health care.

And because we wanted to ensure accountability, we added the following:

For the purposes of measurement, health equity means reducing and ultimately eliminating disparities in health and its determinants that adversely affect excluded or marginalized groups.

Is this definition perfect? No. Does everyone need to use these exact words? Absolutely not.

But we believe that it provides concrete guidance on what it means to pursue health equity. Notably, this definition implies that if an effort does not address poverty, discrimination, or their health-damaging consequences for groups of people who have historically been excluded or marginalized — it’s probably not a health equity effort.

This definition allows us to assess whether we are reducing inequitable gaps rather than other kinds of gaps in health. That’s an important distinction. Even without malicious intent, health equity efforts can be hijacked, with resources diverted to issues that may be legitimate public health or medical concerns, but are not explicitly about health equity.

A more detailed explanation of the rationale behind this definition is provided in the RWJF report, which also outlines key steps toward achieving health equity, presents principles to guide efforts and definitions of terms that often arise in discussions of health equity, and offers examples of programs and policies that are advancing health equity.

In addition to the examples highlighted in this report, there are others in the recent National Academy of Medicine report, Communities in Action: Pathways to Health Equity. It’s one of the most downloaded reports on the Academy’s website, a significant achievement just a few months after its release. The report warns that persistent health disparities pose “severe consequences” for America and calls for action to make health equity a top priority for the nation. It highlights nine communities across the United States that are taking steps to address health inequities and calls on leaders from sectors such as education, transportation, housing, planning, public health, and business to join this effort.

Why Now? Where Next?

For me, the growing interest in health equity—and in getting clearer about a definition—signals readiness for a paradigm shift in the focus of health equity research and action in this country, and a growing resolve to identify the underlying inequities in opportunities to be healthy and to acknowledge the need for systematic strategies to address them. It also signals a willingness to say: This is about core values—namely, fairness and justice—as well as important pragmatic considerations (such as reducing health care costs and linking economic productivity to a healthy workforce).

It’s encouraging to be at a point in time when there is greater willingness to have tough conversations about policies and programs that have led to inequitable gaps in health. Unfortunately, the current national political context is more hostile to health equity—and to justice in general—than any other during my lifetime. And that makes it all the more crucial for us to be crystal clear and strategic in our words as well as our deeds.

Author’s Note

The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation is hosting a webinar on June 29: Building Health Equity: From Resources to Community Action. The definition of health equity presented above will be discussed as a resource for advancing solutions and measuring progress, and other participants will share examples of how their communities are working to ensure that everyone can be as healthy as possible. Register here.

Article source:Health Affairs

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