The Lavender Lounge

Why I Chose Yeztugo

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2558043/fan_mail/new] Listen to the latest in HIV prevention innovation. Ray Delgado, Senior Director of Communications and Community Development at SMCC, talks about his experience being one of the first patients to receive Yeztugo, the new long-acting injectable PrEP.  Spectrum Medical Care Centre [https://spectrummedicalcare.org/]Maricopa County Community Resources [https://www.maricopa.gov/5999/Community-Resources]LGBTQ+ Healthcare Directory [https://lgbtqhealthcaredirectory.org/]Vitalyst Health Foundation [https://www.vitalysthealth.org/] Mental health resources: Crisis & Suicide Prevention * 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline — Call or text 988, available 24/7. LGBTQ+ individuals can still call 988 and receive caring, confidential support, though the specialized "Press 3" option is no longer available. EveryMind [https://www.everymind.org/988-end-of-press-3-what-you-need-to-know/] * The Trevor Project (LGBTQ+ youth ages 24 and under) — TrevorLifeline: 1-866-488-7386 (24/7) | TrevorText: Text START to 678-678 (24/7) | TrevorChat available at thetrevorproject.org/get-help AFSP [https://afsp.org/lgbtq-crisis-and-support-resources/] * Trans Lifeline (by and for trans people) — 1-877-565-8860 (US), available 24/7 AFSP [https://afsp.org/lgbtq-crisis-and-support-resources/] * Crisis Text Line — Text HOME to 741741, available 24/7 Human Rights Campaign [https://www.hrc.org/resources/mental-health-resources-in-the-lgbtq-community] * RAINN National Sexual Assault ...

Finding the Ladder

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2558043/fan_mail/new] What does it take to climb out of the pit? For Jericho Galindo, also known as Phoenix drag artist Gray Matter, the answer has involved a long, ongoing practice of self-care and finding meaning through art. This conversation is about what it means to keep showing up for yourself and your community. Spectrum Medical Care Centre [https://spectrummedicalcare.org/]Maricopa County Community Resources [https://www.maricopa.gov/5999/Community-Resources]LGBTQ+ Healthcare Directory [https://lgbtqhealthcaredirectory.org/]Vitalyst Health Foundation [https://www.vitalysthealth.org/] Mental health resources: Crisis & Suicide Prevention * 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline — Call or text 988, available 24/7. LGBTQ+ individuals can still call 988 and receive caring, confidential support, though the specialized "Press 3" option is no longer available. EveryMind [https://www.everymind.org/988-end-of-press-3-what-you-need-to-know/] * The Trevor Project (LGBTQ+ youth ages 24 and under) — TrevorLifeline: 1-866-488-7386 (24/7) | TrevorText: Text START to 678-678 (24/7) | TrevorChat available at thetrevorproject.org/get-help AFSP [https://afsp.org/lgbtq-crisis-and-support-resources/] * Trans Lifeline (by and for trans people) — 1-877-565-8860 (US), available 24/7 AFSP [https://afsp.org/lgbtq-crisis-and-support-resources/] * Crisis Text Line — Text HOME to 741741, available 24/7 Human Rights Campaign [https://www.hrc.org/resources/mental-health-resources-in-the-lgbtq-community] * RAINN National Sexual Assault ...

Living In Your Truth

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2558043/fan_mail/new] Speaking up for your health is one of the most powerful things you can do. In this episode, we talk with public health advocate Carrie Grant about her journey from rural Georgia to Arizona and how her experiences shaped her passion for health equity. Carrie also talks about creating safe spaces, advocating for inclusive providers, and empowering people to speak up for their needs. Her story is a call to action to embrace education, challenge stigma, and take charge of your health journey. Spectrum Medical Care Centre [https://spectrummedicalcare.org/]Maricopa County Community Resources [https://www.maricopa.gov/5999/Community-Resources]LGBTQ+ Healthcare Directory [https://lgbtqhealthcaredirectory.org/]Vitalyst Health Foundation [https://www.vitalysthealth.org/] Mental health resources: Crisis & Suicide Prevention * 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline — Call or text 988, available 24/7. LGBTQ+ individuals can still call 988 and receive caring, confidential support, though the specialized "Press 3" option is no longer available. EveryMind [https://www.everymind.org/988-end-of-press-3-what-you-need-to-know/] * The Trevor Project (LGBTQ+ youth ages 24 and under) — TrevorLifeline: 1-866-488-7386 (24/7) | TrevorText: Text START to 678-678 (24/7) | TrevorChat available at thetrevorproject.org/get-help AFSP [https://afsp.org/lgbtq-crisis-and-support-resources/] * Trans Lifeline (by and for trans people) — 1-877-565-8860 (US), available 24/7 AFSP [https://afsp.org/lgbtq-crisis-and-support-resources/] * Crisis Text Line — Text HOME to 741741, available 24/7 Human Rights Campaign [https://www.hrc.org/resources/mental-health-resources-in-the-lgbtq-community] * RAINN National Sexual Assault ...

Nothing About Us Without us: Queer Healthcare in Rural America

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2558043/fan_mail/new]  Dr. Kyle Gresenz [https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=FSoB69YAAAAJ&hl=en] is a queer theorist and rural healthcare scholar working to expose how systems fail LGBTQ+ communities. We dig into the four domains of healthcare, structural urbanism, and why geography and policy still dictate who gets care and who doesn't. Kyle also breaks down how finances, location, and discriminatory policies block access and what it actually takes to push past learned helplessness toward real, structural change. Listen, share, and follow to hear more!  Spectrum Medical Care Centre [https://spectrummedicalcare.org/]Maricopa County Community Resources [https://www.maricopa.gov/5999/Community-Resources]LGBTQ+ Healthcare Directory [https://lgbtqhealthcaredirectory.org/]Vitalyst Health Foundation [https://www.vitalysthealth.org/] Mental health resources: Crisis & Suicide Prevention * 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline — Call or text 988, available 24/7. LGBTQ+ individuals can still call 988 and receive caring, confidential support, though the specialized "Press 3" option is no longer available. EveryMind [https://www.everymind.org/988-end-of-press-3-what-you-need-to-know/] * The Trevor Project (LGBTQ+ youth ages 24 and under) — TrevorLifeline: 1-866-488-7386 (24/7) | TrevorText: Text START to 678-678 (24/7) | TrevorChat available at thetrevorproject.org/get-help AFSP [https://afsp.org/lgbtq-crisis-and-support-resources/] * Trans Lifeline (by and for trans people) — 1-877-565-8860 (US), available 24/7 AFSP [https://afsp.org/lgbtq-crisis-and-support-resources/] * Crisis Text Line — Text HOME to 741741, available 24/7 Human Rights Campaign [https://www.hrc.org/resources/mental-health-resources-in-the-lgbtq-community] * RAINN National Sexual Assault ...

The Right Size Shoes: A Conversation on Gender and Healing

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2558043/fan_mail/new] Gender affirming therapist Dillon Mathew-Gilmore [https://www.linkedin.com/in/dillon-mathew-gilmore/], LMSW (they/them) joins The Lavender Lounge to talk about what it really means to heal through community. Dillon shares their journey into gender affirming care, the systemic barriers facing gender expansive people, and why curiosity is the foundation of meaningful support. We get into the relationship between transphobia and misogyny, and how small moments of connection can create real change. This is a personal and hopeful conversation you don't want to miss. Affirming You Therapy [https://www.ayoutherapy.com/] Come as You Are [https://www.amazon.co.za/Come-You-Are-Surprising-Transform/dp/1982165316] Spectrum Medical Care Centre [https://spectrummedicalcare.org/]Maricopa County Community Resources [https://www.maricopa.gov/5999/Community-Resources]LGBTQ+ Healthcare Directory [https://lgbtqhealthcaredirectory.org/]Vitalyst Health Foundation [https://www.vitalysthealth.org/] Mental health resources: Crisis & Suicide Prevention * 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline — Call or text 988, available 24/7. LGBTQ+ individuals can still call 988 and receive caring, confidential support, though the specialized "Press 3" option is no longer available. EveryMind [https://www.everymind.org/988-end-of-press-3-what-you-need-to-know/] * The Trevor Project (LGBTQ+ youth ages 24 and under) — TrevorLifeline: 1-866-488-7386 (24/7) | TrevorText: Text START to 678-678 (24/7) | TrevorChat available at thetrevorproject.org/get-help AFSP [https://afsp.org/lgbtq-crisis-and-support-resources/] * Trans Lifeline (by and for trans people) — 1-877-565-8860 (US), available 24/7 AFSP [https://afsp.org/lgbtq-crisis-and-support-resources/] * Crisis Text Line — Text HOME to 741741, available 24/7 Human Rights Campaign [https://www.hrc.org/resources/mental-health-resources-in-the-lgbtq-community] * RAINN National Sexual Assault ...