Liana Guzmán, CEO of FOLX Health, joins Cheddar News to discuss the company launching billboards across the country in response to anti-LGBTQ+ legislation.

Between Bells

FOLX Health Launches Billboards in Response to Anti-LGBTQ Legislation

and welcome back everyone to between bells, I'm baker machado in new york, elite Supreme Court draft opinion that would overturn roe v wade has caused a wave of controversy about the around the country when it comes to women's reproductive health, especially for those within the trans and non binary community. Now, advocates are saying that difficulties accessing care worse for those within the trans community with many who face stigma or discrimination, just navigating the healthcare system. However, folks health is on a mission to fix all of that. So joining us now to discuss is the ceo of folks health liana Guzman liana. Thank you so much for joining us. First off, let's talk about what you guys at folks health due to help the LGBT community in this healthcare space, navigating this really difficult time. Well, thank you so much for having us. We're so, we're so glad to be here, you know, um, in a world where the average medical student graduates with five hours of L G B T Q I, a specific training, folks, health has a group of specialized clinicians who have decades of experience with this community under their belt. And so we're able to um, via them provide uh, you know, the, the affirming and competent and expert health care that this community so deserves. And that frankly is really difficult to find in the incumbent system. No. Absolutely. And one of the things that I I really sort of love that you guys have done. You've taken billboards out in places where you're seeing this rise of anti LGBTQ legislation being being created. What was sort of the mindset into doing that, Why did you guys decide that was something you wanted to do here? Absolutely. I mean, I think the reality is you're hearing this barrage of attacks from the right on our community and I think it's really important to us um to make sure that our voices heard and that folks across the country know that you know, if they are a member of the community and particularly if they are in areas where they are not hearing the counter voice, right? That they see themselves, that they see that they have support, that they see that there are organizations like us that are committed to creating the equitable world that they so deserve. Let's talk about what the fears that you're hearing from a lot of your clients, your trans and non binary clients about what life would be like if roe v wade is overturned. I mean, obviously women are the central focus of this conversation, but I think a lot of times people forget about the trans and non binary community still being a part of this as well. Absolutely. You know, I think before we go into the trans community specifically, I actually think um it's important to say that this actually should should be rocking everyone's world, right? Because yes, this is about people who can have Children. Um but the reality is that this law really rejects the privacy and autonomy that are, you know central to our constitution, in which all of us um should be really worried about what what this signals. Um and so I think just broadly speaking, this is not something that is impacting just a portion of our population. Um this is a really scary moment for all of us. Um you know, as a community, I think with regard to the trans community and really with with regard to anybody in this space, I think uh you know, what we're seeing here is that we are putting politicians and politics who are frankly unequipped and and often very biased in the middle of a very personal and sensitive medical decision that should be left between the patient and their provider. Um and so I think that is deeply concerning and it is especially concerning to our community, which, you know, more than 50% of us report having experienced discrimination in healthcare settings. One in four of us have had to educate our clinicians. We already live within an incumbent system that was at best not built for us and more often than not is um fully discriminatory and even violent. And so the reality with something like the overturning of Roe V wade is that, you know, uh, white wealthy folks will find a way to get an abortion right. This is going to deeply impact marginalized groups more than anyone else. And the trans community is, you know, is absolutely one of the most marginalized groups in this country, as is evidenced by the number of anti trans legislation that's being introduced across the country. Absolutely look and as somebody who has, you know, faced discrimination as a gay man and homophobia going to a doctor, just even going to somebody that knows who you are, experiences sort of the same sort of things here that's also incredibly important. So just having people that are that no trans people and work on trans patients, how important is that just to have that for a lot of people? Oh, it is, it is critical. We know that when you're able to see yourself in your provider, you are significantly more likely to get the care that you need and deserve. You know, what happens in our community more often than not is that people, because the system can be so discriminatory and violent people avoid getting care and um, you know, and then they have significantly worse outcomes when it comes to their health care. And so for us, you know, when I, one of my most joyous days was when I'm I'm fairly new to the company and I was looking at our NPS survey and to hear the ways in which we have changed people's lives, um, you know, people are saying that we have saved their lives and to to know that they are seeing someone who understands them and for whom they do not have to explain themselves um to to be seen in a setting that is not just competent but expert and affirming. Um and you know, central to our value, is really putting a partnership model. So you know, we very much work closely with with our members and our patients to ensure that they also have a say in their healthcare. Um and and that there is autonomy related to that. And I think that ties back to roe v wade, that is what the medical experience should be. We should have autonomy over our bodies. Um The Supreme Court should not be litigating who you know what happens to our bodies. And so I think for the trans community in particular that is really difficult to find. I think it's you know, often geographic, you know, if you happen to be close to a clinic that offers this, you know, offers competent expert care then you can access it. But a lot of folks are in care deserts and so for us to be able to have our clinicians serve people across the country is just an incredibly powerful, powerful opportunity and an honor for us. Absolutely. So well said Liana Guzman, the ceo of folks health. Such a pleasure to have you here, Liana, thank you so much for joining us