JUNETEENTH, OUR NEWEST FEDERAL HOLIDAY is 150 YEARS OLD
On June 17, 2021, President Joe Biden signed into law recognizing June 19th as federal holiday Juneteenth National Independence Day. June 19th, 1865 is the day when Union Troops led by Major General Gordan Granger entered Galveston, Texas to announce the end of the Civil War and the freedom of the slaves.
Historically speaking, the Emancipation Proclamation did in fact grant these freedoms a full two years prior however enforcing this ruling was difficult to say the least. Slave owners had migrated to Texas in order to escape persecution from the Union Army. Masters waited until government agents arrived to enforce the law and then forced the freed back to work once those agents left. When Major General Gordan Granger arrived with his troops, it was a turning point offering hope that those freed would remain free. The arrival of the Freedmen’s Bureau that September ensured freedom would exist for all in the state. The following year, on June 19, 1866, the people of Texas celebrated the first Juneteenth.
Fast forward 150 years and awareness of Juneteenth and its celebration has spread across the nation. There is a deep understanding that Juneteenth is the day of freedom for all with more people having recognized its significance. With the addition of Juneteenth as a federal holiday this year, our nation comes together truly whole to celebrate and remember that all of its people are created equal.
References
Congressional Research Service, Higgins, M., & Smith, E. M. (2021, June 21). Juneteenth: Fact sheet. Retrieved May 29, 2022, from https://sgp.fas.org/crs/misc/R44865.pdf
Gates Jr., H. L. (2013, September 19). What is Juneteenth? The African Americans: Many Rivers to Cross. https://www.pbs.org/wnet/african-americans-many-rivers-to-cross/history/what-is-juneteenth/
Juneteenth is now a federal holiday: What you need to know. (2021, June 18). NBC Chicago. https://www.nbcchicago.com/news/national-international/juneteenth-is-now-a-federal-holiday-what-you-need-to-know/2535776/
LGBTQ+ COMMUNITY AND NUTRITION OPPPORTUNITIES FOR HEALTH PROFESSIONALS
An Invisible Population in Data
LGBTQ+ individuals have unique nutrition needs that may change throughout the process of social integration or physical transition. Unique needs of individuals who are transgender have been increasingly recognized by professional nutrition organizations.
While current guidelines to inform medical and psychological care of LGBTQ+ persons exist, little scientific data are available to inform evidence-based practice guidelines for nutrition and health professionals working with patients. The U.S. government collects minimal information describing sexual and gender minority populations. Many aspects of sexual orientation and gender identity are currently absent from nationally representative surveys such as the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). This impedes high-quality research and a comprehensive understanding of nutrition-related health disparities among the LGBTQ+ population.
Particular areas of concern for the LGBTQ+ population may include disordered eating second to body dissatisfaction; disparate health outcomes associated with gender-based stigma discrimination, and lack of healthcare access; food insecurity; and potential nutrition-related side effects related to gender affirmative therapies and surgery, including hormone therapies. Nutrition is one of the highest rated health concerns among LGBTQ+ individuals, alongside depression, suicidal ideation, harassment, and sexually transmitted diseases.
LGBTQ+ individuals have unique nutrition needs that may change throughout the process of social integration or physical transition. Unique needs of individuals who are transgender have been increasingly recognized by professional nutrition organizations.
While current guidelines to inform medical and psychological care of LGBTQ+ persons exist, little scientific data are available to inform evidence-based practice guidelines for nutrition and health professionals working with patients. The U.S. government collects minimal information describing sexual and gender minority populations. Many aspects of sexual orientation and gender identity are currently absent from nationally representative surveys such as the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). This impedes high-quality research and a comprehensive understanding of nutrition-related health disparities among the LGBTQ+ population.
Particular areas of concern for the LGBTQ+ population may include disordered eating second to body dissatisfaction; disparate health outcomes associated with gender-based stigma discrimination, and lack of healthcare access; food insecurity; and potential nutrition-related side effects related to gender affirmative therapies and surgery, including hormone therapies. Nutrition is one of the highest rated health concerns among LGBTQ+ individuals, alongside depression, suicidal ideation, harassment, and sexually transmitted diseases.
Reference- https://drtaylorwallace.com/research/lgbtq-nutrition/