In its ongoing effort to support LGBTQ+ veterinarians, students, and colleagues, and improve their well-being, the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) will be hosting events and a series of sessions at its 2018 convention next month in Denver. The Pride Veterinary Medical Community will host a town hall titled “Be Your Authentic Self.” Group discussion will allow LGBTQ+ veterinary professionals to learn from their colleagues how they deal with stigma, barriers, and personal empowerment in practice. Pride VMC also will host its board meeting, as well as its annual meeting and networking reception, on Saturday, July 14, from 5 - 7 p.m., followed by AVMA’s inaugural “Live Life, Love All” event from 7 - 11 p.m. at the Hard Rock Cafe Denver. “Revealing Hidden Biases: How It Can Impact Our Ability To Provide Successful Veterinary Care,” a panel discussion presented by the Women’s Veterinary Leadership Development Initiative and Pride Veterinary Medical Community, will help attendees identify personal biases that may hinder communication with a client regarding pet care and compliance, and find ways to increase understanding and foster empathy toward clients and coworkers. This session will be held Saturday, July 14. On Sunday, July 15, a session titled “Creating Inclusive Classrooms And Clinic Settings For Transgender And Gender Expressive Students, Colleagues And Clients” serves to raise awareness about gender identity and expression as a means of increasing cultural competency in veterinary medicine and provides actionable tips that can be employed in both classroom settings and within veterinary clinics to create inclusive safe spaces for transgender and gender expressive people. On Monday, July 16, the AVMA will host a session at its annual convention titled “Health and Well-Being Among LGBTQ Veterinary Professionals: What It Is and Why It Is Different.” In this session, attendees will hear about the primary results of the 2016 LGBTQ Veterinary Wellness Survey, consider the intersection of wellness risk factors for LGBTQ+ veterinary professionals and students, and discuss future directions for wellness programming among LGBTQ+ veterinary professionals and students. The Pride Veterinary Medical Community recently launched a new website, PrideVMC.org, which includes more information about the organization, links to resources and further education, and a calendar of upcoming events.
