WHAT WE DO
The Rainbow Health Network (RHN) is a network of individuals committed to equity-based, community-based and anti-oppressions values in promoting health and wellness for persons and communities of diverse sexual orientations and gender identities
RHN strives for representation of the full diversity of our communities, and commits to building coalitions and partnerships to achieve this goal
We hold monthly meetings and maintain a list serve to exchange information
We initiate, support and participate in specific health and wellness initiatives for our communities. Ongoing projects include:
- Education Committee
- Trans Health Lobby Group
- Political Advocacy Committee
- Professional Partnerships
- Anti-Racism Committee
The Ontario Rainbow Health Partnership Project is a collaboration between RHN, CLGRO and the Canadian Rainbow Health Coalition/ Coalition SantéArc-en-ciel Canada (CRHC/CSAC)
www.rainbowhealth.ca/english/partnership.html#CLGROfor more information
HOW WE BEGAN
RHN is a reference group of the Coalition for Lesbian and Gay Rights in Ontario (CLGRO www.web.ca/clgro), which works towards feminism and bisexual, lesbian, and gay liberation.
In 1997 CLGRO published a research report*that talked about the roadblocks and discrimination lesbians, gay men, bisexuals,queer and trans people face when they try to use Ontario’s health and social services.
In 2001, CLGRO started the Rainbow Health Network to start breaking down those roadblocks.
Since that time, the Network has grown…and we’d like you to join us!
*This report is called Systems Failure: A Report on the Experiences of Sexual Minorities in Ontario’s Health-Care and Social-Services Systems. You can get a copy at:
www.web.net/clgro/frames.htm
HOW WE DEFINE HEALTH
Being healthy is more than not being sick.It’s about feeling well – in your body, in your mind, and in your connections with other people. It’s about how well you can meet your needs, achieve your goals, and cope with the situation that you’re in.
All sorts of things can make it hard to be/get healthy: poverty, homelessness,racism, sexism, homophobia, transphobia…Sometimes these things overlap, which makes getting health care really difficult, or even impossible.
To be healthy, members of our communities must be treated with dignity and without prejudice. We must have healthcare and support services that we can access and that meet our needs.
GET INVOLVED!
JOIN THE RHN YAHOO GROUP!
This is the web-link to the RHN Yahoo Group (email list) which supports the exchange of information by RHN members about LGBTTTIQ health, and RHN activities, projects, and events. RHN activities include monthly network and committee meetings, project work, training and education, advocacy, strategic planning, and special events. There are several active RHN committees, including the Education Committee, the Trans Health Lobby Group, the Anti-Racism Committee, the Political Advocacy Committee, and the Professional Partnerships Group. Each committee also has a dedicated email list that supports communication about that committee's activities. Members of this Yahoo Group can join one ore more committee list in addition to this one. To subscribe to join the RHN Yahoo Group (email list) just click on Join This Group and follow the instructions provided from there. You will be contacted by the Yahoo Groups Subscriptions Secretary.
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/rhn/ [1]