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Fayetteville VA offers services to support LGBTQ veterans

Fayetteville Observer - 6/24/2021

Jun. 24—Fayetteville's Veteran Affairs Costal Health Care System is encouraging LGBTQ veterans and allies to take advantage of health-related resources and services offered by the VA.

The Fayetteville VA hosted a Pride Car Parade & Drive-Thru for LGBTQ veterans and allies on June 21 in celebration of Pride Month.

Approximately 35 participants attended the parade, decorating their vehicles with rainbow flags and balloons and showing support for LGBTQ veterans. The VA also had informational booths, which provided resources and gift bags for community LGBTQ veterans and allies.

"LGBT identity is not a mental illness, but discrimination and stigma can lead to mental health symptoms," LGBT Veteran Care Coordinator Lori Hall said.

Veterans who do come out describe their experience as liberating and freeing, she said.

"The coming out process is really unique to each individual, and it's shaped by their comfort level, their safety, the environment that they are living in, how ready they are to share their sexual orientation and/or gender identity," Hall said. "For many, the coming out processes accrues repeatedly throughout their lifetime."

"Others will wrestle with deciding whether to come out at all," she added. "Here at the Fayetteville VA, we offer this LGBT education support group, it's called Pride in All Who Served, and this past year, we've been holding this virtually, which opens it up to everybody. It offers a safe space for self-exploration and for some of our veterans, this group has been the first place where they've come out."

Pride in All Who Serve is held once a week for 10 weeks for referred veterans. Each week a different topic is taught and discussed, Hall said.

During the third week, the group goes over identity models, which aims to help LGBTQ VA members who are struggling with their gender identity.

Sex refers to a person's physical characteristics at birth and gender refers to a person's identity. A person may identify with a gender that is different from their biological sex.

"Transitioning is a dynamic journey that differs from veteran to veteran, so the definition of what fully transitioned means, is also going to differ," she explained. "As there are a range of experiences with transitioning. Some may transition socially, legally and medically, some may transition only socially and some may not do any of those, so it's all going to depend on what transitioning means to the individual."

Social transition, for example, would be an individual wearing clothing associated with the specific gender they identify with; a medical transition would be hormonal therapy or surgical procedures; and a legal transition would be someone changing their name to what best represents who they are, Hall said.

"Veterans with LGBT or related identities are in elevated risks for stress, and this stress can increase the risks for certain mental and physical health conditions," Hall said.

Positive outcomes can lead to an improved quality of life, higher self-esteem, and it can also lead to reductions in anxiety, depression and substance use, Hall said.

"Veterans who are eligible may receive all medically-necessary care, including the hormone therapy, they can receive mental health care," Hall said about transgender veterans. "They receive pre-op evaluations for surgery and post-op and long-term care for following."

To learn how to apply for VA benefits, visit https://www.va.gov/health-care/how-to-apply/.

"It's critical that we spread the message that the system is committed to ensuring that LGBT veterans are welcomed, respected and given culturally competent care," she added.

Health and education writer Ariana-Jasmine Castrellon can be reached at acastrellon@gannett.com or 910-486-3561.

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