Laura C. Hein and Patti Zuzelo of the GLMA Nursing Section Leadership Team were invited to serve on the National League for Nursing (NLN) Strategic Action Group for Diversity in Nursing Education.   Nine nurses (two of whom were NLN leaders) spent the last two days discussing diversity and how to make nursing education more inclusive. Patti and I represented the LGBTQ community and emphasized the importance of recognizing and embracing all of our diversity. The current NLN Diversity Statement includes sexual orientation but does not include gender identity or gender expression. In my role as a GLMA board member and GLMA nursing leadership team I emphasized the importance of including “gender identity and gender expression” in NLN’s diversity and mission statement.

Our Diversity Action Group created a rough first draft of NLN’s Diversity Vision, Mission and Strategic Plan. We will have a final version published by February 2015.  Patti and I will continue to represent GLMA nurses and work to advance inclusive LGBTQ policies at NLN.