At 11 am on Thursday next week (September 24th), the opening bell will ring for our GLMA Nursing Summit 2015!  We will not have as much time as we have had in the past, but the time we do have will be a dynamite, fun and inspiring time together.  I know that there are still many nurses “out there” who do not yet even know we exist (I met 3 of them on a google hangout 2 days ago) – so it is imperative that every time you hear or read something about GLMA Nursing, share it as widely as you can – I have listed a few hints below about how to do this!

Our lack of visibility in nursing is not a surprise, or course. Like the lingering effects of “don’t ask, don’t tell” our invisibility in nursing continues to be perpetrated by the many damaging effects of stigma that still exist within nursing, and in fact throughout society.  And to make matters worse, until now we have not had an LGBTQ “home” for nurses – our connections with one another have been largely informal friendships, sometimes nurtured across geographic landscapes by our informal connections in other organizations where we make it point to find other LGBTQ nurses who are our friends and acquaintances.  Now, because of the GLMA Nursing Section, we are blazing a new trail, learning as we go how to turn our nursing gaze on the challenges of LGBTQ health in the context of a formal organization.

I hope you are able to be present on the 24th!  But if you cannot, and even if you can, here are some important things YOU can do to support this fledgling organization:

• Join!  Your membership in GLMA, and the GLMA Nursing Section, is a vital way to help ensure our success over the long haul.
• Follow this blog!  Go to any page on the web site and click the link at the top of the right sidebar to follow! (You can do this even if you have not yet joined!)
• Sign up for the GLMA nursing email list!  The list is open to all, member or not, nurse or not – anyone who is interested in nursing action on behalf of LGBTQ health.
• “Like” our GLMA Nursing Facebook Page, and add news and information about nursing and LGBTQ health any time!
• Check #GLMAnursing on Twitter to learn real-time “happenings!”  This will be especially interesting during the Nursing Summit and the GLMA conference!  If you are there, please tweet regularly and use #GLMANursing to let the world know what is happening!