On June 26, 1969, members of the gay (LGBT) community preformed retaliatory riots against the police due to raids that took place earlier that day. These acts of spontaneous violent demonstrations, known as the Stonewall Riots, is marked as the most important event leading to the gay liberation movement. Because of this event, we continue to celebrate gay pride on the same month. Now that this month is over, I believe it is just as important (if not more) to advocate and celebrate the LGBTQ movement and share what it means to be a gay or LGBTQ friendly rehab. If you are homosexual or transgender you may feel leery about attending a substance abuse treatment center. It is understandable considering an important part of recovery is sharing your narrative and connecting with others who carry similar experiences. If an individual is reluctant because they feel judged, it can limit their progress. Everyone has the right to obtain help and should never feel held back because they fear discrimination or judgment.
Here at Coalition Recovery, we are proud to say we have and will continue to accept any member of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or queer/questioning community. Accepting people who may be vulnerable to discrimination is one thing, but ensuring comfortability can be an entirely new challenge. This is why we establish bias training (gender racial and sexual) for our employees as well as our clients. We also implement a zero-tolerance policy when it comes to client-client conflict as it relates to discrimination or negativity for reasons pertaining to sexuality or gender. Promoting an open-minded culture to our clients not only helps members of the LGBT community feel accepted but also teaches valuable and progressive life-lessons for everyone in recovery. Through these measures, we intend on ensuring an environment where anyone, no matter their sexuality or gender, can feel comfortable.
Employment
Discrimination can also happen externally as well. Did you know that federal law does not protect against employment discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity? As surprising as it is in this day an age, it’s sadly true. Certainly Coalition Recovery has protected those rights within our policy & procedures from the day we opened. We proudly employ members of the LGBT community in an effort to better understand and connect with the struggles and problems that can occur within the LGBTQ community.
Treatment
Treating addiction is not a blanket remedy; we treat everyone due to their specific circumstances. Members who identify as homosexual or experience gender identity issues have unique problems and we address these problems individually. These can include but are not limited to:
- Homophobia
- Discrimination
- Possible rejection by friends, family members, and other loved ones
- Coming out
- Dealing with depression and anxiety
Call Our LGBTQ Friendly Rehab Today!
Being a gay-friendly rehab should be more than solely accepting members of the gay community. While it helps to have a staff that is LGBT to authentically relate and share experiences, more importantly, an LGBTQ rehab should create and maintain a culture that promotes a healthy and welcoming environment for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or questioning clients. If you or a loved-one is looking for addiction treatment – call Coalition Recovery. We are located in beautiful Tampa, FL and offer a variety of treatment therapies and programs to fit your needs. Don’t hesitate – take back your life today!
