Voices From the Field: Including LGBTQ+ Health Equity in Climate and Health

• This short article explores the academic journey of Leo Goldsmith, the nature of his research in college and graduate school, and what he's done as a climate and health specialist for the United States Global Change Research Program.
• Students will learn that Leo's undergraduate years were filled with uncertainty and deep reflection, he eventually did research that combined his interests in LGBTQ+ issues and climate change, and he now researches how human health is affected by climate change.

Positives

• This article is written by a member of the LGBTQ+ community.
• This article shows that it's OK to change your path while you're in college.

Additional Prerequisites

• Students should know the difference between equity and equality.
• Students should have a basic understanding of the difficulties that LGBTQ+ people face.
  

Differentiation

• This article could enhance a class discussion on the discrimination that LGBTQ+ people may face when it comes to health services or disaster recovery.
• This article could supplement a lesson on how climate change may disproportionately affect marginalized groups. 
• This article could be part of a lesson about environmental justice and what laws and regulations on pollution, land use, and zoning should or could be changed or implemented to achieve environmental equity.
• This article could augment a class discussion on how climate change impacts the physical and mental health of various groups.
  

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