Bristol Health Celebrates Pride Month, Says More Work Needs To Be Done

By Justin Muszynski, The Bristol Press

June 9, 2022

Bristol Health officials on Tuesday celebrated Pride Month and its fight for equality for the LGBTQ+ community by raising a rainbow flag in front of the hospital and sharing stories of those who have joined the pursuit of equal access to health care for all.

Christine Laprise, vice president of operations at Bristol Health, who spoke to the crowd of more than 50 gathered outside the Brewster Road campus, said far too many people in the LGBTQ+ community live in fear of judgment and ridicule and, because of that, don’t have as much access to health care as others.

“Here we believe every person should have access to quality care and feel safe while getting it,” said Laprise, noting that Bristol Health earlier this year received the designation of “LGBTQ+ Healthcare Equality Top Performer” in the Human Rights Campaign Foundation’s 15th-anniversary edition of the Healthcare Equality Index (HEI).

Hospital officials described HEU as “the nation’s foremost benchmarking survey of healthcare facilities on policies and practices dedicated to the equitable treatment and inclusion of their LGBTQ+ patients, visitors and employees.”

Laprise said the goal is that “all who come to us feel respect.”

“That’s truly something this organization takes to heart,” Laprise said, adding that there is “still work to be done.”

Mayor Jeff Caggiano said, coming off of May being Mental Health Awareness Month and June now being Pride Month, access to both physical and mental health care “is a great mission we have here with Bristol Health.”

Hospital officials on Tuesday raised a rainbow flag in front of the campus as a symbol of LGBTQ+ pride. Allen Stone, who grew up in Bristol and has volunteered for many years putting on the OM Show, sang Cher’s version of ABBA’s Gimme! Gimme! Gimme!

Devin Matos, a Bristol community member, also spoke before the group gathered in front of the hospital. Matos at 18 years old came out to family members as gay, with all of them saying “we already know,” she said. By 25 years old, she said, she began the transition to become a woman.

Matos said she experienced nothing but love and acceptance from family and friends throughout her transition. And while she said most health care providers are good about using proper pronouns, she still sometimes is disturbed to see “he/she” used to describe her.

Using the proper pronouns, Matos said, “shows that you acknowledge us as people and care for our wellbeing.”

Justin Muszynski can be reached at 860-973-1809 or jmuszynski@bristolpress.com.