Each year, Compassion & Choices commemorates Pride Month to recognize and celebrate the LGBTQ+ community. The end-of-life options movement is deeply rooted in the same core principles and values as the LGBTQ+ rights movement: dignity, bodily autonomy and the right to make personal healthcare decisions. Meagan Williams, clinical engagement program manager on the LGBTQ+ community: “Our community has taken care of one another with grace and passion for generations, and with each passing year I find new lessons within our history and stories. I am deeply grateful for the colleagues, volunteers and advocates that continue to teach and inspire me in this work. It is my greatest wish to be supported and surrounded by people who love and understand me at the end of my life; until then, my job is to ensure everyone has the same.”

The LGBTQ+ rights movement is deeply intertwined with health advocacy, political activism, and the fight for dignity and equality. Community members fought to bring compassion to people living and dying with AIDS, often when no one else would. The visibility and activism during this period helped to shift public perception and policy regarding both HIV/AIDS and LGBTQ+ rights. Aly Lynch, director of engagement marketing, says, “My generation has a lot to learn from HIV/AIDS advocacy. People were thrust into dual roles: caregivers and advocates for their basic human rights. Famous groups like ACT-UP provided the framework for movements for years to come. We need to care for each other and advocate for ourselves; we need to remember where we came from; and most importantly, we need to dream of a better future for all.”

Compassion & Choices remains dedicated to advocating for everyone to have control over their healthcare decisions at the end of life. This includes the right to choose treatments that align with one’s identity, to have one’s relationships recognized in medical settings, and to receive care that respects one’s personal and cultural needs. Osha Towers, LGBTQ+ engagement director, on the importance of having a voice at the end of your life: “I’m determined to move toward a world where my community is safe and cared for, all the way to the end of their lives. We should be held as our full selves no matter the space we’re in and given the proper care that affirms our identity and our values. We deserve to be surrounded by those that love and support us, and honored and remembered for who we are.” Callie Riley, Northwest regional advocacy director, adds, “We all deserve the right to make decisions about the kinds of care we do or don’t want to receive at every stage of our lives. Let’s work together to make it a reality.”

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