Civic Education’s Role in Advancing Health Equity for LGBTQIA2S+ Youth

By Leo Kattari, MSW (he/they)

One of the most important aspects of democracy is the active participation of citizens. It is imperative that each of us understands and envisions ourselves as a key player in improving our communities and striving towards creating a better future. As cliché as the words attributed to Gandhi may be, our role in a democracy is to “be the change you wish to see in the world.” Today and every day.

But what happens if you don’t see yourself as part of the change? What if you don’t believe that change towards justice and liberation can occur? What if you feel powerless? My response to each of these questions is, “you are not alone.”

We live in an environment of intentional censorship of information that limits our knowledge of how we can be effectively engaged in the decisions that impact our civic, social, and political lives – from voting, to volunteering, to how the government works, to being part of a collective solution to the wicked problems we experience and see around us.

This is exemplified in our current political climate that is flush with misinformation about the lives and experiences of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, questioning, intersex, asexual, two-spirit (LGBTQIA2S+) individuals specifically focused on false narratives about transgender people and gender affirming care. Despite statements from every credible professional association and volumes of research supporting non-discrimination protections, gender affirming health care, and safe schools for LGBTQIA2S+ individuals of all ages – the rhetoric being spewed in politics is rooted in inaccurate and sensational scare tactics that have real life implications on the health and wellness of millions of LGBTQIA2S+ Americans, including and especially transgender and nonbinary youth. If you want to learn a bit more about the trans policy landscape, please check out this Health Promotion Practice podcast, where I am interviewed by host Arden Castle.

But how can we effectively play a game, if we do not know the rules to win? One important strategy is to learn the rules through bolstering access to civic education for people of all ages. Civic education has been on the decline in the United States for decades. I often ask my graduate level students if they remember receiving any civic education – most of the time I get blank stares but occasionally, there’s a student who remembers taking a high school class that had a volunteering or service-learning requirement. Do you remember receiving any civic education?

Effective civic education focuses on both the knowledge and skill development that empowers citizens to take action in their community and participate in various forms of civic engagement. Educating for American Democracy has a comprehensive report and roadmap to what effective civic education should look like in the United States.

Now more than ever, it’s important for each of us to know our role in protecting democracy and advancing equity and justice – not just for LGBTQIA2S+ Americans but for all Americans. It’s more than voting (are you registered?). It’s more than social media. It’s getting to know your elected officials. It’s running for elected office (yes, I’m asking you). It’s providing public comment on policy decisions. It’s taking collective action to raise awareness – starting with your neighbors.

In closing, civic education should be consistently provided across our lifespan: in living rooms, in classrooms, in boardrooms, and in patient exam rooms (see https://vot-er.org/). We all deserve uncensored, accurate, and transparent information about the history of the United States and how we can be engaged in the decisions that impact our everyday lives now and in the future.

Read my article “Civic Education’s Role in Advancing Health Equity for LGBTQIA2S+ Youth” to learn more about how civic education can and should be part of health promotion.

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Article Details
Civic Education’s Role in Advancing Health Equity for LGBTQIA2S+ Youth
Leonardo Kattari, MSW
First Published October 17, 2022
DOI: 10.1177/15248399221129887
Health Promotion Practice

About the Author

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Leo Kattari, MSW (he/they) is a doctoral candidate at the Michigan State University School of Social Work and a lecturer at the University of Michigan School of Social Work. My research focuses on understanding how participating in advocacy and activism can build self-efficacy and political efficacy which may counteract some of the negative health and wellness impacts of our current volatile political climate as well as to provide practical application of civic engagement strategies to build informed, active, and civic-minded individuals leading community change efforts towards equity and justice. I am a passionate advocate for equity and justice with over a decade of experience in the areas of health education, health policy, community mobilization and organizing, and advocacy through storytelling. I am invested in community driven and data informed action that advances health equity through civic engagement and transformative systems change.