Pride 365 with Megan Lytle, Ph.D.
An Associate Professor in the Department of Psychiatry and a Counseling Psychologist at URMC, Megan Lytle, Ph.D, is an advocate for celebrating and supporting the LGBTQ+ community throughout the year: Pride 365. Lytle's work focuses on improving mental health outcomes for marginalized populations, particularly within the LGBTQ+ community. With a deep commitment to fostering an inclusive and supportive environment at URMC and in our community, Lytle has been instrumental in developing and implementing programs that address the unique needs of LGBTQ+ individuals.
In this Q&A, Lytle shares her experiences and perspectives, and contributions to LGBTQ+ advocacy at URMC.
1. Can you tell us what inspired you to pursue a career in health care? What or who inspires you at URMC?
As the daughter of a gay man, I became very aware of legalized discrimination and how various cultures have been pathologized throughout history. As a result, I have dedicated my clinical work and research toward eliminating suicide and health disparities that lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and questioning individuals often face due to minority stress. At URMC, my mentor, Eric Caine, MD, inspires me and has played an instrumental role in helping me to shape my career path. He recognized my dedication to the LGBTQ+ communities and has encouraged me to find ways to make systemic culture changes. Jackie Beckerman, URMC’s chief patient experience officer, has also played a huge role in my career and has helped me connect with leaders across URMC. With Jackie’s support URMC has made systemic and sustainable changes such as developing the Gender Identity and Gender Expression Policy.
2. How do you celebrate and engage with the LGBTQ+ community during Pride Month and throughout the year?
My team and I celebrate pride 365. For us, it is not just about the anniversary of Stonewall and two months of festivals (since Rochester celebrates Pride in July, whereas the nation tends to celebrate in June). It is our life’s work. We celebrate pride everyday by introducing ourselves with our name and pronouns; asking how to address our colleagues, friends, and patients; and asking the individuals we work with what we should know about them to ensure their health care needs are holistically addressed. We celebrate pride every day by creating a safe place for individuals to access health care, treating everyone around us with respect and dignity, and working to help institutions across the Greater Rochester Area strive towards becoming ever more equitable and inclusive. For instance, our team hosts the URMC Transgender Health ECHO, and health care professionals across our region can earn free continuing education credits as they learn how to provide affirming health care.
3. How does UR Medicine provide support to LGBTQ+ individuals in the community?
UR Medicine has consistently been a leader and top performer in LGBTQ+ health care based on the Human Rights Campain’s Health Equity Index. What this means is that UR Medicine has LGBTQ+ inclusive non-discrimination policies, inclusive visitation policy and procedures, a number of health care providers, such as myself, who are dedicated to LGBTQ+ individuals, inclusive benefits for employees, and we are constantly striving to find more ways to support LGBTQ+ communities. Since UR Medicine is dedicated to Meliora (ever better), we welcome feedback about how we can do even more to support the LGBTQ+ communities.
4. Has URMC established any collaborative efforts or partnerships to enhance LGBTQ+ health care and research?
With support from URMC’s Health Equity Program Support Office, I am leading the effort to develop a collaborative, interdisciplinary care model, called the Gender Patient Support (GPS): Health & Wellness Program, that focuses on addressing physical and behavioral health needs of transgender and gender diverse adults in a supportive and compassionate environment. We know how hard the health care system is to navigate, and we are working to spread knowledge through the URMC Transgender Health ECHO, building partnerships with providers across the medical center, and developing a team to remove barriers and connect individuals to the care they need.
5. Do you have any current projects or advancements you are particularly proud of, related to LGBTQ+ communities?
Between the URMC Transgender Health ECHO, the interdisciplinary program to make gender affirming care more accessible, and the trainings I lead with colleagues across the medical center, I am noticing small but powerful changes. I see pronouns next to names on zoom meetings and in emails; I see a lot of individuals wearing pronoun badges; and my colleagues and I are constantly getting requests for training and education. During a time when so many individuals are losing their rights and access to health care, I know my team is making a huge difference.
6. What are some ways allies at URMC and throughout health care can support and advocate for LBGTQ+ communities?
Honestly, the most important thing we can do is to treat everyone with dignity and respect. Greeting everyone with a smile, asking patients and colleagues how we can address them, and asking individuals about themselves rather than making assumptions can make all the difference.
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