Employees at Georgia’s sole pride center are voicing worries about what they describe as a perilous shortage of LGBTQ+ healthcare services in Savannah, alongside a series of threats directed at staff members.
“About a month ago in Savannah, I received my first death threat,” shared Michael Bell, the Executive Director of the Savannah Pride Center. “It’s crucial to understand that while Savannah may feel like a safe bubble, our community ventures beyond and frequently encounters situations where they don’t feel secure.”
Despite the increase in population and the rise in the number of LGBTQ+ individuals requiring these services in Savannah, the Savannah Pride Center remains one of the limited local resources available for such assistance.
“Starland Family Practice, the sole LGBTQ medical facility in town, has a 12-month waiting list. This indicates the significant demand for healthcare within this community,” Bell noted. “People travel up to four hours away from any direction, except the ocean, to seek care.”
One of those people is Nikolas Indigo.
“Growing up in Lakeland, Florida, within a strict religious cult meant strict gender roles and restrictions beyond imagination,” revealed Nikolas, the Outreach Team Lead at the Savannah Pride Center. “Coming to terms with my sexuality was tough; it made me consider ending my life.”
Nikolas found Savannah Pride Center after a harrowing experience coming out to family.
Now, Nikolas works to help others who come to the pride center, despite facing obstacles even still here in Savannah.
“I’m overdue for gender-affirming top surgery… The doctor informed me that the hospital here has retracted their stance on performing gender-affirming surgeries,” Nikolas added.
According to those at the pride center, the demand for more LGBTQ care options is already here.
“We need more healthcare providers, practitioners, providers, we need people in affirming care or who want the training to become affirming care to step and to have a successful practice. It’s all here,” Bell said.
Healthcare professionals also stressed how the lack of providers can lead to people going without care.
“Right now, it’s the Sahara Desert. There are just not providers interested,” Nurse Practitioner and volunteer at Savannah Pride Center Georganna Wiley said. “When you get into this niche of gender-affirming hormones, it’s almost impossible. If you can’t get into Starland, some providers will continue the hormones but won’t start them. So, it’s a really huge barrier to care access.”
