Pride Month Begins with Dedication to Health and Equity

Planned Parenthood North Central States is proud to provide health care and education to LGBTQIA+ people across the Upper-Midwest

St. Paul, MN— Pride month begins June 1, a time to celebrate the community and bring allies together. While we celebrate this month, we also acknowledge the need for improved health and safety for the LGBTQIA+ and trans community. Attacks and harmful policies to the LGBTQIA+ community continue to increase, and Planned Parenthood North Central States (PPNCS) is proud to be expanding health care services across Minnesota, Iowa, Nebraska, North Dakota and South Dakota.

"We are so excited to celebrate and root ourselves in pride together this month,” said Ruth Richardson, president and CEO of Planned Parenthood North Central States. “Joy is a form of resistance, so we need to bring a lot of joy this month. We are committed to celebrating and lifting up every person for their authentic selves, today and all year long.”

Relentless attacks have not stopped the LGBTQIA+ community from showing up and working together to build a future where everyone has bodily autonomy and the right to exist as they are. The Trans Refuge Bill in Minnesota protects patients seeking gender-affirming care and providers in Minnesota, providing an island of access in a region where such care has been banned.

Planned Parenthood North Central States (PPNCS) will be present at 32 different Pride events across the five-state region, from big cities to smaller towns.

"It’s an honor to sit across from trans and gender-expansive patients,” said Dr. Nicole Chaisson, Assistant Medical Director of Planned Parenthood North Central States. “Gender-affirming care is life-saving care. Planned Parenthood will do everything we can to help people make the best decisions for their bodies and futures.” 

PPNCS provides vital health care services for people of all sexual orientations, gender expressions, and gender identities. Our wide range of reproductive and sexual health services includes cervical and breast cancer screenings, contraception care, sexually transmitted infection (STI) testing and treatment, HIV testing, PrEP and PEP, immunizations, pregnancy testing, emergency contraception, gender-affirming care including hormone management, and abortion information and options.

PPNCS operates 28 health centers across 5 states, plus offers telehealth serving more than 100,000 patients a year. The organization also offers voluntary, comprehensive sex education programs to more than 50,000 people a year.

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Planned Parenthood North Central States and its subsidiary organizations provide, promote, and protect reproductive and sexual health through high quality care, education and advocacy. A member of America’s most trusted reproductive health care provider, our affiliate is proud to support and operate 28 health centers across our five-state region (Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota and South Dakota).  Each year, we provide health care to nearly 100,000 people and health education to more than 50,000 people in our region.