LGBTQ+ EOL

Credit: Photo by Paweł Czerwiński on Unsplash

As a member of the LGBTQ+ community, I know our bio-family structures can, at times, be complicated. Some of you may have cultivated your own family, consisting of a mix of your biological family and friends, or just the latter.  This collective is, and should be, the people who you will want to surround you at the end of your life, advocating and making decisions (should you no longer be able to) on your behalf.  People who are no longer in your life shouldn’t have the right to swoop in and make choices for you just because they are “next of kin”.  That is why having documentation such as an Advanced Directive, Living Will and an End of Life plan in place are imparative for our community. These documents not only ensures that your name, pronouns/gender and wishes are honored, but also allows you to list who is and isn’t welcome in that space.  This should be something we all think about no matter our age or physical health.  We must remain diligent to ensure our voices are heard especially when we can no longer speak for ourselves.