03/19/2026
Fenway Health and GLBTQ Legal Advocates & Defenders - GLAD Law were at the State House yesterday during National LGBTQ+ Health Awareness Week 2026 to brief legislators about Protecting HIV Prevention, HIV Care, and Gender-Affirming Care in Massachusetts.
Fenway staff including Jordina Shanks, Dallas Ducar, Ken Mayer, and Ralph Vetters spoke as well as Ben Klein from GLAD Law. So did community partners, like Gary Daffin of the Multicultural AIDS Coalition and Jo Erwin of Transhealth, as well as members of the Legislature, like State Representative Sam Montaño, Rep. Jack Patrick Lewis, Marjorie Decker, and Julian Cyr.
This discussion focused on why HIV and gender-affirming care are at risk, what is currently protected, and where the gaps are, while providing legal and advocacy framing.