Celebrating LGBTQ+ Pride Month: Sarah Frank
Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer (LGBTQ+) Pride Month is currently celebrated each year in the month of June to honor the 1969 Stonewall Uprising in Manhattan. The Stonewall Uprising was a tipping point for the Gay Liberation Movement in the United States.
Memorial is celebrating LGBTQ+ Pride Month by sharing stories from our health system and by offering educational opportunities to our team members. Learn more about a member of our team who is committed to improving the health and wellness of our community below!
Sarah is a Sterile Processing Tech at Memorial. Originally from Wisconsin, she took a chance on warmer weather and to “get away from the winter” by moving to the Mississippi Gulf Coast.
A time to love and respect
“Pride Month is a time of celebration, inclusion, and love, where people can be people and enjoy themselves. Race, gender, and sexuality don’t matter. We are humans being humans. Loving and respecting EVERYONE! Pride is being proud of who I am. Who I have the right to be. No judgment. Freedom,” Sarah shares.
Opportunities for inclusion
She continues, “I celebrate because I am able to be myself. I am not ashamed of who I am, but at PRIDE it’s more accepted to be out and about with my wife by my side. Holding hands, referring to her as my wife/my partner, and enjoying all of the fun and festivities with like-minded people. It’s wonderful to appreciate the inclusion and see so many people rejoice in LOVE.”
She says, “I love the water and the marine life. I have two labs that are quite large water babies so we do a lot of beach walks. The restaurants on the Coast cannot be beaten. I haven’t found a buffet I don’t like. Especially any that have crab legs and cream brûlée! The coast also boasts so many fun activities, and there is always something to do! We bought a house a couple of years ago, and this year has been an adventure in landscaping. My favorites are the agave and banana plants! I am in a competition with my brother in Ohio to see whose banana plant grows the best. We love the coast and are proud to call it home.”
Supporting our community while receiving support
“I am pleased that the staff here at Memorial is so inclusive and nonjudgmental. I’m happy that Memorial has evolved with the times and is inclusive – that I can be comfortable discussing my sexuality with my health staff, and they do not treat me differently because of my orientation. I also am grateful that my sexuality was not a deterrent to my career or my success with my career. It is a relief to come to work and just be me,” says Sarah.
She continues, “Pride is different for everyone. Everyone has their own journey. My advice for anyone who is struggling to come out or come to grips with their sexuality is this. Find someone who has common ground or is like-minded. The LGBTQ+ community is large and all-encompassing. You are not alone. There is a whole huge welcoming family that will cherish you. Love is Love. It is never wrong.”
Thank you so much for sharing your story, Sarah, and we appreciate all that you do for our community!