New York Mayor Bloomberg abolishes LGBT Health dept.

The latest indication of Mayor Mike’s indifference to the LGBT community is Bloomberg’s decision to abolish the Office of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Health — without consultation with LGBT organizations or community leaders. “Losing the Office of Gay and Lesbian Health Concerns is extremely short-sighted,” Frank Oldham, Jr. wrote in a letter to the editor published in the March 6 issue of Gay City News. “LGBT people continue to live as second-class citizens without full access to civic, legal, and economic rights such as those related to marriage,” continued Oldham, who was the head of the Office of Gay and Lesbian Health Concerns under Dr. Margaret Hamburg. “Health risks like smoking, suicide, sexually transmitted infections, and HIV are higher among gay and lesbian youth,” added Oldham.

update: The state of New York just announced it approved over $8 million for LGBT Health services.