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WEAVING A
VIBRANT TAPESTRY
Challenges and celebrations obviously I’m different,” said Matthew
living an authentic life as an Porges of New York. “The things they
LGBTQIA+ person with talked about were just not what I was
a bleeding disorder interested in.” Porges recalls that while
he was able to blend in with his Blood
BY ANDY Like a vibrant tapestry, Brothers, there was a part of him that
ANDERSON, individual experiences unite wasn’t being embraced. He feels there
GUEST WRITER to create something bigger is more support today for young people
than ourselves. Just as is the case in who are coming out.
Articles written by guest writers are personal Guadalupe Mota, who sits on the board of
opinions and a representation of individual society at large, some voices within the Fenway Health, an LGBTQIA+ healthcare
experiences. While extensive efforts are made bleeding disorders community may be system in the Boston area, feels there
to ensure the accuracy of the content, the guest marginalized. This past June, which the is a ‘tension between two identities.’
written articles do not represent HFA or its Board United States sets aside as Pride month, Having hemophilia is a big part of how
of Directors and is not intended to be construed LGBTQIA+ members of the bleeding he connects to others — so is being gay.
as medical advice or the official opinion/position disorders community shared their Between his work in biopharmaceuticals
of HFA, its staff or its Board of Directors. Readers experiences. and as a board member for Fenway
are strongly encouraged to discuss their own
medical treatment with their healthcare provider. “There’s a sense that the bleeding “The strength I
disorders community is very diverse,”
MATT says Shellye Horowitz, licensed school developed as a
PORGES counselor. From her home in California, child gave me the
Shellye talked about her experiences fortitude and power
8 to come out and be
as a queer woman with hemophilia. proud of who I am.
“We have different religions,
different politics, but — Guadalupe Mota
we are united by a
disorder that is serious Health, he wears many hats. Both
enough that it helps identities are an important part of who
us transcend our he is, and it’s not so easy or necessary to
differences.” separate one from the other.
“The strength I developed as a child
Yet people with gave me the fortitude and power to
bleeding disorders come out and be proud of who I am,” he
who do not identify said. Increased visibility of LGBTQIA+
as heterosexual or people and a willingness to discuss
cisgender may not feel experiences paves the way for a reality
entirely welcome at the table. where a queer identity and a bleeding
disorder are treated not as contradictions
“I remember when I was a junior in high or overlapping challenges, but simply as
school. They sent a group of us [teenage two parts of a whole person.
boys with hemophilia] for research. We Going beyond the simple inclusion of
spent a weekend being asked questions.
We all have bleeding disorders, but
