Delia M. Sosa
Delia M. Sosa | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | 1997 |
| Education | University of Chicago; Tufts University School of Medicine; University of Cincinnati College of Medicine |
| Occupation | Public Speaker & LGBTQ+ Rights Advocate |
| Known for | Transgender & Intersex Activism; Patient Rights Advocacy |
| Website | https://www.deliamsosa.com/ |
Delia M. Sosa (born 1997) is a public speaker, LGBTQ+ healthcare advocate focused on improving healthcare access and equity for transgender, nonbinary, intersex, disabled, and Indigenous communities. Sosa is dedicated to advancing inclusive policies within the medical field and addressing systemic barriers to care. They are best known for their successful advocacy campaign to strengthen gender-affirming healthcare protections under the American Medical Association. Sosa describes themself as a queer, trans/nonbinary, intersex, multiracial, and Latine person who uses they/them pronouns.[1][2][3][4]
Early life and education
[edit]Sosa was assigned female at birth, but realized they were intersex after discovering their body did not fit into the traditional male or female sex binary.[4]
Sosa graduated from the University of Chicago in 2019 with a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology and a minor in Biological Sciences. In 2021, they earned a Master of Science in Biomedical Sciences from Tufts University School of Medicine, focusing on interdisciplinary approaches to healthcare and advocacy. In 2022, Sosa became a medical student at the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, where they are currently studying, and are Co-Executive Director of the National Medical Student Pride Alliance.[3][5][6]
Career and activism
[edit]Sosa describes wanting to provide "culturally sound, nonjudgmental" patient-centered care in response to their own experiences as a patient, when they were "medically gaslit" after failing to be diagnosed with an autoimmune condition due to the provider's bias against their gender identity. Sosa describes this phenomenon as "trans broken arm syndrome." [1][3]
In 2023, Sosa co-authored a resolution with the Endocrine Society that led to the American Medical Association strengthening its position on protecting gender-affirming care.[7] This resolution advocated against legislation criminalizing access to gender-affirming healthcare and supported efforts to oppose discriminatory policies.[8][9]
Sosa has also provided testimony before legislative bodies on the effects of restricting access to gender-affirming care and has advocated for policies supporting equitable healthcare, such as protecting intersex youth from unnecessary medical procedures.[10][11]
In addition to advocacy work, Sosa provides educational training for healthcare providers on cultural competence and inclusive practices.[2][3]
See also
[edit]- LGBT rights in Massachusetts
- Transgender rights movement
- Same-sex marriage in Massachusetts
- List of LGBT rights organizations
References
[edit]- ^ a b National Patient Advocate Foundation (NPAF) (2024-01-29). Delia Sosa - NPAF Story Slam 2023. Retrieved 2024-11-16 – via YouTube.
- ^ a b "Ohio Voices: Delia Sosa". spectrumnews1.com. Retrieved 2024-11-16.
- ^ a b c d "Ep. 19 - Changing healthcare spaces with Delia Sosa". Parents of Trans Youth. Retrieved 2024-11-16.
- ^ a b "Two-spirit and intersex people explain they/them pronouns". spectrumnews1.com. Retrieved 2024-11-16.
- ^ "Embracing Medicine—and One's True Self | School of Medicine". medicine.tufts.edu. Retrieved 2024-11-16.
- ^ "Delia Sosa". 500 Queer Scientists. Retrieved 2024-11-16.
- ^ "AMA strengthens its policy on protecting access to gender-affirming care". www.endocrine.org. Retrieved 2024-11-16.
- ^ Riedel, Samantha (2023-06-14). "The American Medical Association Has Strengthened Its Stance on Gender-Affirming Care". Them. Retrieved 2024-11-16.
- ^ "Delia Sosa". 500 Queer Scientists. Retrieved 2024-11-16.
- ^ Firth, Shannon (June 11, 2023). "AMA Urged to Do More to Safeguard Adolescent Gender-Affirming Care". MedPage Today. Retrieved November 15, 2024.
- ^ Oliver, David. "Gender-affirming care is life-saving, research says. Why is it so controversial?". USA TODAY. Retrieved 2024-11-16.