AUSTIN, Texas — As Goodside Health continues to honor Pride Month, we honor some of the outstanding members of the LGBTQIA+ community who are making an impact across the company.

Each of these incredible people deserves recognition for their invaluable contributions across all facets of the organization, from marketing to business operations and everywhere between.

We are highlighting four extraordinary people who are making an impact at Goodside Health.

Alex Gonzales, he/him

Talent Acquisition Specialist, People Operations

 

What does Pride mean to you? How do you plan to celebrate Pride?

“To me, Pride means living a life that is authentic and true to who you are on the inside, without feeling any shame. It is a celebration of diversity and reinforcing equal rights for all people. I plan on celebrating pride this year by contributing donations to several LGBTQ+ foundations here in North Texas.”

What challenges remain for the LGBTQIA+ community today? How can understanding history help us to overcome them?

“The fight for gay rights in the United States has come a long way since 1969, however to this day the community still faces major challenges, a major one being violence. Hate crimes against LGBTQ individuals are still prevalent across the country. Nearly 1 in 5 hate crimes that are committed in the U.S. were due to sexual orientation, and another 2% of crimes were committed because of gender identity. The purpose of the month is to recognize the impact that lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender individuals have had on history locally, nationally, and internationally.”

Do you have any fun memories of celebrating Pride with your friends/family?

“The most fun memory I’ve had was several years back when some friends and I snuck into a groups parade float during Dallas pride, everyone was running on so much adrenaline that day to even notice the extra guests that magically appeared on their trailer.”

Lauren Fischer, she/her

Product Manager

 

What does Pride mean to you? How do you plan to celebrate Pride?

“To me, Pride is a representation of the shoulders upon which the community stands: We stand upon the shoulders of the Black Trans women of Stonewall. We stand upon the shoulders of our brothers, who didn’t receive adequate healthcare, and subsequently lost their battle to the AIDS epidemic. We stand upon the shoulders of the ones who were forced to hide, but were brave enough to find love in the shadows.”

What challenges remain for the LGBTQIA+ community today? How can understanding history help us to overcome them?

“A challenge we see the most during Pride month is ‘rainbow washing.’ Rainbow washing (or ‘rainbow capitalism’) refers to performative corporate support of Pride, with the intention of growing profits through campaigns such as the sale of rainbow-printed merchandise. This bleeds into the notion that Pride is a capitalist idea and a fad to be consumed. It’s reductive of the realities faced by the LGBTQIA+ community, and the real lives we lead outside of the month of June. It encourages performative allyship, and the flooding of LGBTQIA+ safe spaces with people looking to play tourist in a minority culture.”

Do you have any fun memories of celebrating Pride with your friends/family?

“Austin 2015. I was invited to walk in the Pride March with a group of friends. It was a beautiful and unique way to interact with the community, with protestors, and with LGBTQIA+ youth. To not only live in a city where a Pride March is hosted, but to be able to attend the march, is a privilege that the majority of LGBTQIA+ people are not afforded. The march is a protest for visibility, display of how far we have come, and example of how far we have yet to go.”

Dr. Adolfo Flores, MD, FAAP, he/him

Vice President Operations, Medical Director

 

What does Pride mean to you? How do you plan to celebrate Pride?

“Pride to me means visibility and exposure to the wider community to let them know that we are here, along with everybody else. Growing up, many of us, myself included, did not have the same rights or privileges as other people. Television back then didn’t portray the LGBTQ community in a positive way, so I grew up without role models or examples of what it might look like to be LGBTQ in our world. At the age of 20 I was told that I couldn’t be gay and be married; or be gay and have a family; or be gay and be a doctor. Pride for me means that I was able to accomplish all of these things. Although we have a long way to go in certain aspects, I am heartened by the progress we have made towards greater freedom in our country.”

What challenges remain for the LGBTQIA+ community today? How can understanding history help us to overcome them?

“One of the challenges that has been very public as of late are rights for the Trans community, especially adolescent and young adults who continue to struggle with non-acceptance, being kicked out of their families, and suicide. Add to that the politics surrounding Trans rights and it becomes a very difficult situation. I am heartened by the work that the American Medical Association and the World Professional Association for Transgender Health have done to carefully research the best approaches for providing care to this patient population so that they can live full and happy lives. It makes me very happy to know that Goodside Health team members treat EVERY patient with dignity and respect.”

Do you have any fun memories of celebrating Pride with your friends/family?

“My favorite Pride celebration was when my husband and I accidentally stumbled upon San Francisco Pride after just having been married 2 days before. This was back in June 2014, when only a couple of states had legalized same sex marriage, and the following year it became legal across the country. Although our Pride activities are a bit more family friendly (because we are an old married couple now!) it was really special to know how far we had come and to be surrounded by other members of our community of all shapes, sizes, and identities.”

Andrew Rivera, he/they

Digital Designer

 

What does Pride mean to you? How do you plan to celebrate Pride?

“To me, Pride is the celebration of what makes you, YOU. It is a reminder of those who came before us that paved the way, but also just how far we still have to go. Pride is to honor those we’ve lost to HIV/AIDS, hate crimes, and suicide. I plan to celebrate Pride by attending the annual Austin Pride Parade in August, supporting local queer-owned businesses (like The Little Gay Shop), and donating to some of my favorite LGBTQ+ nonprofits (like Rainbow Railroad, LGBTQ Freedom Fund, True Colors United, The Happy Hippie Foundation, and The Trevor Project). It is important to celebrate, shop, and donate year-round and not just during June.”

What challenges remain for the LGBTQIA+ community today? How can understanding history help us to overcome them?

“While the acceptance of same-sex relationships has made significant strides since legalization in 2015, trans rights have been on the attack. Nearly 240 anti-LGBTQ+ bills were filed this year alone (as of March 2022 with a total of 670 bills since 2018). A majority of these bills target trans people, specifically younger people. A staggering 40% of homeless youth identify as LGBTQ+. This is due to families kicking them out of the home once the child comes out or is outed. It could also be the result of the child leaving voluntarily due to unsafe conditions in the home. It says a lot when the streets are a safer place for a child than their own home. Education and visibility will save lives.”

Do you have any fun memories of celebrating Pride with your friends/family?

“Some of my favorite memories are during Pride! I remember attending my first Pride event in 2015 at Stonewall in San Marcos, Texas. I was a freshman in college, so it was the first time I had the opportunity to attend a Pride celebration. For the first time, I was in a room filled with people just like me. That feeling is indescribable when you’ve never had the luxury before. I also loved going to a Pride market last year with some friends. Several queer-owned businesses set up booths and there was a drag performance. It was the first time some of my friends had seen a drag performance in person. I gave my friends some dollar bills to tip the drag queens, and they had a blast! I love getting to share my community with my loved ones.”

Goodside Health is committed to honoring diversity and promoting equity in the workplace and beyond.