LebMASH

Lebanese Medical Association for Sexual Health

Milestones

  • 2020

    • LebMASH delivered our LGBT Mental Health Training to 80 healthcare providers.
    • LebMASH has been a an active member in the USAID-supported LINKAGES project and we are proud to share that LebMASH and the other partners in this project designed the AMAN MENA Linkages interactive toolkit to strengthen the security of HIV program implementers operating in the MENA region.
    • Dr. Faysal El Kak received the Leader in LGBT Health Equity Award.
    • LebMASH launched the At Home Not Alone social media campaign where we provided tips on self-care and information for health workers and NGOs to support the mental and physical health needs of the LGBT community during this pandemic.
    • LebMASH launched a writing competition that goes in line with our social media campaign “At Home Not Alone”. At Home Not Alone 2020 called for essays/narratives/any forms of writing related to the experiences, opportunities, challenges, and/or struggles faced by the LGBT community during the COVID-19 social distancing measures. 3 winner received cash prizes for their entries.
    • LebMASH partnered up with local LGBT organizations to launch YALLACARE; an LGBT Community fund that goes to support LGBT individual struggling financially as a result of the pandemic limitations.
    • LebMASH hosted a webinar on September 5th, 2020 on LGBT wellbeing during times of crisis. Topics covered include minorities in times of crisis, signs of distress within youth, social services and resources, as well as some clinical presentations.
    • LebMASH worked closely with sister organizations and other stakeholders under a coalition whose purpose is to provide relief to members of the LGBT community in Lebanon who have been affected by the explosion and the economic challenges facing the country. The coalition has partnered up with Karagozian Center (a healthcare center in Beirut) and created coupons that members of the community can use for discounted medical services at Karagozian Center. This work is an extension of the efforts done by the Yallacare campaign with our partners.
    • LebMASH was represented by our board member Dr. Zavi Lakissian in a webinar hosted by the Lebanese Medical Students’ International Committee and The Lebanese American University Medical Students Association. In this webinar, Dr. Lakissian gave a session on judgement-free medical practices in Lebanon and the event was a great success!
    • With the help of Friends of LebMASH, we launched our first ever online fundraiser event: Dress Up for Beirut! A special thank you to Style icon Isaac Mizrahi & the fabulous MC Roxy for helping to make the party a success. A warm thank you to DJ Cyril, Fadi J Khoury and Lorena Ayub for their talent. 

  • 2019

    • LebMASH held the 3rd annual LGBT Health Week in March 2019.
    • LebMASH offered the LGBT Mental Health Training to 80 healthcare providers.
    • Dr. Aimee Karam received the Leader in LGBT Health Equity Award.
    • LebMASH participated in AUB’s Masters in Public Health Practicum Preceptors’ Meeting. LebMASH welcomed one MPH student who worked an extensive analysis of our HINAD mass media campaign (Homosexuality Is Not A Disease) and its impact in the media.
    • Friends of LebMASH is born! Friends of LebMASH is a 501 (c) (3) not for profit organization based in New York. Based on the principles of LebMASH, FOLebMASH supports research, awareness and policy based initiatives that advocate for the advancement of the health and well-being of LGBTQ individuals and other marginalized communities from Lebanon and the rest of the Middle East North Africa Region.
    • LebMASH’s president Dr. Suha Ballout, and board member Dr. Omar Fattal presented a poster titled: “First Do No Harm: Examining Sexual Orientation Change Efforts in Lebanon” at the Gay and Lesbian Medical Association (GLMA) annual conference in New Orleans, Louisiana. The conference was also attended by Johnny Zakhour, this year’s Break the Silence competition winner.

  • 2018

    • LebMASH held its second LGBT Health Week in March 2018.
    • LebMASH published the LGBT Mental Health manual with the endorsement of the Lebanese Ministry of Public Health and trained 200 mental health experts in the capital Beirut and different regions in Lebanon.
    • “Homosexuality Is NOT A Disease”, or HINAD, Campaign was launched in a press conference on November 08th, 2018 in Beirut. In an effort to raise awareness on the dangerous and harmful practice of Sexual Orientation Change Efforts (SOCE), which are scientifically unsupported attempts to change one’s sexual orientation from homosexual to heterosexual, LebMASH launched this campaign. The month included the launching press conference, TV and radio show appearances, media and social media coverage.

  • 2017

  • 2016

    • LebMASH released its first campaign to target public opinion. “Shu l Sabab”video released to dispel common misconceptions around homosexuality.
    • LebMASH teamed up with Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, developed and pilot tested its LGBT Health curriculum.

  • 2015

    • LebMASH launched the Leader in LGBT Healthcare Equality Award. Dr. Brigitte Khoury received the first award in 2015.

  • 2014

    • LebMASH secured a 3-year fund for BTS by launching a successful crowdsourcing campaign via Zoomaal.
    • LebMASH cemented the ban on anal testing in Lebanon.

  • 2013

    • LebMASH launched Break The Silence (BTS) Annual Student Grant.
    • LebMASH, LPA (Lebanese Psychological Association) and LPS (Lebanese Psychiatric Society) released historic position statements stating that homosexuality is not a mental illness and any attempt to change one’s sexual orientation is futile and could be harmful.
    • LebMASH held its first Halloween fundraising event in New York City.

  • 2012

    • LebMASH was founded.