A Healer's Guide: Project 2025 and Our Community 🌈✨

Okay, healers and helpers of the US! Let's Talk About Project 2025 (And Why It Matters)

Policy stuff can be pretty confusing to me but I do care a lot about it so I've been diving into the Project 2025 plan with the help of Media Matters for America's analysis. We know knowledge is power and we will likely need all the power through knowledge we can get for the next years.

So now, I need to share what Project 2025 could mean for our healing and wellness community - especially for LGBTQIA+ and women-owned practices. Grab your tea, because we need to talk about the impacts of Project 2025 and our community's needs.

First Up: What Even Is This?

There's been a lot of buzz about Project 2025 so you may know a lot about it already or you might have just heard the name floating around. Project 2025 is basically a massive playbook for changing how things work in America, from healthcare to business rules and a whole lot more. Think of it like a blueprint for completely redesigning the house while we're all still living in it. (We might even go farther to say, sending most of us to the basement. But, I digress...)

How This Could Affect Our Healing Spaces 🏥

The Practice Stuff:

• They want to change rules about what treatments we can offer

• There might be new restrictions on how we advertise our services

• Insurance coverage could change dramatically (including what holistic treatments are covered)

• They're pushing for more "religious freedom" rules that could let people refuse service to LGBTQIA+ folks

  
  

  

The Money Stuff:

• New tax rules that might hit small practices harder than big medical corporations

• Changes to how insurance companies work with alternative healers

• Different rules about accepting Medicare/Medicaid patients

For Our LGBTQIA+ Community 🌈

This is important. The plan specifically targets gender-affirming care and wants to make it harder to provide these services. They're also looking to roll back some protections that make it illegal to discriminate against LGBTQIA+ folks in healthcare settings.

For Women-Owned Businesses 👩‍⚕️

Honestly? There are several concerning proposals that could affect women business owners:

• Changes to reproductive healthcare coverage

• Rollbacks of certain women's health services

• New rules that could make it harder for small, women-owned practices to compete with bigger companies

What This Means for Our Clients 🤝

If these changes happen, our clients might face:

• Different insurance coverage for wellness services

• New restrictions on what kinds of care they can access

• Potentially higher out-of-pocket costs

• More complicated rules about what treatments they can receive

Practical Steps for Our Community  🌟

(and there are a lot...one step at a time, no need for overwhelming oneself 😬)

1. Document Everything

2. Keep detailed records of all client care practices

3. Save emails about insurance coverage changes

4. Document any instances of discrimination or unusual claim denials

5. Back up all your marketing materials and website content

6. Build Your Support Network Now

7. Connect with LGBTQIA+ and women's business associations in your area

8. Join professional healing collectives that support marginalized communities

9. Consider forming a local healers' mutual aid network

10. Build relationships with LGBTQIA+-friendly lawyers and accountants

11. Protect Your Practice

12. Review your business insurance policies

13. Consider forming an LLC if you haven't already

14. Create clear policies and procedures that protect both you and your clients

15. Keep your business and personal finances strictly separate

16. Strengthen Your Community Bonds

17. Create referral networks with other queer and women healers

18. Share resources and knowledge about navigating healthcare regulations

19. Consider joining forces with other practitioners for shared spaces/resources

20. Build relationships with LGBTQIA+ health advocacy organizations

21. Know Your Rights

22. Familiarize yourself with state and local non-discrimination laws

23. Stay updated on healthcare regulations affecting your practice

24. Know which organizations provide legal support to LGBTQIA+ businesses

25. Understand your rights as a business owner

26. Plan for Adaptability

27. Keep some funds in reserve if possible

28. Have multiple streams of income (workshops, online services, products)

29. Create flexible service models that can adapt to policy changes

30. Consider telehealth options if they fit your practice

31. Take Care of You 💝

32. Connect with other healers who understand your experiences

33. Set boundaries around how much policy news you consume

34. Have your own healing support system in place

35. Remember: your well-being matters too

Essential Community Safety Steps 💜

1. Important Documents & Healthcare

2. Renew your passport BEFORE January 20th (gender markers and name changes may become more difficult)

3. If you're on HRT, work with your provider to build a safety supply if possible (and women, start building your safety supply of medications, too, or consider an IUD)

4. Get copies of all your medical records and keep them in a secure place

5. Consider getting your gender marker and name changes completed on all documents now

6. Make sure your ID documents match across all platforms

7. Build Your Healthcare Safety Net

8. Stock up on essential medications if you can

9. Connect with trans-friendly healthcare providers and keep their direct contact info

10. Find out which pharmacies in your area are LGBTQIA+-friendly

11. Create a list of backup providers in case you need to switch care

12. Join Protective Organizations

13. Get an ACLU membership to stay informed about your rights

14. Join the Freelancers Union for 1099 worker protections and resources

15. Connect with your local LGBTQIA+ business association

16. Find legal aid organizations that specialize in queer rights

17. Strengthen Your Support Systems

18. Update your chosen family contact information

19. Create signal/telegram groups with trusted community members

20. Find the other healers and medical professionals in your community

21. Build mutual aid networks now, before you need them

22. Don't hesitate to reach out to your support system - we need each other

23. Know Your Community Resources

24. Map out LGBTQIA+-friendly spaces in your area (including restrooms. See

25. Connect with underground healthcare networks

26. Find out which religious organizations in your area are truly affirming

27. Know your local safe spaces and emergency contacts

Remember: Community care is healthcare. The stronger our networks are now, the better we can protect each other later. 🌈✨

Questions? Concerns? Want to know more about a specific part? Did I get something wrong here? Holler below. The more we understand, the better we can support each other and our communities. We are in this together.

Also, Media Matters for America has a detailed breakdown of everything in Project 2025. Feel free to check out their 67 page article outlining it.