You:Flourish: A Pioneer in Queer Healthcare

More than ever, access to queer-friendly healthcare is vital to the safety and well-being of our community. In the dawn of the age of Trumpism, and with fascism on the rise, alarm bells are certainly ringing loud and clear in all of our minds. Not only is gender-affirming care on the line, but it’s becoming increasingly questionable as to whether or not essential healthcare from properly informed providers is going to be available to LGBTQ+ people. In the U.S., there are only around 90,000 healthcare providers that are specifically trained to handle the unique struggles faced by the queer community, which is an estimated population of 23 million. This means that more than 10 percent of the country’s population is being underserved in such a vital sector as healthcare. However, a new and innovative method to combat this discrepancy will soon be made accessible to queer people across the country. 

You:Flourish, described by its CEO Sean Patrick Harrington as a “social marketplace,” is a way for LGBTQ+ individuals to be connected with queer-affirming healthcare providers. Users will be able to make posts, share images, and interact with other members. Cross-posting to social media will also be possible, helping to spread the word of the site’s existence and ensure that You:Flourish, well, flourishes. 

Healthcare providers are likely to be drawn to the incentives offered by integrating You:Flourish into their practice. The platform significantly streamlines administrative tasks such as paperwork and charting, helping to reduce bureaucratic burdens. This efficiency is projected to save providers approximately five hours of work per week—time that could be redirected toward seeing more patients, increasing income, or simply enjoying additional personal time. To utilize You:Flourish, all providers must complete a designated training module, regardless of any prior training in LGBTQ+ affirming care. The platform will operate as a software-as-a-service (SaaS) model for providers, who will pay a subscription fee for access. In contrast, users will be able to access the platform at no cost.

Sensitive client data shared within You:Flourish will be securely encrypted and accessible only through authorized internal access within the platform. Information gained from members will also be utilized to remind providers of potential ongoing issues that may otherwise be overlooked. When billing insurance for services, only a generalized and non-specific description of the care provided will be shared to safeguard clients’ personal information, ensuring an added layer of privacy and protection for clients.

Another compelling aspect of You:Flourish is its potential to positively impact the economic well-being of the queer community. The platform will allow merchants to sell goods and services directly through the site, tapping into a powerful and often overlooked market. With LGBTQ+ individuals making up approximately ten percent of the U.S. population—and holding more than $1.4 trillion in purchasing power, according to Merrill Lynch—this represents a significant economic opportunity. By conducting business through You:Flourish, spending can be redirected away from large corporate monopolies and instead reinvested within the community. Supporting queer-owned businesses helps circulate wealth locally, fostering economic resilience and empowerment in a way that benefits the community as a whole.

Additionally, LGBTQ+ individuals—as well as their friends and family—will have access to supportive resources and well-being content designed to help the community thrive. By addressing key social drivers of health, You:Flourish aims to foster resilience, connection, and long-term wellness across the LGBTQ+ population through a comprehensive approach that has been informed by and co-created by members of the community, behavioral health experts, and public health researchers. You:Flourish will be a safe place for the queer community with which Harrington can interact with one another and find mutual aid. Facial recognition software will be used to vet new users, hold them accountable for their posts, and prevent bots and fake accounts.

You:Flourish is a mobile application and wellness platform designed to support the mental health, well-being, and economic empowerment of the LGBTQ+ community. At its core, You:Flourish seeks to reduce administrative burdens for healthcare providers, simplify the process of linking individuals to affirming care, and create a vibrant, inclusive social marketplace. By offering access to supportive resources, well-being content, and a platform for queer-owned businesses to thrive, You:Flourish promotes both individual and community resilience. Set to launch nationally this summer, the platform will be free to join for users and aims to make a meaningful, positive impact on the lives of LGBTQ+ people by centering their health, identity, and economic participation.

Photo courtesy of Instagram