LGBTQ+ Death Rights Virtual Panel

Join us for a panel discussion on the unique challenges the LGBTQ+ community faces in end-of-life planning and death care.

Our panel of experts will explore critical topics such as gender-affirming funeral care, legal protections for LGBTQ+ individuals, and inclusive hospice and palliative care. They will provide practical advice on preparing advance directives, advocating for one’s rights, and creating affirming end-of-life experiences.

We will also discuss the importance of culturally sensitive care, the role of community organizations, and actionable steps for both individuals and professionals to ensure that everyone can experience a dignified and respectful death.

Attendees will have the opportunity to ask questions and seek resources from our panel of professionals dedicated to ensuring equitable end-of-life care for LGBTQ+ individuals.

REGISTER HERE>>

Panelists:

Kimberly D. Acquaviva, PhD, MSW, CSE, FNAP is the Betty Norman Norris Endowed Professor at the University of Virginia School of Nursing as well as a Provost’s Office Faculty Fellow. Before she was recruited to UVA in August 2019, she spent fifteen years as a faculty member at the George Washington University School of Nursing and the GW School of Medicine and Health Sciences. During her time at GW, she served as both founding faculty and the inaugural Associate Dean for Faculty Affairs in the School of Nursing.   A year and a half after she published LGBTQ-Inclusive Hospice & Palliative Care: A Practical Guide to Transforming Professional Practice in 2017, Kim learned that her wife Kathy had ovarian cancer. Kim and Kathy spent the next six months sharing their experiences via social media and giving people a sense of what it’s like to be living while dying.   Shortly after Kathy died in August 2019, a New Yorker documentary film was made about Kim, Kathy, and their son Greyson. Her new book, The Handbook of LGBTQIA-Inclusive Hospice & Palliative Care, was published by Columbia University Press in October 2023.   Dr. Acquaviva has a Ph.D. in Human Sexuality Education from the University of Pennsylvania Graduate School of Education, an M.S.W. from the University of Pennsylvania School of Social Policy and Practice, and a B.A. in Sociology from the University of Pennsylvania College of Arts and Sciences. She is an AASECT-Certified Sexuality Educator.”

Isabel Knight is the Founder of The Death Designer, a company that provides end of life planning services, including funeral and vigil planning, digital account password management, advance directives, and assistance with reconciling fears of mortality. She takes a human-centered design approach, with a focus on promoting individual autonomy, sustainability, and home deathcare options. Her goal is to create a more humane and equitable end of life experience for all.
She is also the President of the National Home Funeral Alliance and a board member of the Funeral Consumers Alliance of Pennsylvania. She helps doulas and end of life businesses create a more inclusive and accessible experience for their clients through human-centered design workshops and also creates online courses and offers freelance graphic design work. You can find her on Instagram at @thedeathdesigner.

Bill Gately is a licensed grief counselor and former Funeral Director and owner of the Gately McHoul Funeral Home in Provincetown, Massachusetts.

“Funeral Law Lady” Emily de la Cruz is an attorney in Seattle, WA where she focuses her practice on funeral industry law and mortuary litigation.

Moderator:

Corinne Elicona has worked at Mount Auburn for seven years in many different roles including, natural burial volunteer, administration assistant, and crematory operator. She is currently Mount Auburn’s Education & Digital Content Manager, working on creating educational content on Mount Auburn; its history, landscape, and legacy. She is passionate about fostering a positive discourse around death and promoting education around end-of-life choices and equity so that everyone can experience a good death.

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