This newsletter shouldn't exist.

I'm writing this with Ash, my bold orange longhaired kitty, perched regally in the natural cat tree beside my desk. His shy older (by two weeks) brother Freddie is somewhere nearby, probably hiding until he's sure I'm not going to make any sudden movements. They're my constant companions as I do some of the hardest—and most necessary—work of my career.

Hi, I'm BJ Ferguson (he/they), and I'm the journalist behind Well Beings News.

Over the past decade, I've built my career amplifying LGBTQ+ voices through outlets like Esquire, TIME, Yahoo! Canada, and Xtra. I've reported on everything from transgender healthcare policy to affirming tattoo practices, earning grants from organizations like the NIHCM Foundation and the American Society of Journalists and Authors. But all of that work led me to a troubling realization: the stories I was telling were necessary because of massive systemic failures rooted in queer- and transphobia.

Here's the truth: This newsletter shouldn't have to exist.

In a world where health and wellness care truly served everyone, providers wouldn't need specialized post-degree education by and about queer and trans patients. Medical schools would already teach affirming care as standard practice, and wellness services would already be inclusive of our needs. Insurance companies wouldn't deny coverage based on identity. Politicians wouldn't use our healthcare as a political weapon.

But that's not the world we live in.

Instead, I spend my days documenting the ways queer and trans people like me are neglected, harmed, or ignored by institutions that claim to serve us. I read research about healthcare disparities that could be prevented with basic education. I interview providers who feel ostracized by their communities for working to center our needs. I watch as political attacks on our community escalate while healthcare access shrinks.

This work is emotionally exhausting. It's also absolutely critical.

Well Beings News exists because someone needs to bridge the gap between good intentions and informed action. Your subscription—whether free or paid—helps to support original reporting, resource creation, and the kind of deep-dive coverage that moves providers from LGBTQ+ ally to queer trans accomplice.

Right now, I'm working toward a specific goal: raising $3,650 USD by the end of July to attend the EPATH (the European Professional Association for Transgender Health) conference in September. This conference represents the latest in transgender healthcare research and policy—exactly the kind of cutting-edge information that needs to reach providers like you.

But I can't do this alone. I don’t want to, and I shouldn't have to.

If every subscriber to this newsletter contributes $19 (by upgrading to a monthly Professional membership), we’ll hit our goal!

100% of premium subscription upgrades this month will go toward this GoFundMe.

Here's how you can help amplify this work:

Forward this email to a colleague, friend, or organization in the health and wellness space who should be reading Well Beings News. Maybe it's your medical school, your clinic supervisor, your favorite professional association, or that provider friend who's always asking thoughtful questions about inclusive care.

Every new subscriber brings us closer to a world where newsletters like this one aren't necessary—where affirming care is just... care.

The cats and I will be here, doing the work until that world becomes reality.

In solidarity,
BJ

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