Throughout the year, but especially during Pride Month, we uplift the stories and contributions of LGBTQ* individuals whose resilience, advocacy and vision have enriched our communities and shaped a more equitable world.
Pride Month serves as a powerful reminder of the progress made possible by those who dared to live authentically and demand dignity for all. Guided by the theme Championing Inclusive Care, we celebrate the advocates and trailblazers who have transformed healthcare, expanded access and built lasting change for LGBTQ* communities.
Stony Brook Medicine remains committed to addressing healthcare disparities rooted in historical exclusion and systemic inequity that disproportionately affect LGBTQ* individuals. LGBTQ* people working in medicine and research have long been instrumental in advancing patient-centered care, driving innovation and creating a healthcare environment where every person is seen, respected and treated with compassion.
Patient and Provider Voices on LGBTQ* Health
LGBTQ* Pioneers Who Transformed Medicine
Honoring some of the trailblazing LGBTQ* individuals whose resilience, innovation, and dedication have shaped the future of medicine
Dr. Sara Josephine Baker
1873 - 1945
A physician and public health pioneer who saved thousands of children's lives through her work in New York City, establishing school health programs and infant welfare initiatives that became models for public health reform nationwide.
Dr. Alan L. Hart
1890 - 1962
One of the first transgender men to undergo gender-affirming treatment in the United States, Hart was also a pioneering physician who developed tuberculosis X-ray screening programs that saved countless lives.
Dr. Tom Waddell
1937 - 1987
A physician and Olympic athlete who founded the Gay Games and was a vocal advocate for LGBTQ+ health and visibility, continuing his advocacy work even as he lived with HIV/AIDS.
Dr. Evelyn Hooker
1907 - 1996
A psychologist whose landmark research challenged the classification of homosexuality as a mental illness, directly influencing the American Psychiatric Association's 1973 decision to remove it from the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual.
Dr. Perry N. Halkitis
1954 - present
A leading public health researcher and dean whose decades of work on HIV/AIDS, substance use and LGBTQ+ health disparities have shaped policy and care models across the country.
Dr. Rachel Levine
1957 - present
A pediatrician and the first openly transgender person confirmed by the U.S. Senate, serving as Assistant Secretary for Health and advancing LGBTQ+ health equity at the federal level.
2026 Events
June
03
Celebrating Pride Month at Stony Brook Southampton Hospital
Wednesday, June 3
9:30 AM - 10 AM
In front of Stony Brook Southampton Hospital (Rain Location: Parrish Memorial Hall)
We invite all staff to join us outside the front of the hospital to kick off Pride Month with opening remarks from Chief Administrative Officer Emily Mastaler, followed by a Pride flag planting around the hospital grounds in celebration and support of the LGBTQ+ community. Staff are also welcome to stay for a group photo opportunity following the ceremony!
June
06
Hamptons Pride Parade
Saturday, June 6
12 PM
Main Street, East Hampton and Herrick Park
Pride at the Farm
Saturday, June 6
4 PM - 6:30 PM
Suffolk County Farm and Education Center
350 Yaphank Ave, Yaphank
Click here for more information
All are welcome to join us for family-friendly fun with wagon rides, crafts, animal experiences, music and more! Supportive resources will be available at the Stony Brook Medicine and community partner resource tables.
June
13
4th Annual Patchogue Pride Parade
Saturday, June 13
12 PM -5 PM
E Main Street
June
17
4th Celebrating Pride Month at SBM
Wednesday, June 17
11:30 AM - 1:30 PM
The Brook at Stony Brook University Hospital