Closer Look: Conditions and Experiences of LGBTQ Southerners; ‘T’s Angels’ Decorating Hospitals; Tips on Outdoor Decorating

Tuesday on “Closer Look with Rose Scott”:

• 0:00: Rose gives a news brief about how Atlanta-based Delta Air Lines is updating its service and support animal policy. According to the airline carrier, effective Dec. 18, no service or support animal under four months of age will be allowed on any flight. The airline will also ban emotional support animals on flights longer than eight hours.
• 2:09: About a third of LGBTQ individuals in the south reported some form of discrimination when trying to access healthcare services in the past year. And, for that reason, many choose to avoid treatment altogether. That’s just one of the findings from a new survey conducted by the LGBTQ Institute and Georgia State University, which aims to “amplify the voices of LGBTQ Southerners and highlight the issues affecting their lives, in order to create a more safe and welcoming South.” We hear other results, and examine why the research was needed. We’re joined by Ryan Roemerman, executive director of the LGBTQ Institute and Senior Strategist at the National Center for Civil and Human Rights; Dr. Eric R. Wright, chair of the Department of Sociology and professor of Sociology and Public Health at Georgia State University; and Tracee McDaniel, who is on the LGBTQ Institute Advisory Board and is the CEO and founder of the Juxtaposed Center for Transformation, Inc.
• 27:45: It’s beginning to feel a lot like Christmas. People are buying and decorating trees, bows and wreaths are adorning front doors and, of course, homes are starting to light up. But if you got a late start on decorating your house or apartment this year, don’t worry; there’s still time. “Closer Look” producer Emilia Brock stopped in to Shep’s Midtown Ace hardware store to get some tips on outdoor decorating from the store’s General Manager Todd Adair.
• 40:03: “T’s Angels” is a group of volunteers who decorate, gather donations of garland and lights and bring Christmas cheer to Northside Hospital every year. But the group’s mission is about a lot more than decorations. It all started when Matt Smith’s wife, Teresa “T”, was diagnosed with cancer and had to spend Christmas at the hospital. In order to cheer her up, Matt brought T a Christmas tree from the family living room. After 16 years of battling cancer, T passed away in March 2014, but Matt still returned to Northside to decorate the hall where she stayed. Now, what started with one hall has grown into over 30 halls across three Northside hospital campuses as Matt works with “T’s Angels” to honor his wife’s memory. We speak with Matt Smith, founder of “T’s Angels”.

Closer Look is produced by Candace Wheeler, Emilia Brock and Grace Walker.