Following the Rainbow Brick Road: Lessons for Nursing Leadership from a National SGM Nursing Research Summit Amid Policy Disruption

Abstract

Federal policy changes under the Trump administration led to the abrupt termination of hundreds of National Institutes of Health –funded projects, disproportionately affecting research on sexual and gender minority (SGM) health. This manuscript presents a structured reflective synthesis of contemporaneous field notes and facilitated summit discussions from the 2025 SGM National Nursing Summit, a national convening of nursing students, researchers, administrators, and clinicians. We synthesize the concerns, tensions, and priorities that surfaced as participants grappled with the implications of these changes for SGM research, education, and practice. Five interrelated areas emerged: generational differences in how the current moment is understood; experiences of institutional betrayal; uncertainty around whether to persist or redirect SGM-focused work; calls for greater intersectional solidarity; and growing career precarity. We conclude with practical recommendations for supporting researchers, strengthening professional networks, and sustaining SGM nursing scholarship, and offering insights for nursing leaders navigating policy and workforce challenges.​

Keywords: Keywords: sexual and gender minority health, nursing leadership, health workforce, health equity, policy environment