SPEAKOUT
Healthcare providers that ‘get it’ By Jeff Lubsen
Y HAS YOUR HEALTHCARE PROVIDER EVER ASSUMED YOU WERE STRAIGHT? Have you ever been asked to get an HIV test prior to disclosing your sexual history? Perhaps your psychotherapist couldn’t relate to you after coming out as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or questioning? These are all forms of sexual or gender identity–based microaggressions, subtle negative attitudes and behaviors that make healthcare experiences less inviting for sexual and gender minorities. As a result, many LGBTQ individuals avoid the healthcare system altogether, missing out on important screenings, treatment and support that good healthcare can provide. I grew up in rural Iowa and figured out I was gay at age 14. I had come to respect my healthcare provider and believed that I could turn to him for support while navigating the challenges of growing up gay in a homophobic culture. Unfortunately my expectations were met
with judgment and disdain. I was told being gay meant I would be doomed to a life of misery, disease and loneliness. This was devastating to a young teenager. I remember feeling so isolated and alone, as there were few others in my community who would “get it,” let alone provide an affirming gesture of support during my struggle to fit in. Years later I eventually became a healthcare provider myself. I was optimistic times would change and that providers could be that source of affirming support I had so desperately needed decades ago. Times have indeed improved, yet I am still surprised by the number of stories I hear describing recent
encounters with healthcare providers who are heterosexist at best and homophobic at worst. Many of us in the healthcare industry realize that sexual and gender minorities continue to be overlooked and often systematically erased from the healthcare community. This is why a group of us decided to form an alliance of medical and mental healthcare providers who are LGBT-affirming. The organization is called the Healthcare Guild. We are a Colorado-based non-profit grassroots organization dedicated to improving healthcare services for sexual and gender minorities. Our website, healthcareguild.com, is a clearinghouse of health-related
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resources for LGBTQ individuals and their families. We are currently building a network of providers listed on our website who are dedicated to supporting and advocating for the healthcare needs of sexual and gender minorities. Our service is free of charge and the website is a great way to find a provider who “gets it.” All healthcare providers should be culturally competent and sensitive to the needs of their patients. No one should have to settle for anything less. The Guild would like to hear about your experiences with providers, whether positive or negative. If you also need help finding the right provider for your needs we can help. You can contact us from the healthcareguild.com website or send an email to organizer@ healthcareguild.com.
Jeff Lubsen is the organizer of the Healthcare Guild and is a Denverbased psychotherapist working in private practice at Denver Psychotherapy, LLC.
NOVEMBER 6, 2013
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