Members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer community have long experienced prejudice in medical settings. This can range from microaggressions, such as comments that a patient doesn’t “look” queer or trans, to outright discrimination like denial of care. Combined with living in a society where LGBTQ+ people are routinely subjected to discrimination and bigotry, many patients choose not to disclose their sexual or gender identities to medical providers or not to seek care at all.
Even among medical providers who practice some form of cultural competency – an awareness of and respect for differences across cultures – and are accepting of LGBTQ+ patients, unconscious biases can shape how they understand and talk to and about LGBTQ+ patients and issues. No one leaves their cultural baggage at the clinic door.
