Healthcare For ALL

Trans and nonbinary people face discrimination in many aspects of their lives. They may be denied employment or housing, they may be threatened with or experience violence, and they may receive substandard healthcare - if they feel safe enough to seek healthcare at all. 

In 2015, the National Center for Transgender Equality performed a survey of the various types of discrimination trans and nonbinary people experienced in everyday life. One third of the 27,000+ people who responded reported a negative experience related to their gender with a healthcare provider. Nearly one quarter of respondents avoiding seeking healthcare altogether due to fear of discrimination. 

That’s an incredibly sad snapshot of what trans and nonbinary folks may experience on a daily basis. We, as healthcare providers can (and fucking should) do better. All healthcare providers should be committed to serving patients without regard to things like gender, sexual orientation, race, religion, national origin, age, or ability.

For me, inclusive care means making sure people know I understand that sex is never limited to penis + vagina. It means stating my pronouns online and in real life (she/her, if you haven’t seen my bio). It means working with patients to decide what language we use to talk about their bodies. It means knowing that men can menstruate and have endometriosis. 

I’ve been out and proud for 25 years, and I still don’t always get it right. It’s ok to admit that and be committed to listening, learning, and growing so that we can do better. It’s my promise to all of my patients.  

Providing inclusive care to the LGBTQ+ community is important to me on so many levels. Besides being personally invested in this community, providing good healthcare is just the right thing to do - for ALL healthcare providers. But it probably isn’t shocking that many LGBTQ+ people face both subtle and overt discrimination when it comes to healthcare. 

Maybe the provider uses the incorrect pronouns, sometimes intentionally even when corrected. Maybe the provider stubbornly assumes that married women have husbands, and married men have wives. Maybe the provider doesn’t understand (or care) that words like vagina and penis can trigger dysphoria in some patients. 

Whatever the reason or behavior, we owe it to our patients to do better. 

I promise to do better. I am here, holding space and ready to walk this path together. Call, text, DM, send a carrier pigeon, I don't care. Just reach out if I can help.