Yes, Say Gay: Small Steps to Improving LGBTQ+ Patient Care

Legislation around LGBTQ+ education in schools made headlines recently after Florida Governor Ron DeSantis passed the "Don't Say Gay" bill, as it's come to be called by many. The legislation bars teachers and school systems from mentioning or instructing students in kindergarten through third grade on issues around sexual orientation and gender identity.

And with dozens of other states soon to follow behind, I believe that LGBTQ+-affirming healthcare is more important than ever. Policies that marginalize LGBTQ+ communities perpetuate and expand health inequities in several ways, from increases in cardiovascular disease risk to increases in depression and anxiety. Denying education in schools is the making of a snowball ready to roll down hill; allowing and supporting further healthcare discrimination could be right around the corner.

A recent study published by the LGBTQ Health and Human Services Network in Connecticut aimed at assessing LGBTQ+ healthcare needs found that 64% of LGBTQ+ patients have concerns about accessing healthcare. Health inequities in LGBTQ+ individuals are well documented and, yet, gender and sexually diverse patients are still falling through the cracks of our healthcare systems. Fear of discriminationinvalidating experiences in doctors' offices, and refusal of care prevent LGBTQ+ patients from accessing life-saving healthcare.