Finding the right health care provider can be difficult for anyone, but members of the LGBTQ+ community have historically experienced even more significant challenges getting quality care. Individuals who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer experience marginalization, discrimination, and inadequate care due to their sexual and gender identities.

Even though the Affordable Care Act (ACA) explicitly protects members of this community from discrimination in health care, there is so much work to do to ensure the equitable provision and access to these services. According to a recent Center for American Progress survey, LGBTQ+ people still experience discrimination, harassment, or sub-standard care due.

Stastical examples include:

• 7% of respondents reported that a doctor or medical professional did not recognize their family (including a child or same-sex partner)
  

• 8% of lesbian, gay, or bisexual respondents reported that they were denied care based on their actual or perceived sexual orientation
  

• 12% of transgender respondents said that a doctor or health care professional refused to provide care based on their gender transition
  

• 23% of transgender respondents reported being misgendered by a doctor or health care provider during an office visit
  

• 29% of transgender respondents reported that they experienced unwanted physical contact (rape, sexual assault) from a doctor or health care provider
  
  

In another survey, The LGBT Foundation reported that 1 in 5 lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender people have experienced a delay in receiving health care due to their sexual orientation or gender identity.

In addition to these statistics, significant nationwide policy barriers prevent LGBTQ+ people from accessing adequate health care. For example, according to the Movement Advancement Project, Arkansas and Mississippi have state-wide laws that give insurers the right to refuse to cover gender-affirming health care services. In addition, 26 states have no laws providing LGBTQ+-inclusive insurance protection. As a result, discrimination exists in policy and practice nationwide.

Sesame strongly believes in accessible, high-quality health care for all--regardless of gender, sexual, or ethnic identity. Therefore, in honor of Pride Month in June, we put together a list of tips for finding a health care provider who is an LGBTQ+ ally to help prevent discriminatory and uncomfortable experiences in the doctor’s office.

Friendly Is Not Enough

Members of the LGBTQ+ community experience disproportionate health disparities compared to other communities in the United States. These discrepancies can be seen in the above statistics and other vital indicators. For instance, in 2023, UCLA reported that nearly 20% of high school students had suicidal thoughts. However, 45% of LGBTQ+ students experience these thoughts. In other words, while 1 in 5 teenagers has suicidal thoughts, just under half of all LGBTQ+ teenagers have them. Depression and harmful thoughts are considerably more prevalent among students who identify as LGBTQ+.

Part of the challenge of finding adequate health care as a member of the LGBTQ+ community isn’t just finding a health care provider who is an ally. Your gender and sexual identity mean you have specific health care needs requiring specialized training. Do your research on the health care clinic you are considering visiting, and check to ensure that the health care providers have undergone cultural competency training. You can always call the clinic ahead of time and ask if their health care providers have received specific training to diagnose and treat concerns particular to the LGBTQ+ community. Asking about focused training helps ensure you get informed care that accounts for nuanced individual health issues.

Use Your Network

Word of mouth is an underrated tool for finding health care, especially among marginalized communities. Ask your friends or people in your social group about who they see for health care. This way, you don’t need to rely on Google or Yelp to tell you whether or not the office is an ally.

Use social networks like Facebook, Reddit, or Twitter to ask for recommendations. Even if you don’t have members of the LGBTQ+ community in your social circle, these platforms often have groups or message boards dedicated to questions and requests from local people. These personal recommendations are based on personal experience, which makes them a great place to start. If you have a friend or someone you trust who has had a positive experience with a provider’s health services, you’ll likely have the same.

If you have a relationship with an allied health care provider but need to see a specialist, ask your doctor for a referral. Many LGBTQ+-friendly doctors have a network of similarly-minded providers who offer whatever services you need.

Check out the nearest LGBTQ+ center

You can find an LGBTQ+ center in most major cities via a quick Google search. These communal spaces usually offer various services and resources – including health care referrals. New to the area? LGBTQ+ centers often host meetings and gatherings – which can help you build a network of friends and allies.

Use online resources

It can be hard to determine whether a health care provider is LGBTQ+-friendly. There’s a difference between placing a rainbow sticker in the clinic window and providing compassionate and knowledgeable care. Luckily, there are several online advocacy resources available to help you find primary care and mental health care facilities that have the training to provide comprehensive care, no matter what your gender or sexual identity is.

Some resources include:

• GLMA (Gay and Lesbian Medical Association) - Health Care Provider Database
  

• LGBTQ Center Database
  

• World Professional Association for Transgender Health (WPATH) Provider Directory
  

• Care Dash (look for the rainbow emoji next to the provider name)
  

• Planned Parenthood
  

• The Trevor Project (crisis intervention and suicide prevention hotline)
  
  

I’ve found an LGBTQ+-friendly provider. Now what?

Before your first appointment, we recommend that you spend some time researching the office you want to visit. Visit the provider’s website, and look at online reviews to get a better sense of the services provided by the clinic. If you see reviews from members of the LGBTQ+ community calling out inadequate, inattentive, or harmful treatment, look elsewhere for your health care. Be sure to check out the dates of the reviews, however, as practices or policies may have changed in the office.

Want more information? You can always call the front desk and ask if the providers in the office have undergone training to provide inclusionary care for the LGBTQ+ community. Pay attention to whether or not the receptionist uses gendered pronouns or misgenders you while you talk. This could indicate that the office has not undergone cultural competence training to serve the LGBTQ+ community.

Ask questions

Don’t be afraid to ask questions of the front desk or your health care provider. Some ideas include:

• What training have you done to serve LGBTQ+ people?
  
• Do you regularly work with LGBTQ+ patients?
  
• Do you regularly work with transgender patients?
  
• What are your nondiscrimination policies?
  
• Does your office have gender-neutral restrooms?
  
• Do you have any LGBTQ+ community staff members?
  
  

While these inquiries are not foolproof, they can help you better understand the provider’s office culture and whether they have taken steps to provide a welcoming environment and progressive health care regardless of gender or sexual identity.

Sesame believes that your health and wellness are essential to this decision. Don’t settle for substandard or inadequate care. If you have questions about finding health care, you can chat with licensed health care providers to ask about health issues or request a referral to a progressive care clinic. Help is just a few clicks away.

Citations:

• Mirza, Shabab Ahmed; Rooney, Caitlin. Discrimination Prevents LGBTQ People From Accessing Health Care. Center for American Progress. 2018.
  
• Pride in Practice. LGBT Foundation. 2017.
  
• Health Disparities Affecting the LGBTQ+ Community. Health. 2023.
  
• Health Disparities. CDC. 2023.
  
• Healthcare laws and Policies. Movement Advancement Project. 2023.
  

Sesame content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. If you have a medical concern, it is critical to seek the advice of your physician or another qualified health provider with any questions. If you are facing a medical emergency, call 911 or visit the nearest emergency room immediately.

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