Queering Wellness: How Does Healthcare Need To Change?

When ranked against other developed, wealthy nations, America consistently falls to the bottom of the list in healthcare. High costs, long wait times, and insufficient access to care in rural areas are just a few of the issues that plague us – and right now, it’s getting worse. 

This year, the Trump Administration has taken an ax to countless programs, grants, and funding initiatives in the healthcare realm, slashing anything seeking to make wellness a more accessible and diverse industry. By the end of August, the number of terminations had reached over 5,000 grants totaling more than $4.5 billion in federal funding. The people most affected? Women, the LGBTQ+, and racial minorities. 

Research on the health and well-being of these groups is already decades behind the available knowledge on white, cisgender men and women (primarily men), who are seen as the standard for many studies. Science was finally beginning to catch up, only to get cut off at the knees. 

And it’s not just official research – our current culture wars are heavily targeting LGBTQ+ people, particularly those who don’t ascribe to gender norms. Increasing distrust in healthcare systems is leading many queer people to simply forgo their routine care, putting them at a higher risk of disease, chronic pain, or even early death. 

In a nutshell: healthcare isn’t built for queer people.

Healthcare: It’s Not For Everyone 

The statistics are sobering: 61% of LGBTQ+ people report having had a negative experience with a healthcare provider in the last 3 years. Another 60% expect to face insults or discrimination at their doctor’s office. A quarter of transgender people have reported being denied healthcare altogether. 

Ignorance is another factor; doctors who want to help can fall flat if they don’t take the time to educate themselves on queer bodies. Caring for nonbinary and transgender individuals requires extra education that many medical schools don’t cover, leaving it up to the healthcare provider to attempt learning it on their own. 

Even a step as easy as checking in at the doctor can lead to anxiety. Intake forms and health insurance companies often force you to choose between male and female, leaving little room for those outside the binary. Providers make assumptions and judgments, so LGBTQ+ people get left out of conversations about their own health. 

If it doesn’t affect you personally, it may seem like a non-issue; after all, LGBTQ+ people only make up about 9% of the general population. But consider it this way: 9% of America is around 32 million people, equaling roughly the population of Texas. That’s a lot of people for healthcare to fail. 

All of these problems become compounded if the LGBTQ+ person is also Black, Hispanic, or another racial minority. But awareness isn’t enough – how can we queer wellness and make it inclusive for everyone? 

Building a Future Beyond the Binary  

Federal and state governments are restricting LGBTQ+ healthcare more than ever before in American history. To date, 27 states have implemented laws barring youth access to gender affirming care, with some proposing restrictions through age 26. Many states are attempting to prevent health insurance plans from paying for gender affirming care for people of all ages. 

As the American College of Physicians wrote in August: “On Inauguration Day for his second term, President Trump issued an executive order asserting that sex is “not changeable” and ordering federal policy changes including withholding federal funding from all institutions that “promote gender ideology,” restricting access to medical care for transgender prisoners…and not allowing gender marker changes on US passports.” 

But despite these legal challenges, there are still several key ways that healthcare providers can make their practices more inclusive to the LGBTQ+ community. Adopting these can mean saving the life of a queer person, and it starts with compassion. 

Learn the Language 

One of the easiest and most helpful ways to build an inclusive medical practice starts with educating yourself on the language, terms, and labels used by the LGBTQ+ community. It’s a respectful way to show patients that you care. 

Find an LGBTQ+ glossary and study it, as even small differences in identity can affect the care a person needs. Many online resources offer guides teaching healthcare workers how to talk to LGBTQ+ people thoughtfully. 

When in doubt, ask the patient how they identify and how they would like to be addressed. Most importantly, avoid slang terms, personal biases, and judgments. While a patient may refer to themselves as queer or homo, providers should take care to stick to legitimate labels. 

See If You Qualify For Medical Marijuana - Select Your State!

Select Your State

Alabama

Alaska

Arizona

Arkansas

California

Colorado

Connecticut

Delaware

Florida

Georgia

Hawaii

Idaho

Illinois

Indiana

Iowa

Kansas

Kentucky

Louisiana

Maine

Maryland

Massachusetts

Michigan

Minnesota

Mississippi

Missouri

Montana

Nebraska

Nevada

New Hampshire

New Jersey

New Mexico

New York

North Carolina

North Dakota

Ohio

Oklahoma

Oregon

Pennsylvania

Rhode Island

South Carolina

South Dakota

Tennessee

Texas

Utah

Vermont

Virginia

Washington

West Virginia

Wisconsin

Wyoming

Never miss a post

Get updates on cannabis culture, new research, and expert insights

SIGN ME UP

Create Inclusive Spaces 

Building a safe space for LGBTQ+ people can start before they ever enter a waiting room. 

First, consider your website – does it acknowledge the queer community? Does it use inclusive language and photos? This is particularly important for online or telehealth providers, as that’s a patient’s main impression of your offerings. 

Next, look at your physical space, if you have one. Include resources like pamphlets on LGBTQ+ health, queer magazines, or non-discrimination statements welcoming people of all identities. These messages, while subtle, will help set LGBTQ+ people at ease. 

As patients check in, intake forms matter. Instead of simply using male and female checkboxes, ask for sex assigned at birth, current gender, preferred pronouns, sexual identity, and legal name vs. chosen name. 

Finally, provide staff training, if applicable. Educate them on properly using a patient’s preferred terms and making them feel comfortable. Hiring queer staff is an excellent way to support the community directly and make your practice more inclusive. 

Stay Up To Date 

LGBTQ+ healthcare is evolving rapidly as new forms of treatment – whether that’s hormone replacement therapy, updates in gender affirming care, or transitional care needs – continue to be developed and implemented. Attending seminars or reading medical journals that address these treatments can help you stay informed. 

It’s also vital to remember and acknowledge that LGBTQ+ people face different health issues than straight or cisgender people. For example, transgender men will still need pap smears and OB-GYN care, while lesbian women are more likely to suffer from polycystic ovarian syndrome. LGBTQ+ people in general are at much higher risk of co-occurring mental health issues, addiction, STDs, assault, and physical illnesses such as heart disease or diabetes.  

READ: 4 Queer Cannabis Icons That Changed The Industry

Avoid Assumptions 

Preconceived notions and stereotypes about queer people (e.g., that they are mentally ill, sexually promiscuous, choosing to be gay, or a danger to children) are the most harmful beliefs facing the community today. These false biases have led to the anti-LBGTQ+ laws sweeping the nation, and they are actively damaging the health and well-being of millions of queer people. 

As allies and healthcare providers, it’s crucial to unlearn these mistruths to provide LGBTQ+ people with care that is fair, equitable, and kind. Personal beliefs toward any group have no place in a treatment setting, and they can manifest in asking derogatory questions or failing to acknowledge a patient’s unique needs. This may ultimately shatter the patient’s trust in healthcare providers, leading them to neglect their own wellness down the road. 

Fight for Queer Rights 

The government is, undeniably, attacking LGBTQ+ rights, and it’s on all of us to stand up for the community. Whether you’re queer yourself or just an ally, everyone has the ability to demand change. Restricting healthcare for any group will impact the entire field if we don’t stop it. 

Change at the personal level is an excellent way to start, but don’t let that be your stopping point – join movements at the state and federal level. Several groups are working to effect change, including: 

• GLMA: Health Professionals Advancing LGBTQ Equality
• HealthLGBTQ
• Human Rights Campaign
• LGBT Healthlink
• The Association of LGBTQ+ Psychiatrists

Donating, protesting, voting, and organizing at the community level can all help make a difference.  

Final Thoughts

At Veriheal, we believe every gender and sexual identity is real and valid. We’ve worked hard to build a health and wellness space that is inclusive, safe, and welcoming, no matter what sort of care you need, and we want to see these efforts across the entire healthcare industry. 

Queer people have always existed, and they aren’t going anywhere. We owe them so much of our culture – music, art, movies, fashion, and even medical cannabis legalization. Every American, regardless of race, gender, sexuality, or background, deserves the same access to health services. A healthy society will make us a stronger nation, better able to love and show up for one another in times of need. 

Queering wellness isn’t just about inclusion; it’s about reimagining care so everyone, finally, gets to feel seen, safe, and happy.