LGBTQ+ Healthcare Professionals Face Hidden Burdens

Medscape

3 days ago

Pride Month is coming to an end, and headlines about the LGBTQ+ community, as well as rainbow flags on balconies, are gradually disappearing. However, some realities remain a part of daily life, including access to healthcare. LGBTQ+ individuals are often portrayed as existing outside the mainstream rather than as an integral part of society.
Many healthcare professionals continue to face unique challenges related to their sexual orientation or gender identity while caring for patients.
Irene Aterido, a sociologist and sexologist, serves as coordinator of the Comprehensive Health Group at the State Federation of Lesbians, Gays, Trans, Bisexuals, Intersex, and more (FELGTBI+) in Spain.
Speaking with El Médico Interactivo , a Medscape Network platform, Aterido explained that LGBTQ+ healthcare professionals experience a wide range of life circumstances and working conditions. Many individuals continue to encounter challenges in their teams.
According to Aterido, LGBTQ+ healthcare professionals are often expected to function as informal educators, helping colleagues understand gender diversity in patient care. These professionals are frequently placed in the spotlight as spokespersons, even when they have not asked for that role.
'Being LGBTQ+ does not mean someone wants to be an activist or is obligated to be one,' Aterido said.
LGBTQ+ Professionals
'Just being present can sometimes drive change. However, it is unacceptable that healthcare teams often expect LGBTQ+ professionals to lead training or raise awareness about sexual and gender diversity simply because of who they are. This should not happen,' Aterido continued.
'Equal and accessible care is a right for all patients, and LGBTQ+ healthcare professionals should not be expected to care exclusively for this community, yet this still occurs.'
To address this, the Spanish Society of General and Family Physicians (SEMG) and FELGTBI+ recently signed a collaborative agreement aimed at improving primary care for LGBTQ+ individuals.
As part of this agreement, FELGTBI+ provides SEMG with technical, educational, and communication materials. These will cover topics such as sexual health, HIV and STI prevention, healthcare rights, and care specific to LGBTQ+ patients. The materials are designed using a community-based, intersectional, and human rights-centred approach.
Challenges in the Workplace
Alberto Cotillas Rodero, president of the Sociedad Madrileña de Medicina Familiar y Comunitaria (SoMaMFyC) and coordinator of its LGBTQ+ Health Working Group, also spoke to El Médico Interactivo about the challenges many LGBTQ+ clinicians face in the workplace.
'Workplace difficulties can arise regardless of identity or sexual orientation, depending on the environment,' Cotillas Rodero said.
Cotillas Rodero explained that medical specialties vary in their openness to diversity. 'Some specialties are more traditionally conservative than others, which can affect how LGBTQ+ professionals are treated.'
In family medicine, SoMaMFyC's LGBTQ+ Health Group focuses on improving training related to LGBTQ+ health needs. 'This not only benefits patients but also raises awareness among non-LGBTQ+ clinicians,' Cotillas Rodero said.
Aterido added that engagement with diversity training varies widely across specialties. 'Many specialties have not addressed these issues at all — not even at a surface level.'
Healthcare and Research
According to Aterido, social stigma continues to affect both LGBTQ+ clinicians and patients. 'There are still mental barriers shaped by societal norms. A heteronormative society might accept the idea of a gay nurse, but few people consider that a psychiatrist could be a lesbian or a urologist could be intersex. There are still psychological barriers and stereotypes about the profession.'
This stigma affects patient care, particularly in specialties with limited awareness of LGBTQ+ needs. Aterido cited examples such as gynaecologists asking lesbian patients about penetrative sex or assumptions made about breast reconstruction after breast cancer.
'Advances often follow a heteronormative model and may not reflect what breasts mean for LGBTQ+ women,' Aterido said. 'Similar gaps exist across many specialties.'
Improving care and training also requires stronger research efforts. However, according to Aterido, this responsibility often falls on LGBTQ+ healthcare professionals.
'Most research on LGBTQ+ health is conducted by professionals within the community or by researchers affiliated with sexual and gender diversity groups. Time and again, LGBTQ+ healthcare professionals are the ones identifying these gaps in medical knowledge,' Aterido said.