by Lea Mollon & Jessica Stahl, M.Ed., M.C.
We all want to be the best health professionals possible and we can probably all agree that our ultimate goal is to provide our patients with the highest quality care possible. Yet, how can we deliver quality patient care if our patients do not show up? Worse yet, what if our patients do show up but we unknowingly provide such a negative experience that it deters them from seeking medical care in the future?
Unfortunately, for many patients, their experience with healthcare providers has been less than ideal. For many lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgendered (LGBT) individuals, a visit to the doctor can be a source of anxiety and humiliation.
Fear of discrimination, prior encounters with homophobia in the healthcare context, and stressors associated with social stigma often limit health-seeking behaviors within the LGBT population10. According to a recent Harris Poll, many lesbians reported that they “delayed obtaining health care because they were concerned they would be discriminated against.”
These concerns are not unwarranted. Studies have shown that lesbians delay obtaining healthcare at more than twice the rate (27% vs. 12%) of heterosexual women because of prior negative experiences with healthcare providers5. Similarly, a study exploring gay men’s experiences with primary care physicians revealed that gay men perceive medicine to be “homophobic, heterosexist, and ignorant of sexuality issues”7.
The consequences of discrimination are not limited only to LGBT patients but also extend to physicians, residents, medical students, and other healthcare professionals. Discrimination against LGBT healthcare professionals may take the form of harassment, loss/lack of referrals, difficulty gaining employment and job loss. Although 21 states and the majority of top medical facilities prohibit employment discrimination based on sexual orientation, health professionals are still vulnerable to discrimination in medical settings that don’t specifically include sexual orientation in their non-discrimination policies8.
Discrimination in the health care setting can take many forms. It can be egregious, as in the case of two lesbian senior citizens who were called “faggots” and thrown out of a medical facility by the clinical director of rehabilitative services in Utica, New York. It can be covert, as in the case of a young woman who visited the doctor complaining of a cough and left with a handful of Bible scriptures that she did not request11. Or, as in many cases, doctors and other healthcare providers may unwittingly create a space that simply is not inclusive of LGBT patients thereby making the experience both uncomfortable and unproductive.
Patients who are concerned about negative reactions to their sexual orientation from their healthcare provider may choose not to disclose their sexual orientation. This puts these patients at risk of inadequate health assessment, insufficient care, and inappropriate health education. It is important for LGBT patients to disclose their sexual orientation because, as emphasized in Healthy People 2010 (Companion Document for LGBT Health), they have unique healthcare needs. However, there are many barriers to obtaining accurate information about LGBT health disparities.
Historically, LGBT issues have been placed outside the mainstream as marginal concerns compared with the general population. Further complicating the situation, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) does not include LGBT people as a “minority” population for the purpose of research regarding health disparities among minority populations. As with all public health research, the quantity and quality of data is constrained by the amount of research funding available.
Without broad studies supported by NIH funding, the current data regarding healthcare disparities experienced by the LGBT community comes from smaller scale studies with a limited number of participants and may be confined to a very specific geographical region. Based on such limited data, it is difficult to truly assess all of the unique healthcare needs of this population. Furthermore, studies estimate that 1 in 20 people are LGBT. Even these statistics are severely limited by one’s definition of ‘gay’ and by participants’ willingness to identify as gay, lesbian, bisexual, or transgendered. Fortunately, the Institute of Medicine has recently called for a detailed review culminating in a formal report assessing “the state of the science on the health status of LGBT populations”, which is a huge step towards expanding the scope of research and current data regarding the health needs of the LGBT community9.
Even with the limited number of studies, current research has already delineated several important health disparities among the LGBT population. According to the Healthy People 2010 Companion for LGBT Health:
- Gay men and lesbian women are at increased risk for certain cancers (lung, cervical, breast, and anal cancer), due to a higher prevalence of smoking, being overweight, and inadequate risk assessment and screening by providers.
- Elders in same-sex relationships are at high risk of economic devastation due to medical expenses as legal protections are not afforded to same-sex couples (e.g. Medicaid spend-down protections).
- LGBT youth are much more likely to be physically victimized in school and to attempt suicide than heterosexual youth. They are up to four times more likely to attempt suicide than heterosexual teens. Those who are rejected by their families for being LGBT are 8.4 times more likely to report having attempted suicide and it is estimated that there are 100-200 suicide attempts for every completed suicide by a young person14.
- Gay and bisexual men account for about 53% of new HIV infections, closely followed by African Americans (both men and women presumed to be heterosexual) who account for 48% of new HIV infections16.
Other research indicates that:
- Lesbians have a greater likelihood of being overweight and obese,2 related to chronic stress, poor diet, and an inactive lifestyle. Public health research has long established the link between low socioeconomic status and obesity, which negatively impacts lesbians as they are the lowest paid demographic group.
- Lesbians and gay men are more vulnerable to depression and anxiety due social stigma, isolation, alienation, and discrimination. Consequently, when compared with the general population, LGBT people are more likely to use alcohol and drugs, have higher rates of substance abuse, are less likely to abstain from use, and are more likely to continue heavy drinking into later life15.
- Young lesbians are less likely to receive PAP smears than heterosexual women3
- Young gay men are more likely to report poor body image, binge eating, and purging behaviors than young heterosexual men4
These are just some of the study results that have increased awareness about LGBT health disparities in recent years. In fact, health practitioners want to know more about LGBT health issues so they can better serve their patients. This is evidenced by the numerous comments from healthcare professionals calling for more inclusion of sexual orientation and gender identity in the report Healthy People 2020.
LGBT patients comprise an appealing patient base for many healthcare professionals because they are extremely loyal to their healthcare providers and tend to make frequent referrals when they find an “LGBT friendly” provider. Also, many healthcare professionals and public health advocates want to support and disseminate research and practice that address LGBT health disparities.
The first step in addressing LGBT health disparities is to examine our own knowledge and feelings about sexual diversity. Becoming comfortable with LGBT health issues is a process and can be challenging considering that a variety of influences have shaped our perceptions throughout our lifetime. Identifying personal and professional barriers to being an LGBT ally is an important part of the process. Some of these barriers can include:
“Are people going to start thinking I am gay?”
“This is much too political for me.”
“How will this influence my relationship with people I work with?”
“I just don’t know enough, and I don’t want to say the wrong thing or give incorrect information…it’s just easier to keep my mouth closed.”
“I don’t want to be the healthcare provider with the reputation for having a gay practice.”
“This just isn’t what I was brought up to accept.”
(Quoted from Straight for Equality in Healthcare, 2010)
Overcoming these barriers may not come easy, but it is important to equip ourselves with the knowledge required to become more comfortable with LGBT issues in order to be a confident and effective provider when working with the LGBT community. After all, given that 1 in 20 people may be LGBT, it is virtually impossible to be a healthcare provider who does NOT work with LGBT patients even if you are not purposefully serving the LGBT community.
It is important to consider the ways in which we may have unintentionally silenced a patient or client. One example of this is using “heteronormative” language. Many lesbian patients have expressed discomfort when heterosexuality was assumed during routine exams because it is much easier to “go along” with the presumed heterosexuality rather than specifically “coming out” to “correct” the physician, which is quite awkward. Using gender neutral language when discussing personal relationships (i.e. “partner” instead of “husband” or “wife”) is just a small step in creating a climate that is sensitive and inclusive to the LGBT population.
It may not always be appropriate to ask a patient, “Are you gay?” as this may make the patient feel intimidated or uncomfortable. Simply ask if your patient “has ever had or may have sex with men, women, or both”. If the patient is offended, simply state that you are only trying to get the appropriate information that will allow you to provide the best care possible. There are also nonverbal cues that you can use to let your patients know that you provide a “safe space” for LGBT health. A popular method is to have current brochures or pamphlets for LGBT organizations that are dedicated to increasing awareness on LGBT health issues in the waiting room. Not only will this make your office or workplace more inclusive, but it will provide you and your patients with additional resources should you need to refer a patient elsewhere regarding a specific issue.
By creating a “safe space”, patients will be more likely to disclose their sexual orientation, which allows you to better assess and address their health needs. Once the lines of communication are open, there are some areas of risk that you may want to specifically discuss with your patients. Some of these include:
- Risk factors for breast/gynecological cancers – Lesbians are more often obese and tend to smoke and drink more than the general population. Many have also not had children. However, it is important to keep in mind that many LGBT people do have children and families – they may also be married in states that legally recognize same gender marriage.
- Prostate, testicular, and colon cancer in men who have sex with men – This is an area where your ability to respectfully but directly ask about sexual activity is important because not all men who have sex with other men actually consider themselves to be “gay”.
- Depression/anxiety – These may result from minority stress, the coming out process, and ongoing discrimination, which are also major risk factors for substance abuse.
- Fitness and nutrition – Since lesbians are at risk for obesity, they need good information about healthy eating and the importance of maintaining an active lifestyle.
- Substance use/abuse and smoking – Discrimination, experiences with homophobia, and other societal pressures put the LGBT community at risk for substance abuse and tobacco addiction
- Sexually transmitted diseases – It is a myth that lesbian sex cannot result in STDs, but your patients may have heard this and, therefore, could benefit from information about safe sex. As the incidence of HIV/AIDS among gay/bisexual men has plummeted since the 1980′s/1990′s (when HIV/AIDS was “a death sentence”) and treatment has made it possible to live well even with the disease, younger gay/bisexual men may not be engaging in safe sex practices and could benefit from education about the realities of HIV/AIDS and other STDs.
- Domestic violence, which can occur in any relationship regardless of sexual orientation.
Providing culturally competent care to LGBT patients will enhance the diversity of your practice while fostering positive changes in the healthcare community. The Gay and Lesbian Medical Student Association (GLMA) [www.glma.org] and the American Medical Student Association (AMSA) [www.amsa.org/gender] are excellent resources for more information about how students in all of the health professions can make a difference!
1. American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU). Bizzari & Hackett v. Sitrin Health Center – Case Profile. New York:ACLU. February 24, 2005. Online: http://www.aclu.org/lgbt-rights/bizzari-hackett-v-sitrin-health-center-case-profile
2. Boehmer, U., Bowen, D.J., Bauer, G.R. (2007). Overweight and Obesity in Sexual-Minority Women: Evidence From Population-Based Data. American Journal of Public Health. 97(6), 1134-1140.
3. Diamant AL, Wold C. Sexual orientation and variation in physical and mental health status among women. J Women’s Health (Larchmt). 2003;12:41–9.
4. French, S.A., Story, M., Remafedi, G., Resnick, M.D., & Blum, R.W. (1994) Sexual Orientation and Prevalence of Body Dissatisfaction and Eating Disordered Behaviors: A Population-Based Study of Adolescents. International Journal of Eating Disorders, 19(2), 119-126.
5. Harris Interactive Poll. “New National Survey Shows Top Causes for Delay by Lesbians in Obtaining Health Care.” Rochester, NY: Harris, March 11, 2005. Online: http://www.mautnerproject.org/
6. Healthy People 2010 Companion Document for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) Health, Gay and Lesbian Medical Association, 2002
7. Hinchliff, S., Gott, M., & Galena, E. (2005) ‘I daresay I might find it embarrassing’: general practitioners perspectives on discussing sexual health issues with lesbian and gay patients. Health and Social Care in the Community, 13(4), 345-353.
8. Human Rights Campaign (2010) http://www.hrc.org/index.htm
9. Institute of Medicine (2010) Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Health Issues and Research Gaps and Opportunities. http://www.iom.edu/Activities/SelectPops/LGBTHealthIssues.aspx
10. Meyer IL, Northridge ME. Eds. The Health of Sexual Minorities: Public Health Perspectives on Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Populations. New York: Springer. 2007.
11. National Center for Lesbian Rights (NCLR). “Lesbian Files Complaint against Doctor for Prescribing Unwanted Anti-Gay ‘Treatment’.” San Francisco: NCLR. Feb 2, 2006. Online http://www.nclrights.org/
12. National Coalition for LGBT Health: Access to Quality Healthcare Fact Sheet http://www.lgbthealth.net/awarenessweek08/factsheets/healthcare.html
13. PFLAG (2009). Straight for Equality in Healthcare www.straightforequality.org.
14. Ryan, C., Huebner, D., Diaz, R.M., Sanchez, J. (2009). Family Rejection as a Predictor of Negative Health Outcomes in White and Latino Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Young Adults, Pediatrics, 123(1), pp. 346-352. doi:10.1542/peds.2007-3524
15. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services, Administration Center for Substance Abuse Treatments
http://kap.samhsa.gov/products/manuals/pdfs/lgbt.pdf
16. World Health Organization (2010) HIV and AIDS http://www.who.int/hiv/en/
Lea Mollon is a pharmacy student who plans to pursue a career in hospital pharmacy. Her professional experience includes working in the inpatient pharmacy at Mayo Clinic. She is a strong advocate for the evolving role of the pharmacist in clinical practice and plans to work with under-served populations.
Jessica Stahl, M.C., M.Ed. is a doctoral student in behavioral health and adjunct professor of psychology. She hopes to help patients make positive lifestyle changes and take an active role in maintaining good health in her future career as a physician. Her research interests include medical decision making, health psychology, and the patient/physician relationship.
I’m glad to see someone on SDN writing an article like this. I’m gay and transsexual. While lesbian and gay patients have it bad, the transgendered patients have it even worse. I’ve suffered some horrible horrible medical experiences which made me really unwilling to seek further care. I had a medical phobia so horrible, I seriously couldn’t have the word hospital spoken around me.
It was only when I was on the verge of death that I started seeking treatment from doctors again. I found some very known trans-friendly doctors who really helped me out by fixing problems caused by all those years of neglect and they helped me get over my phobia to such an extent that I wanted to become a physician myself mostly to help my community (I’ve lost a few trans friends due to neglect by doctors. One had throat cancer and no doctor would even examine her because she was trans.) It’s amazing what simple kindness and understanding could do for someone who was horribly harassed for so long.
I hope all who read your article take at least some of it to heart. There is a lot of discrimination still present in the medical community against patients and health care workers. I am a patient of several doctors in the same hospital I volunteer at, I am not allowed to bring my partner to that hospital lest someone finds out. I have already been told I will lose my volunteer position if someone finds out any part of my past.
Let’s not talk about the harassment I have suffered just being on the SDN forums and being someone willing to talk about being LGBT. Some people should be ashamed of their behaviour. Off SDN and on another site, I am currently watching a pre-med harass two transsexuals (me a NT premed and another friend of mine). To think, this man might be a doctor some day!
Compassion and caring, those are huge parts of being a doctor. And those must be extended to everyone, regardless of whether or not you agree with their lifestyle or what they call themselves or who they decide to spend their life with.
Great article. I was not aware at all about these LGBT issues in healthcare. Thanks SDN!
I wasn’t surprised at all to discover that this was the chosen topic for SDN’s main article. I remember being assigned a large amount of reading material during medical school regarding how to create the best environment for LGBT patients. One suggestion was to have LGBT pamphlets and magazines placed in the lobby and other exam rooms to show openness, tolerance, and acceptance of this specific patient population. I remember being perplexed by this advice and asking myself, “What about obese patients?” I would guess that this subset of patients is much larger than the LGBT group (although I’ve never seen a CDC chart showing LGBT prevalence in each state, so I don’t know for sure). The condition/predisposition/choice/lifestyle/inheritance/etc. of obese individuals unquestionably puts them at greater risk for adverse health outcomes. I imagine they are also frequently discriminated against and experience anxiety and humiliation in health care settings. I also imagine many of them avoid seeking treatment due to the specific characteristic they possess. So why wasn’t I assigned readings related to improving the health care experience and environment for the obese population? Shouldn’t I also include magazines and pamphlets specific to this group in my office for the sake of their health and comfort? What about gang members and pregnant pre-teens and teens (the patient populations that dominate my clinical setting) or individuals covered in tattoos and piercings? How far must the physician go to make one and all feel equally welcomed and accepted? And why are certain subsets singled out so blatantly and endlessly when there are clearly many other groups subject to similar treatment. Shouldn’t the emphasis be placed on teaching health care workers an overall openness, understanding, and tolerance of all people?
@Perplexed: I think the point of the article was to make thousands of pre-health students more aware of LGBT issues in healthcare, issues that I had no idea about even coming from one of the top universities in the nation that promotes an awareness of inequalities in today’s society. The majority of us are aware of discrimination based on race, age, weight, appearance, etc. The LGBT community is relatively new in comparison to these other groups and is just beginning to become more accepted in America. To address a problem, you must diagnose it first.
While this is informative (I didn’t realize healthcare providers actually discriminate against GLBT patients), I feel like this is just mainstream politically correct drivel. Let’s keep the politics out of the damn hospital people. I won’t be looking for lung cancer just because some dude has sex with other dudes. I won’t be looking for depression because some lady likes to be with other ladies…but if someone is showing the signs of depression, then I will be addressing that problem.
I get really tired of hearing all of the PC BS about being inclusive to every little minority group. Why can’t we all just treat each other nicely because it’s the right thing to do, not because we are deathly afraid of offending some minority faction of society? With everything you do, some person will be offended in some way, GET OVER IT.
When you’re patient comes to you with depression, etc., you’ll (hopefully) be looking to identify the causes so that you can either treat the person yourself, or refer the patient to someone with more experience (say, someone who deals with LGBT patients). Simply identifying the symptoms of disease is only half the battle, knowing the epidemiology can lead to more efficient care for these patients, which is what this article is advocating.
Thank you so much for addressing this. I’m a bisexual (currently with a woman) pre-med who intends to focus on sexual minority health.
I’d add two other sexual minority groups to LGBT: kinky (i.e., people who practice BDSM) and polyamorous. Not all non-monogamy is promiscuous. Furthermore, I’ve seen statistics saying 1 in 4 practice some form of sadomasochism – and it _does_ have the ability to affect health. We should be aware of our patient’s practices (_all_ of them) and be able to provide them with adequate care without condemnation.
In addition to the excellent resources linked here, I recommend all pre-meds read _Health Care Without Shame: A Handbook for the Sexually Diverse and Their Caregivers_ by Dr. Charles Moser, a sexologist and internal medicine doctor in San Francisco.
Happy studying!
Just my own personal example of how this is important: I was at the urgent care for lower back pain that felt like a kidney & bladder infection.
I’m a pretty shy person to begin with. The doctor asks if I’m sexually active and I wasn’t sure how to answer. I’d never had intercourse, but I had had a pretty serious relationship with another woman. I figured he was going to try to rule out pregnancy and STDS.
I started to say, “well, sort of, it depends” and the doctor cut me off and snapped “it’s a yes or no question” (before I could finish with “on what you mean by sexually active”). I was going to explain the situation before he cut me off so I could give him the right information and possibly spare myself a pointless pregnancy test, but I wound up just stuttering, “I’ve never had intercourse, only oral so there’s no chance I’m pregant, but i suppose it’s possible i could’ve caught something from my partner” The rest of the exam was tense and uncomfortable, like he assumed I was just another one of those young girls lying that I’d never had sex. He’d been pretty nice and low key prior to that.
Contrast this to a later doctor for the same type of problem who asks me if there’s any chance I might be pregnant. I said no. He said, “is that because you’re on birth control, not sexually active, or some other reason?” I felt comfortable giving him the explanation, despite the fact he looked like he was about 70 and I figured was probably quite conservative.
That really taught me what a difference wording can make.
To Perplexed: You are of course free to decorate your waiting room however you want. The color scheme, furniture, pamphlets, and magazines are up to you. By referring to gay people and the obese as a “condition/predisposition/choice/lifestyle/inheritance/etc” you demonstrated that no amount of pro LGBT literature in your office would ameliorate your heterosexist attitudes. The difference between obese persons and the LGBT community is that gays are second class citizens subject to malicious dejure discrimination by the state. By all means be offended by having to read medical literature on treating minority populations with special health needs, by all means don’t strive to make all you patients feel welcomed, by all means make no attempt to appreciate diversity, but under no circumstances think yourself qualified to treat myself or my family or my friends.
This was a really well written and well researched article. Thanks!
This was a very interesting and informative article! While I personally do not agree with gay marriage (but I do believe in giving homosexuals the same hospital rights as heterosexuals), I do respect and treat all my patients with empathy and compassion they deserve. I believe everyone is entitled to their opinion but as professionals, we must push our political and personal opinions to the side and give our patients the BEST healthcare we can give them. I volunteer at a local hospital & I’ve treated lesbians, porn directors, adopted children, etc. I’m glad to have served them all. I’m a conservative Christian but I don’t shun anyone from the best healthcare he/she could receive. Hopefully everyone respects that. I am now going to apply more neutral medical wording so I can better serve my patients! I will also ask my patients what I did right & what I can do to improve on my service so that I can become the BEST doctor I can be. So thanks SDN for the article!
With that said, another way we can become more culturally sensitive doctors is to use (RAL) respectful adoptive language. Don’t ask “How much did your Asian child cost?” or “Do you wish to have your own children?”. Be polite & be respectful. Treat others the way you want to be treated. It’s more considerate to ask “What is the process for adopting X, Y & Z?” & “What brings your child here?”
For more info, please read this: http://www.perspectivespress.com/pjpal.html
I very much appreciate this article. I remember going to the doctor with a terrible throat/neck pain in college. When I answered her questions about sexual activity honestly (monogamous with my same-sex partner), she, in a botched attempt at sensitivity, took the opportunity to “reassure” me that my problem was unlikely to be AIDS. I never felt comfortable again at that clinic.
There’s more to sensitivity than just “being nice”, and sensitivity is not about being “PC”. It’s about learning important information that will allow a clinician to relate to and avoid alienating his/her patients. This doctor was attempting to be nice, but since she had little experience with addressing GLBTQ needs, she instead ended up insulting and alienating me.
Great article pointing out the barriers to communication!
However, @sunset: I could pay for school if I had a nickle for every time someone said there’s no way they could be pregnant/have an STD, and then they have tests that come back positive. You should have been treated better, but I would have given you a pregnancy test too.
This is much bigger than just a question of whether or not society should be more tolerant of the homosexual lifestyle. Over past years we have seen unrelenting pressure from advocates of that lifestyle to accept as normal what is not normal, and to characterize those who disagree as narrow-minded, bigoted and unreasonable. Such advocates are quick to demand freedom of speech and thought for themselves, but equally quick to criticize those with a different view and, if possible, to silence them by applying labels like “homophobic.” Tolerance obviously requires a non-contentious manner of relating toward one another’s differences. But tolerance does not require abandoning one’s standards or one’s opinions on political or public policy choices. Tolerance is a way of reacting to diversity, not a command to insulate it from examination.
@Oak Tree: If you are a Doctor of anything I would remind you that homosexuality was for very good reasons removed from the DSM decades ago. Being gay is not a disease of the body or mind. It is in every since of the word normal. Can you not understand how it is demeaning to your LGBT patients to pathologize their lives and dignity as human beings? The phrase homosexual lifestyle is absurd. There is no heterosexual lifestyle just as there is no left handed lifestyle or blue eyed lifestyle, black skinned lifestyle, or Semitic lifestyle. My life is probably fundamentally no different than yours. Please do tolerate from the bottom of your heart all of your patients to the best of your ability, but also consider your own motivations and feelings which cause you to put “homophobia” in air quotes. Homophobia is real and has palpable consequences. Phrases such as narrow minded, bigoted, and unreasonable are appropriately applied when objectively one has an irrational fear, distain, or worse for certain marginalized minorities. If you cannot realize the ideals of acceptance or unconditional love then at least strive for a modicum of cultural awareness. By all means continue to use the phrase homosexual lifestyle, it is of course your right as we live in a free country (except if your gay), but know that it deeply offends and upsets your LGBT patients and colleagues.
wow such ignorance on here. I guess thats why top med schools are looking to address LGBT health issues now, even though they are still far behind. oaktree, i dont think you understand the role of a physician. the physician isnt there to judge – positively or negatively – about someone’s sexual orienation or gender identity. they just need to know these health disparities exist in order to provide the most optimal treatment. so your statements have no place here in criticizing this article. and, i think your lifestyle choice to be an asshole is a crappy one
Thank you for writing this article. It is very encouraging to see that LGBT awareness is increasing through out our society. Had I been born twenty years earlier, I do not think I would have been able to disclose my relationship with another woman to my doctor.
To those who do not understand our “lifestyle” (or lack thereof seeing as we are no different): you will never completely understand until you are in our shoes. Literature and studies will provide you with the closest understanding, so keep on reading!
The article makes no less than 40 references to LGBT and yet none of it has any content as to Transgender people.
It appears the T was simply tagged onto LGB as a matter of mere form without substance. It would have been better to write LGB rather than LGBT since that is what the article addresses.
In the end, all that LGB and T people really share in common is that all oppressors of LGB are also oppressors of T. However the converse is not the case, Transfolk are still being psychopathologised by the medical profession despite a strong urging from the Profesional Association for de-psychopathologisation.
See http://www.wpath.org/ under the heading “May 26, 2010″
@HenryHall: Indeed the lack of references to transgendered persons in the article was glaring. Thanks for the link. I really liked the resource guides. Could you please expand on how all oppressors of T are not necessarily oppressors of LGB? I don’t know if this is the correct forum, but it seems as good as any. I think it is fair to say that the same sociopaths who enjoy banning gay marriage also write malicious bathroom bills among other things. Sadly many don’t even bother to differentiate between us at all. However I thought that visceral anxiety, loathing, or recoil came from the same place – an irrational fear of those who transgress gendernormative behavior.
Actually as someone who is trans and gay, I will tell you that while I get almost NO grief from being gay, I get a lot of crap about being trans when people know.
The volunteer coordinator at my hospital has no problems with gay people being out and about and she treats them very well. She treated me fine… until she found out I was trans. Then I was told I was going to be a danger to patients and she has made my life a living hell.
My child suffered a lot of discrimination in school because of my transition. The students of openly gay parents were treated fine. Mine was the one who was getting attacked and was told she didn’t deserve an education.
There are two ways that people who hate T don’t always hate LGB.
It’s not that the article should have addressed the issues of T. The article is what it is, if it wants to be silent as to issues of the treatment of transgender people then those issues perhaps belong in a different article.
What is wrong is that it cites LGBT in 40 places where it should say LGB. As it stands, the inference is that T issues are no different from LGB – but they are very different.
And as familyaerospace points out in at least two ways:
1. Homosexuality has been de-psychopathologized, transgenderism has not (despite all the calls for this to happen by most legitimate practitioners in the field).
2. Transgenderism carries the stigma of mental illness, homosexuality does not. Even the outdated “Standard of Care for Gender Dysphoria” paper describes transsexualism as a SEVERE or PROFOUND Identity Disorder (their words, not mine), not merely an ordinary Identity Disorder. http://www.wpath.org/documents2/socv6.pdf
Page 18. second to last paragraph.
I agree with you Oaktree! We as doctors are here to treat, not judge the patient. We are here to provide them the BEST medical care w/o letting our personla opinions get in the way. But yes we don’t have to agree with everything everyone wants in order to be labeled “tolerant.” No one can have everything his/her way. The world doesn’t work that way. Plus we all should be grateful for all the privileges that we have. Appreciation goes a long way. =]
Dr Fabulous: homosexuality was removed from the DSM due to political pressure, NOT from proven scientific facts. Whether homosexuality is a disease or not I cannot say. All I’m trying to say is we need consistent, proven, valid, & reliable scientific research with minimum bias to better understand where to categorize homosexuality (if it’s healthy, a disease, a genetic variety, etc). Right now there isn’t any research that both political sides can agree with. So for any party to say it’s healthy or not wouldn’t be 100% correct. Either way, we all need to use gender neutral vocabulary with our patients and better understand all our LGBT patients.
& OakTree isn’t trying to be rude or offensive. At least, he/she isn’t coming off that way to me. You can’t take everything personal either. We all have accidentally said things we don’t mean or in the wrong manner, but I’m sure not everyone has the intent to be rude. But you can’t be so sensitive to everything. Not everyone is going to cater to one particular person’s desires.
Remember that words can be interpreted in different ways, especially online. Communication is over 90% body language and less than 10% actual spoken words. =]
@ familyaerospace: Thanks for sharing your perspective so that I can better see things from your point of view.
@Future ER DOC: I wish the best in your medical education journey. However please consider that the best medical care cannot be delivered when the doctor has a bias towards his patient. Both unconscious and deliberate prejudice have the same result in which the doctor patient relationship becomes untenable. You will find in your professional practice that if you only tolerate your patients they will not come back to you, they will not refer other patients to you, and your colleagues will not recommend your services. LGBT people don’t want your tolerance; they desire acceptance and equal treatment in every facet of our lives. They expect their dignity as human beings to be respected just as the same courtesy is extended to you by virtue of your heterosexuality. Your right about “No one can have everything his/her way.” It has been my observation that life isn’t fair, justice is far from guaranteed, and that those who lack a selective capacity for empathy can rationalize any behavior by claiming that God wills it. I am of course grateful for what freedoms I have, but some by virtue of certain arbitrary standards have more to be grateful for. I will always appreciate what rights I have, but LGBT people will continue to charge at windmills until society ceases to marginalize them.
I tell you as one who knows a thing or two about psychiatry and human behavior – homosexuality is not a mental disorder and who are you to suggest otherwise. Every legitimate professional society and human behavior researcher would agree with my sentiments. LGBT people represent a natural variant of human expression. Nature is more complicated than your young mind can seem appreciate for now. OakTree uses the phrase homosexual lifestyle to intentionally suggest that gay people choose to be gay or that we life our lives so differently that we are outside the realm of polite society. If he can convince himself that gay people are not normal, then that enables him to justify his political oppression of the LGBT community. If he can convince himself that we are diseased, godless, perverts then than enables him to justify his lack of empathy for certain human beings.
@Dr. Fabulous: that’s why we need strong research to really tell us the truth. We can’t just say one is diseased, ok, healthy, etc w/o scientific evidence. I’m not saying homosexuals are automatically one way or another, because I really don’t know. Unbiased research would help us better understand and treat our LGBT patients. I look forward to those results with an open mind. That said, both sides should also keep an open mind too. =]
Maybe some gays are really born gay, maybe some choose. Maybe it’s pure environmental, maybe it’s a certain chemical from the environment or hormones during pregnancy. We all have our beliefs and opinions about this critical issue. No one can say for sure whether it’s environment or genetics or a combination of both. . Time will tell. Let’s all keep an open mind and be ready to admit and accept the scientific truth.
I do understand that LGBT want to be accepted, just like any other human being since we are social creatures. But understand that not everyone (I’m not talking about myself here) wants/will accept LGBT. Everyone is diverse and unique and no one can be forced to mentally accept LGBT, religion, politics, careers, spouses, etc. If people want to be stubborn, then they will be stubborn. That’s how people are. We are all unique.
LGBT aren’t the only ones wishing for acceptance either. What about adopted/foster kids? When are people going to stop being ignorant and rude to these children and treat them with respect? Gays aren’t the only ones fighting for equality Dr. Fabulous. Just keep that in mind.
True equality cannot exist, in my opinion (and I’m saying this in the most neutral way that I can, not trying to hurt anyone). There’s discrimination everywhere. Some medical schools have GPA & MCAT cutoffs, that’s discrimination. To apply for most jobs/careers, there’s age requirements and some basic degrees needed. That, too is discrimination. When a young guy needs car insurance, he’s discriminated against since guys have to pay higher insurance (at least in south FL) than girls.
Obviously other forms of discrimination are wrong and hateful, like racial, nationality, and gender discrimination. But in many cases, certain forms of discrimination are healthy and even necessary for society to be productive.
Just something to think about. =]
@ Dr. Fabulous: My uncle is a psychiatrist and I’ll ask him how LGBT patients are treated/thought of in his country. Keep in mind he works in Santiago, Chile which is a pretty religious place vs. the USA. That said, there may be some bias against LGBT, but who knows until I ask. I’ll be back with the results. =]
gay lifestyle… I did not know anyone even used that phrase anymore. Anyhow Oak Tree how can you complain about being labeled “Homophobic” when those concurrent with your own beliefs are just as likely to label someone “Fag” in an effort to produce the same effect. Its not that I dont see where you are coming from however let acknowledge the fallacy’s committed by both sides shall we.
@Future ER DOC: I appreciate your inquisitiveness – it is a good trait for someone who wants to practice medicine and you will go far with hard work and open mindedness. Also true equality may indeed be an impossible dream, but that does not mean we should not strive for the world as it should be. Very importantly discrimination against LGBT persons has no rational basis – it is fundamentally different than an MCAT cut off score. I feel obliged to point out factual errors in your statements. You say “that’s why we need strong research to really tell us the truth.” Well the truth was established decades ago. If the collective wisdom of every professional medical society is not enough, if the entire peer reviewed humanistic and scientific literature is not enough, then really I do not know what is. Your view of romantic relationships is a social construction that has no objective reality. Just ask yourself the following questions concerning the “scientific truth” about heterosexuality. Did you choose to be a heterosexual? Do you choose to be physically and romantically attracted to the opposite sex? What do you think caused your heterosexuality? When and where did you decide you were a heterosexual? It possible this is just a phase and you will out grow it? Is it possible that your sexual orientation has stemmed from a neurotic fear of others of the same sex? Do your parents know you are straight? Do your friends know- how did they react? If you have never slept with a person of the same sex, is it just possible that all you need is a good gay lover? Why do you insist on flaunting your heterosexuality… can’t you just be who you are and keep it quiet? Why do heterosexuals place so much emphasis on sex? Why do heterosexuals try to recruit others into this lifestyle? A disproportionate majority of child molesters are heterosexual… Do you consider it safe to expose children to heterosexual teachers? Just what do men and women do in bed together? How can they truly know how to please each other, being so anatomically different? With all the societal support marriage receives, the divorce rate is spiraling. Why are there so few stable relationships among heterosexuals? How can you become a whole person if you limit yourself to compulsive, exclusive heterosexuality? Considering the menace of overpopulation how could the human race survive if everyone were heterosexual? Could you trust a heterosexual therapist to be objective? Don’t you feel that he or she might be inclined to influence you in the direction of his or her leanings? There seem to very few happy heterosexuals. Techniques have been developed that might enable you to change if you really want to. Have you considered trying aversion therapy?
@Dr. Fabulous: Your questions do raise very important and valid questions about psychological science. Unfortunately, I’m not a psychologist so I can’t answer many of them. My uncle hasn’t come home yet either…
Some of the research, especially by Alfred Kinsley, has major bias, errors, etc that I personally couldn’t accept as factual. Maybe you can post links that provide more accurate and valid findings. =]
Did I choose to be heterosexual… I really don’t know… I don’t even know how to answer that….I guess I could try to change but I really don’t want to since I am in a serious relationship. =]
@Future ER DOC: You were not suppose to be able to answer the question set, which consists of questions that gay people might encounter from time to time. The point of the question set is to demonstrate how ridiculous it is to suggest that one’s sexual orientation should be pathologized – that heterosexuality is any more normal than homosexuality. Human behaviors are very complex and we understand very little of why people are the way they are. However just because we can’t explain it doesn’t mean it is disordered in any way or indicative of disease. One more analogy if I may. Dermatologists have determined exactly why people have red hair over blond hair, but they do not presume to call red heads unhealthy or diseased. They make no attempt to cure red heads, to discriminate against them, or harm their families. If we can’t even understand why some people like Prada over Versace, then why would we know what makes someone gay versus straight or transgendered for that matter. Besides if psychiatry were completely a biological science then it would be extremely boring. People have different temperaments, personalities, and preferences but we do not arbitrarily start putting random characteristics into the DSM. If one can make a mental illness or disorder out of any arbitrary characteristic then everyone could be declared insane and what kind of world would that be? Until next time.
I never knew LG B(who I consider L and G) and especially T people have it bad even when seeking medical care. While I personally do not agree nor endorse any of the above lifestyles, I don’t think that should influence care of these people whatsoever.
Any person should be treated as a person and sexuality should have nothing to do with healthcare unless appropriate to treatment. Everyone has faults, but health care is no place to try and change anyone, or to ignore human suffering of those just because you don’t agree with their lifestyles. Ethically, even gang members and criminals should be treated as people when they’re seen by the health care system, because regardless we are all treating the human form and should respect it in any way it comes, and it is not within the right of health care professionals to judge these people- if you want to be a judge, then become a lawyer or run for office. Even then, the ultimate judge is a much much higher power.
As a person who belongs to a group of people has gone through a lot of suffering, it’s stories like these that reinforce my commitment to put my politics and personal beliefs aside and accept these people in a health care setting because as MLK once said, injustice anywhere is injustice everywhere. Perhaps injustice in healthcare is one of the ultimate injustices.
There is nothing wrong or bad about discrimination against bad behavior, which is what homosexuality is. It’s not a race, creed, ethnicity, gender, etc. It’s not how someone is born. It’s an abnormal, biologically incorrect behavior of choice practiced by less than 3% of the population. It carries greater health risks than normal heterosexual behavior. Homophobia or “homosexist” are not real words, but are instead pejoratives used against people with ethics and values. A good health practitioner would advise someone engaging in such dangerous behavior to stop, just like they are advised to stop other dangerous behaviors like smoking, drinking, etc.
First: Dr. Fabulous, you are appropriately named.
It’s pretty sad how some of the comments here reinforce the clear need for articles like this.
“Biologically incorrect behavior”
“Whether homosexuality is a disease or not I cannot say.”
“I personally do not agree nor endorse any of the above lifestyles”
“I feel like this is just mainstream politically correct drivel.”
Are you people freaking serious?? Did I wander into a time warp back to the 1950s?? To everyone who said these things, YOU are the reason for the high rates of suicide! YOU are the reason for the LGBT communities’ distrust! YOU are CAUSING the stress, the substance abuse, and the psych problems!
These ideas are directly causing harm to your patients, and there is no excuse nor justification for that. The APA and AMA have addressed this repeatedly for decades now: no sexual orientation is wrong or inherently harmful. Being transgendered is not harmful. Fear and hatred are the only pathological beliefs here.
“A good health practitioner would advise someone engaging in such dangerous behavior to stop, just like they are advised to stop other dangerous behaviors like smoking, drinking, etc.”
Well if thats the case then I advise all heterosexuals to stop having sex because our orphanages are just filling up to fast, this is very dangerous behavior as the state cannot possibly be expected to support all of the children produced and abandoned by heterosexuals. Now to address this the state has introduced two methods: Birth control and abortion. The issue with birth control is that we can not force heterosexuals to use it and abortion would not be necessary if we just treat the root of the problem. Heterosexuality. And if one considers all the physiological scaring that these abandoned children endure the cost to their health is just to great. heterosexuality is both financially, socially, and environmentally(overpopulation) irresponsible.
so as a good health practitioner who is looking out for the future health of humanity I suggest that all heterosexuals stop having sex
for at lest the next decade or more until we can curb this dangerous trend.
now you see how misguided your argument is. Anyone responsibly smart can twist something bad into something good if they try hard enough and vise versa. It just depends on the effect they trying to achieve. In the case with heterosexuality and homosexuality both can be shown to be bad for society and our health and both can be shown to be good. Again is just depends on which side you are for or against.
@IceScrewball: I have to object to pregnancy testing someone who is in a same-sex relationship. For example: I’ve been in a monogamous relationship with a woman for 5 years now. I haven’t even seen a penis for all that time, much less touched one. There is absolutely no way I am pregnant. Therefore, a pregnancy test is a waste of money and resources for me.
I absolutely agree that GLB is separate from T, in both the way it’s treated and the basic issues.
I have a lesbian transitioning MtF (male-to-female) friend who has gotten nothing but grief from the medical system. She’s tried numerous doctors in her area – if they actually do treat her, they treat her poorly (e.g., giving her a “standard” hormone dose without checking her bloodwork or asking her how she feels on the dose. It later turned out the dose was WAY too low for her to be effective). She finally had to start seeing a Planned Parenthood doctor an hour away to get any decent treatment. And she lives in the SF Bay Area! (she has to go down to Santa Cruz for her appointments).
In contrast, I’m a cis-gendered bisexual female…and I’ve had no problems with health care.
Transfolk have it hard because the medical world is a “gatekeeper” to their care. That same world, however, often fails to understand them. Transsexual individuals have an entirely different set of medical problems from GLB folk: e.g., the hormones, the surgeries. But there are most subtle questions. For example, should a transwoman with an intact prostrate gland still get examinations? What are her risks for breast cancer? Should she get breast self-examinations? Is it beneficial for her to stay on progesterone after surgery? and so on… It’s just not well documented. Which is really, really sad.
But basically, please don’t lump T in with GLB unless what you’re talking about actually applies to all of us. Hint: it often doesn’t.
I think the “T” apart from the LGB is very important here, especially in current times. Someday, maybe, there won’t be that stigma, but our society is just starting to get a clue that orientation is not a choice–so how long until we get to that point with gender identity? It’s so hard to look at people who experience life different from you in what you would consider basic ways–and think that their experience is just as right as yours. But face it, those “basic ways”, orientation and gender identity, are so societal that they are not what is “natural”. That’s what people have told us, they have become second nature but we have been tricked into thinking they are in fact natural.
I am a flaming heterosexual… And I will fly a gay pride flag above my office if that’s what it takes to show I want to care for those in the LGB&T community. Every patient in my eyes is beautiful–the only thing that’s not beautiful about the LGBT community (and every other, but them especially) is how they have been treated by others. Psychological abuse, physical abuse, sexual abuse. To those who disagree with their lifestyle, I beg them to look at the people (those good, heterosexual people) who beat, ridicule, shun, and rape those in the LBGT community. THAT is wrong, THAT is a crime against humanity–not feeling like your gender is different than your genitals or attraction to someone the same sex as you. The world has been cruel to them, but I hope I can be at least one safe haven.
Skip this article. The topic of LGBT can be reduced to maybe two sentences: As a healthcare professional, we need to be accepting of other people’s differences without our opinions showing through. If there is anything medically relevant to an LGBT patient, well that’s why we take a patient history.
End of story. No need to go on and on about one subset of our society, especially such a controversial one. Just another case of political correctness gone awry.
There is one fairly hard datapoint despite the cries that there are none. It is this:-
In the course of a transsexual transition (between female and male) roughly 50% switch romantic and sexual orientation and 50% do not. It really does not matter whether you regard “switch” as meaning gynaephilic/androphilic or as meaning homosexual/heterosexual. Whichever way you slice it half switch and half do not.
The inescapable conclusion is that sexual orientation is (1) malleable/”goes with the flow” in many people but is (2) fixed/innate in roughly equally as many others.
And yet despite all the clear evidence – the vast majority of people strongly hold the view that everyone is the same as to malleability versus innateness. No-one wants to admit that we are not all the same in this regards because it suits no-one’s political agenda to admit that.
@ Rose:
You have to realize Rose as a physician that the purpose of the pregency test is part of the process of eliminating possible reasons for the manifest symptoms. How many diabetic patients say that they have not had a drop of sugar in months, however their A1c comes back saying otherwise. Build a positve relationship with your patients but trust in the lab reports which speak more truth then most patients. Now, what if a patient is not truthful and is administered meds which harms the unborn?
As far as this article is concerned, its indicates over and over again the psychological bondage of the lifestyle. Thats not my problem. I am devoted to HEALTHY living and preventive medicine. This text is nothing more then a polictical landfil of fantasy.
Let us treat our patients and let the psychiatrist treat theirs…
@Future ER DOC
I find your need for “valid research” regarding the “legitimacy” of homosexuality repugnant. Whether or not it is a “disease” or “genetic variation” means nothing at the present time: There are gay people out there, learn how to accept people for who they are.
You people use the word tolerance like it’s something to aspire to, when, in fact, it’s barely scratching the surface. Acceptance and genuine respect and empathy will get your farther in life than flaunting some superficial facade of “acceptance” while secretly damning a patient for something to trivial as sexual orientation.
The fact that people like you and OakTree are to become physicians will haunt me until my death. And the fact that people with such extensive education and worldliness could even display such bias and prejudice will continue to haunt me well after I’m dead.
This article is politics at its worst possible form. Since the post above mine likes to “name call” I would like to tell anyone pushing this sort of garbage that they are nothing more then fools.
My patients are not Jew or gentile they are patients. People do not come to my office becasue they are Black or Protestant, they come becasue they have an illness for me to help treat. I guess this article implies that homosexuals want their doctors to reassure them that their lifesytle is okay. Give me a break people. If you chose to abuse your body don’t come to my office looking for a hug. I will offer you treatment but a fair and respectable doctor would always recommend a person to stop doing whatever it is that harms themselves. Whether drugs, alcohol or even…the damaging of ones body parts. You will never convince a well trained doctor that your activities are normal becasue we are trained in knowing the purpose of each and every body part.
I agree with Dr, High IQ that the homosexual lifesytle is a mental condition which needs to be put back on the books as such.
At the risk of appearing to have nothing better to do than troll the internet looking for a fight in internet chat rooms, I would like to speak on behalf of all the average IQ MDs out there. The commentators who refer to themselves as HighIQMD and DrSchwechitz are not within the mainstream medical community which recognizes that LGBT people represent a natural variant of nature and human expression. That HighIQMD says “trust in the lab reports which speak more truth then most patients” tells you everything you need to know about his bedside manner and concern for patients. Both of these so called doctors erroneously believe that being gay is somehow unhealthy, that by acting on your gayness one is somehow damaging his body. This is outrageous poppycock that is not supported in the scientific literature and which has no basis in evidence based medicine. HighIQMD and DrSchwechitz are of course upset that militant, uppity, godless homosexuals would dare to presume that they should be treated with dignity and respect when it comes to their healthcare. How dare they indeed!
HighIQMD refers to the psychological bondage of this “lifestyle” – literally WTF? Care to explain how my life is one of psychological bondage as I lounge about on summer holiday in Maui? When he says “Let us treat our patients and let the psychiatrist treat theirs” he not only manages to dehumanize LGBT people, but also cruelly stigmatizes those who endure mental illness. I went to medical school out of a sincere desire to heal people, to treat my patients with empathy and compassion. It is extremely disturbing to think that these individuals who display such sociopathic tendencies towards arbitrary populations could be treating your family or mine.
DrSchwechitz misses the point of the article entirely probably because he comes to the table with the prejudiced notion that gay equals self harm, drugs, or alcohol. Very simply in his stunted world view, which cannot tolerate ambiguity, LGBT people are diseased, godless, evil perverts. Any contradiction in fact, reason, or logic is useless in persuading him otherwise because bigotry, intolerance, and hatred are by definition irrational. His world view cannot withstand scrutiny from the simple facts that LGBT people exists, our families exist, our children exist, homosexuality is common throughout nature, and despite his protest we are all made in God’s image. Or course being a “well trained doctor” he knows the “purpose of each and every body part.” Not because medical science told him, but because God told him and we all know that God can’t be wrong; Neither are those who rationalize their sociopathy and sadism by claiming that God wills it (Osama bin Laden, Torquemada, Aztec priest who preformed grizzly human sacrifices in Mesoamerica etc). And for the final time – homosexuality is not a mental condition. That these so called doctors reiterate this blatant and perverse lie demonstrates their lack of standing within the medical community.
The point of the article, as I saw it, was to highlight certain disparities and health considerations unique to LGBT populations, which have traditionally been marginalized and subject to malicious discrimination by the state. In order to be welcoming to your patients you honestly don’t need pamphlets, though it might be a cost effective way to show that you care. As for myself I simply respect my patients, listen to them, and treat them as I would treat myself. I don’t begrudge them for wanting to be treated equally, I don’t snarl behind their backs how their lifestyle disgusts me, and I certainly don’t go around peddling false medical information. To all doctors, present and future – remember your oaths and fulfill them all. First do no harm! Show altruism, compassion, respect, nonmaleficence, beneficence. Whatever house you go into, leave your petty and arbitrary prejudices at the door.
Trolling. How funny is it that Dr. Fake, the phony proclaims that others are on the internet trolling. You have posted nothing but one-sided nonsense on here. You are intolerant of the truth. You think you can come on this site and make unproven statements with out a debate then you most be more crazier then previously believe. Please define a “mainstream doctor” for me Dr. Fab. Your name is as fake as your profession. Take your communist tactics to another site.
To evaluate whether or not homosexuality is a “bad habit” requires us delving into psychology. Let’s look at whether the following practices can generate true, “lifestyle” happiness, or simply temporary biological pleasure.
1) Overeating: A biological pleasure. Most fat people aren’t particularly happy to be fat, and if given an easy way out would gladly stop overeating. There are many mainstream programs to help people stop overeating and lose weight, including medical options.
2) Smoking: At first maybe a way of absorbing into the “cool kids niche”, but unlikely to provide more than the biological pleasure nicotine provides than any sort of lifestyle satisfaction. Many smoking addicts wish to stop, and there are many mainstream programs out there to stop smoking, including medical options.
3) Drinking: In moderation, not bad or harmful. To excess, it provides temporary biological relief. When they’re sober, most alcoholics want to stop. There are many mainstream programs out there to help stop drinking, including medical options.
4) Drug abuse: Depending on the drug and the dosage, may or may not be harmful. If used to excess, it causes temporary biological pleasure. Most drug addicts would stop if there was an easy way out, and there are many mainstream programs out there to help drug addicts, including medical options.
5) Homosexuality: Assuming that we are discussing the actual psychology of BEING homosexual, and not just the participation in homosexual acts, then romantic involvement with someone of the same sex does NOT cause simple biological pleasure alone, but also “lifestyle satisfaction.” Homosexuality satisfies in long-term a psychological drive for a person in the same way that love, attachment, security, and a sense of belonging does for any human being. There are NOT a lot of programs out there to “cure” homosexuality, nor do the vast majority of homosexuals wish to stop being homosexual. There are currently no recognized medical options to turn someone “straight.”
Comparing it with “bad behaviors” is silly. Regardless of whether or not it is a choice or a biological code, being allowed to be homosexual will present homosexuals with a very, very different reward than any “bad behavior” will. Being told that their homosexuality needs to be abandoned in favor of health is going to leave them with the same miserable life as a straight person would have if told to abandon their wife/husband for fear of STDs.
Calling it a “bad behavior” is reducing the argument to a laughable level and shows an astounding ignorance that frankly justifies this article. I don’t believe you have to be gay to understand how a gay person feels, but I do believe you have to be willing to give a gay person the benefit of the doubt for just a second. Most of the “homophobes” I’ve met have never done that and are unwilling to do that, essentially protecting them from being proven wrong due to their unwillingness to hear any opposing argument.
It’s interesting that people are stating that the “homosexual lifestyle” is abnormal, unhealthy, and perverse without defining these behaviors. If these individuals are considering sexual acts associated with homosexuality (anal, oral, digital sex acts) unhealthy then their bias is truly showing. Studies have shown that as high as 30-40% of people surveyed participate in anal intercourse with their partners. Another study showed that 1 in 4 undergraduates (mostly heterosexual) participate in anal sex. Furthermore, estimates that 7 times more women than gay men have participated in anal intercourse show the prevalence of these “unhealthy and abnormal” behaviors.
When people make biased comments about a particular group while blatantly disregarding the fact that the group that they belong to exhibits the same behaviors, they are certainly living up the prejudices that exist (even in the medical community). What is so different about two people of the same sex participating in sexual behaviors that people of the opposite sex participate in? Nothing. You can argue that any good physician would advise against ANYONE participating in these sex acts, but I am sure that proponents of this viewpoint never think to ask a heterosexual individual about their sex practices. I wish people could see that we are not so different ….