LGBT Healthcare Training Video: "To Treat Me, You Have to Know Who I Am"

Summary

The transcript highlights the importance of understanding a patient's identity for effective healthcare. It emphasizes the need for medical professionals to be aware of and respect a patient's sexual orientation and gender identity to provide appropriate care. The speaker shares personal experiences of discrimination and lack of understanding in the healthcare system, advocating for open communication and empathy to ensure the well-being of LGBT patients.

Takeaways

• 🌈 The importance of healthcare providers knowing a patient's sexual orientation and gender identity for appropriate care.
• 🏥 The necessity for an open and honest relationship between patient and provider for optimal medical care.
• 🤝 The significance of treating patients with respect regardless of their sexual scenario or gender identity.
• 📋 The potential for missed routine testing or screening if patients do not feel comfortable disclosing their identity.
• 🙅‍♀️ Personal experiences of discrimination and lack of understanding from healthcare providers based on sexual orientation and gender identity.
• 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 The impact of healthcare providers' assumptions on the patient's family structure and relationships.
• 🚫 The negative experiences and trauma caused by healthcare providers' refusal to acknowledge or respect a patient's identity.
• 💬 The need for healthcare providers to ask questions in an open, thoughtful, and caring manner to encourage patient disclosure.
• 🌟 The positive impact of empathetic and understanding healthcare providers on patient care and experience.
• 🔄 The challenges faced by transgender patients, including misgendering and lack of provider training.
• 🌍 The call for the healthcare system to accept and treat LGBT patients as equals, recognizing their unique needs and identities.

Q & A

Why is it important for healthcare providers to know a patient's sexual orientation and gender identity?

It's important because knowing a patient's sexual orientation and gender identity helps healthcare providers to care appropriately for the patient, ensuring that they receive the right medical care and screenings tailored to their specific needs.

What impact does a lack of understanding or respect for a patient's identity have on their healthcare experience?

A lack of understanding or respect for a patient's identity can lead to feelings of discomfort and invalidation, potentially causing the patient to withhold important information or avoid seeking necessary medical care.

How can healthcare providers foster an open and honest relationship with their patients?

Healthcare providers can foster an open and honest relationship by asking questions in an open, thoughtful, and caring way, avoiding assumptions based on the patient's sexual orientation or gender identity, and being receptive to learning about the patient's needs.

What was the speaker's experience when they were diagnosed with anal cancer?

The speaker was treated with respect by all healthcare professionals involved in their care, which they believe is crucial for understanding their condition and providing the best possible treatment.

How did the speaker's experience differ when they were a teenager and disclosed their sexual orientation to a doctor?

The doctor's attitude changed drastically, becoming harsh and dismissive, which left a lasting negative impression on the speaker and highlighted the importance of healthcare providers maintaining a respectful and non-judgmental approach.

What challenges did the speaker face when interacting with the healthcare system as a lesbian?

The speaker often faced assumptions of heterosexuality, which led to inappropriate questions about birth control and a lack of recognition of their marital status, causing feelings of alienation and misrepresentation.

Why is it necessary for healthcare providers to ask about a patient's significant relationships and not make assumptions about their desires or family situation?

It's necessary to avoid making assumptions because every patient's situation is unique, and assumptions can lead to important discussions or screenings being overlooked, affecting the quality of care provided.

Can you describe a situation where the speaker's family faced discrimination in a healthcare setting?

During a family vacation, the speaker's daughter became sick and had to visit the emergency room. The hospital staff refused to acknowledge the speaker's family structure, causing distress and trauma for both the daughter and the speaker.

How did the speaker's healthcare experience differ when they were pregnant and identified as genderqueer?

The speaker felt that their healthcare providers did not respect or respond to their gender identity and preferred pronouns, leading to a sense of being misunderstood and not genuinely listened to.

What was the speaker's experience when they were diagnosed with breast cancer as a transgender man?

The speaker faced discrimination from their breast surgeon, who had problems with the speaker's transgender status and initially referred them to psychiatry instead of treating them for cancer.

What is the speaker's hope for LGBT patients in the healthcare system?

The speaker hopes that LGBT patients will be accepted for who they are, that their chosen families will be included in the healing process, and that the healthcare system will provide the same quality of care as it does for non-LGBT individuals.

Outlines

00:00

🏥 Importance of Recognizing Patient Identity in Healthcare

The speaker emphasizes the critical role of understanding a patient's identity, including sexual orientation and gender identity, in providing quality healthcare. They recount personal experiences as a gay man diagnosed with anal cancer and the importance of being treated with respect by healthcare professionals. The speaker also discusses the need for open communication and the potential for missed care due to lack of disclosure. They recount a negative experience at a doctor's office as a teenager and the challenges faced in healthcare settings due to assumptions about their identity. The speaker advocates for healthcare providers to ask open and thoughtful questions to create a safe environment for patients.

05:01

🌈 Discrimination and the Need for Inclusive Healthcare Practices

This paragraph delves into the challenges faced by LGBT individuals within the healthcare system, including instances of discrimination and lack of understanding from healthcare providers. The speaker shares personal stories of being denied access to a partner in the hospital and the impact of healthcare professionals' assumptions on the quality of care received. They discuss the importance of empathizing with patients and being open to learning about their identities and needs. The speaker also talks about their own transition and the difficulties faced in being acknowledged and treated appropriately as a transgender man with breast cancer. The paragraph concludes with a call for healthcare providers to accept and include LGBT patients and their families in the healing process.

Keywords

💡Sexual Orientation

Sexual orientation refers to a person's pattern of emotional, romantic, or sexual attraction to others. In the video, understanding a patient's sexual orientation is highlighted as crucial for providing respectful and appropriate medical care. For instance, patients shared experiences where assumptions about their heterosexuality led to inappropriate questions and discomfort.

💡Gender Identity

Gender identity is a personal conception of oneself as male, female, a blend of both, or neither and can correspond with or differ from one's sex at birth. The video emphasizes that knowing a patient's gender identity is essential for delivering proper medical care, as illustrated by the transgender man who faced discomfort and improper care due to his healthcare provider's lack of understanding.

💡Respect

Respect involves recognizing and valuing the worth of an individual. The video underscores that respecting a patient's identity, including their sexual orientation and gender identity, is fundamental to their healthcare. Examples include patients feeling respected by healthcare professionals who treated them with dignity and understanding.

💡Discrimination

Discrimination in healthcare refers to the unjust treatment of patients based on their identity. The video presents instances of discrimination, such as a lesbian patient whose provider assumed heterosexuality, and a transgender man who was referred to psychiatry rather than receiving proper medical attention for his cancer.

💡Empathy

Empathy is the ability to understand and share the feelings of another. The video stresses the need for healthcare providers to empathize with their patients, understanding their identities and concerns, to build trust and provide effective care. For example, a patient's recount of a doctor's shift in demeanor upon learning about their sexual orientation highlights a lack of empathy.

💡Inclusive Language

Inclusive language involves using terms that avoid excluding particular groups of people. The video illustrates the importance of using inclusive language in medical settings to ensure patients feel acknowledged and respected. For example, asking if a patient has a partner instead of assuming a heterosexual relationship.

💡Healthcare Experience

Healthcare experience refers to a patient's overall interaction and satisfaction with the healthcare system. The video features various personal stories illustrating how patients' healthcare experiences are impacted by their providers' knowledge and sensitivity towards their sexual orientation and gender identity.

💡Patient-Provider Relationship

The patient-provider relationship is the professional interaction between a patient and their healthcare provider. The video highlights that an open, honest, and respectful relationship is crucial for effective healthcare, especially for LGBTQ+ patients who may otherwise withhold important health information.

💡Cultural Competence

Cultural competence is the ability of healthcare providers to understand and respond to the cultural and identity-specific needs of their patients. The video emphasizes the importance of cultural competence in treating LGBTQ+ patients, as seen in stories where lack of such competence led to inadequate care.

💡LGBTQ+ Healthcare

LGBTQ+ healthcare refers to medical care tailored to the needs of the LGBTQ+ community. The video addresses the unique healthcare needs and challenges faced by LGBTQ+ individuals, such as discrimination and lack of understanding from healthcare providers, and the need for inclusive practices.

Highlights

Importance of knowing a patient's identity for proper medical care

Need for open and honest relationship with patients, especially regarding sexual orientation and gender identity

Challenges faced by LGBT patients in healthcare due to lack of understanding and respect from providers

Experience of being misgendered and not having family recognized in healthcare settings

Impact of healthcare providers' assumptions on LGBT patients' willingness to disclose personal information

Importance of asking open-ended questions to create a safe space for LGBT patients to discuss their health

Need for healthcare providers to be educated on LGBT health issues and to avoid making assumptions

Experience of a transgender man facing discrimination and lack of understanding from healthcare providers

Challenges of navigating healthcare system as a genderqueer individual

Impact of healthcare providers' lack of responsiveness to patients' preferred pronouns and identities

Experience of a lesbian patient facing discrimination and discomfort from healthcare providers

Need for healthcare providers to recognize and respect the families chosen by LGBT patients

Importance of treating LGBT patients with the same level of respect and care as non-LGBT patients

Experience of a transgender patient facing discrimination and lack of understanding from a breast surgeon

Challenges faced by healthcare providers in understanding and treating transgender patients

Need for healthcare providers to empathize with and care for LGBT patients as individuals

Hope for LGBT patients to be accepted and treated with respect in the healthcare system

Transcripts

to treat me you have to know who I am

I identify as Latino lesbian mother to

treat me you have to know who I am I

identify as a transgender man to treat

me you have to know who I am I identify

as a gay man I was diagnosed with anal

cancer and what I'm dealing with

something medical it's extremely

important that they know who I am every

doctor I've been to and there were seven

all of the nurses all of the assistants

everyone treated me with respect it is

as important to know somebody's sexual

orientation but even more than that what

their sexual scenario is as it is to

know if they're getting a good night's

sleep or if they have a good appetite or

if their bowel movements are normal it's

all part of basic bodily functions that

are required for a maximum quality of

life

it's important to have an open and

honest relationship with your patient

and so if you do not know what their

sexual orientation is or how they

identify that patient is not going to

feel safe telling you everything that

they need to tell you for their proper

medical care but knowing a patient's

gender identity and sexual orientation

helps a practitioner to care

appropriately for that patient we see a

lot of patients come in who may not be

comfortable disclosing that information

and routine testing or screening may be

missed for that patient

when I was about 15 years old I remember

going to the doctor's office and my

doctor was very warm and very welcoming

she was asking all the questions that

she's supposed to ask to an adolescent

and I remember telling her when she

asked about my sexual activity if um you

know if I use condoms or anything like

that and I said no I'm I'm gay and I

just remember her face changed very much

and hurt her warm tone a voice turned

very harsh and it seemed as though she

was rushing me out as quickly as

possible as a lesbian

unfortunately when I've been involved

with the health care system it's usually

hasn't been very welcoming it's usually

assumed that I'm heterosexual and so the

questions go along that line asking me

about the need for birth control and

then I fill out forms that asked me if

I'm married single divorced or widowed

and none of those boxes apply to me

I think it's very important to know that

what people write on forums does not

represent necessarily their reality and

it does not take the place of a provider

opening the door to ask questions and

you need to ask those questions in an

open and thoughtful and caring way many

times the patient a client want to talk

about their sexual health but fear that

they would be discriminated against or

stigmatized there are a lot of ways that

a provider could ask me questions that

would make it more likely for me to

disclose the fact that I'm gay than not

so I'd rather them ask me if I am in a

significant relationship if I have a

partner and then I'd like them when they

talk about other issues to not make an

assumption that because I'm gay I don't

want to talk about having kids or that I

don't want to talk about relationship

issues

My partner and I and our children were

on a family vacation and my older

daughter became sick she got stomach

pains and we had to go to the local

emergency room and we get to the

hospital and they asked who was my

daughter's parents and I said well she

has two moms and they were like well she

can't have two moms only one of you can

go in my daughter was traumatized by

that we were traumatized by that it's

not about sensitivity it's about respect

is about humanitarian response to a

human being in general but my partner

was hospitalized recently a very severe

aortic aneurysm when he was being moved

from intensive care to a hospital bed

the nurse in charge would not let me

accompany him I asked if I would have

been allowed to accompany him if I were

part of his family and she looked the

other way what needs to happen when a

patient is admitted to a hospital is

that the care providers

think about the fact that the patient

might have different sexual orientation

or different gender identity than the

care provider

throughout my pregnancy I was very much

genderqueer and I did tell them about my

pronouns which ones I preferred that I

preferred gender neutral or masculine

pronouns but the people who were dealing

with me throughout my pregnancy

primarily my midwife and the nurses

associated with them were not responsive

to my identity and didn't actually

respect it certainly I felt that my

healthcare has been impacted I feel less

genuinely listened to and I feel like

there's a huge discrepancy between the

care I get versus other people who have

gone to the same provider and report a

very different experience you need to

empathize with the patient you're

talking to give them an understanding

that you care to understand who they are

that's all you need to do you don't have

to use the right words just be open to

being educated on what right words to

use and care

I just transitioned about four years ago

to start living as a man when I was

diagnosed with breast cancer

I found that my breast surgeon was

unable to call me even to give me my

biopsy results he did tell me very

frankly and overtly that he had problems

with my transgender status and upon

meeting me and learning of my

transgender status he decided that his

first impulse was to refer me to

psychiatry I used to work at it this

Health Center that did a lot of care for

transgender patients and there was a lot

of discrimination towards those patients

there was a discomfort in talking to

them I am myself had some discomfort

because I didn't have much training on

how to work with transgender

the other day a patient came into the

office and his insurance cards

identified him as Adam although he

signed the register as Emily after being

called multiple times by his birth name

he left the office I do think the LGBT

community has special needs

I think the LGBT community has a

specific special need which is to be

treated the way non-lgbt people have

been treated for ever which is to be

asked about their sexuality to be asked

about their quality of life what their

home situation is what their work

situation is what their friend situation

is without the person asking the

questions being afraid of what the

answers might be recognizing the

differences of human beings and being

able to address the issues and not using

one ruler to measure someone else's

existence or purpose in life my greatest

hope for LGBT patients in the healthcare

system is that when they go for

treatment whoever they're going to see

accepts them for who they are then

having the people that we choose to be

our families be accepted to have them be

a part of the healing process and the

healthcare system can take care of us

just like anybody else so that we can

keep ourselves well and get the

information that we need to treat me you

have to know who I am I identify as a

lesbian to treat me you have to know who

I am I identify as a genderqueer

biracial Latino parents to treat me you

have to know who I am and I identify as

lesbian

our lives depend

on your capacity to care

you