glbtq + health care = good or bad?

[Cup]

My friend is doing a nursing project about the issues the GLBT
community experiences surrounding STDs and STD testing. She has some myths she would like to debunk (such as lesbians can’t get STDs), as well as help her fellow nursing students (all straight, one openly homophobic) become aware of and sensitive to specific issues confronting the GLBT community. As such, she would like to share a few real-life experiences from actual former patients they have encountered or have contemplated surrounding STD education or testing experience. Some of the questions she has include…

Have you had a negative or particularly stressful experience with a
medical professional directly due to your sexuality (not necessarily STD
related)?
Have you ever experienced homophobia in a medical setting? What are
some stressors you experience/worry about (specifically related to your
sexuality) when contemplating going to get or actually going to be STD
tested?

She already has a couple of statements, including a nurse's statement
of ""It is against my religion to treat a man I know is homosexual.
Besides, they ask for sexually transmitted infections with their promiscuous behavior. Frankly they give me the creeps" and the admission of a veteran of the US army of 20+ years saying he doesn't want openly gay people in the army because they have more of a change of having AIDS, and he wouldn't treat them if they were hurt because if it. She'd like more, especially from the patient's point of view.

All of the statements will be shared anonymously… she just wants her
fellow students (8 of them) to understand specific issues/stressors the GLBT population may experience which they do not/cannot understand not being a member of that population. It’s completely understandable if you don’t want to post openly… you can PM me and I will pass along only the information, not your identity.

Any and all help is very much appreciated, and will hopefully benefit
future generations of medical professionals to be more knowledgeable and
sensitive to GLBT issues.

thanks so much guys..i think this is an important sistuation and idea to get across to people to help the health care proffesion and the gltbq world!

cheers
-t

[umgaynow]

I have had unpleasant experience with homophobic health care practitioners that has made me reluctant to pursue standard personal care that every woman should have...I am reluctant to share details here...because hello, personal! I could e-mail to you if you like...

Unfortunately this is fairly common...I told my current doctor, who I am almost certain is family (she actually bothered to say man or woman when asking questions re:sex and said "that's great" when I told her I was an out lesbian...then fumblingly following with the qualifier that lesbians are much less likely to get HPV etc...oops, a little slip) anyway I shared my story with her and she said though unconscionable, it is sadly a story she hears all too often from queer people...

Quite a frightening thing in people who we are supposed to be able to rely on to take care of us and be able to trust to be professional...I find what the person you mentioned said to be apalling...if you can't detach your personal feelings from your work then you should not be a member of the medical profession

Sandi

[Cup]

Hey Sandi!

Thanks so much! Your story if you choose to share it will really work towards helping health practionar community, or at lest I hope so.

If you want you can email me at
frozen_yellow@yahoo.com and ill pass it on my friend that doing the project.

Most of the kind of experinces that Ive had are when I come out the doctor.. mostly in more private issues.. the doctor gets really nervous and but doesnt wanna offend. One didnt want to use the word gay or lesbian so she keep saying women loving women and men loving men.. i think it was just because she was nervous and didnt want to offend me.

Thanks so much Sandi, its really really appreciated!

-t