The Importance of LGBTQ+ Representation in Healthcare

In June 2020, a US Supreme Court ruling established that the Civil Rights Act extends job discrimination protections to LGBTQ+ Americans, making sex and gender-based discrimination illegal. Until this point, 47% of LGBTQ+ healthcare workers lived in states where they could be fired, refused training or promotions, and be harrassed at work.

Upon the ruling, Dr. Mark Schuster, the founding dean and CEO of the Kaiser Permanente Bernard J. Tyson School of Medicine, said

"I encourage my fellow LGBTQ medical professionals who have not yet done so to crack open the closet door. Include references to your same-sex spouse on your online biographies if your colleagues mention their opposite-sex spouse in their biographies. Speak up if you hear a colleague making a derogatory comment about LGBTQ people. Encourage your employers, or your schools, to make anti-bias training a regular—and mandatory—event... As doctors, we learn to heal through diagnostics and prescriptions. But for LGBTQ doctors, we can also heal by telling our stories and being open about who we are."

Allowing LGBTQ+ healthcare workers to self-identify can have a positive impact on their mental health and create a more welcoming environment for patients. A study established that more frequent interactions with LGBTQ+ faculty, residents, students, and patients was associated with lower implicit sexual orientation bias, or unconscious attitudes and stereotypes. It is crucial that the healthcare workforce properly represents the population it aims to serve, and Caralyst recognizes how important it is to create safe spaces and uplift LGBTQ+ providers. By allowing providers and patients to self-identify as LGBTQ+, we hope to promote a more inclusive industry and ensure LGBTQ+ patients respect and understanding.