Health Care Disparities in LGBTQ

Sample Answer

1. Addressing Systemic Discrimination and Stigma

Discrimination and stigma, whether explicit or implicit, are primary drivers of health disparities for the LGBTQ+ community. Many individuals delay or avoid seeking care due to fear of judgment, past negative experiences, or outright denial of services.

• Policy and Legal Protections:
  • Enact and enforce anti-discrimination laws: Comprehensive laws that explicitly prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity in healthcare settings are vital. This includes ensuring protections in areas like insurance coverage, access to care, and the right to gender-affirming treatment.
  • Protect gender-affirming care: Policies that restrict or ban access to medically necessary gender-affirming care, particularly for transgender and gender-diverse youth, directly harm their health and well-being and must be opposed.