Health
It’s tough and we can’t change the entire system, but there are steps you can take to make healthcare appointments easier…
Forget the supposedly soothing (but actually immensely irritating) holding music, your GP surgery may as well play the Gladiators or Hunger Games soundtrack, as it would more accurately reflect the 8.30am scramble to land a doctor’s appointment these days. May the odds forever be in your favour… But seriously, healthcare professionals are now being stretched to their limits by the brutal combination of chronic underfunding and overwhelming demand, and it has had a real knock-on effect on how – and when – we can receive the treatment we need.
14% of trans people said they were refused GP care
And while everyone has been hit by this, the lack of access to healthcare can be particularly tough for the LGBTQIA+ community. And even if we can jump the hurdles and access the care we need, we’re still sometimes confronted with illinformed stereotypes, a lack of education and excessive gatekeeping, especially when it comes to trans healthcare. We might luck out and find a GP that fully understands our needs, but we could also get stuck with someone who misgenders us repeatedly.
This can all result in a distrust of health services within the queer community, which can lead to skipping much-needed appointments. This has (among other factors) led to an LGBTQIA+ health gap. Systemic inequalities can’t be eroded overnight – and it’s not the responsibility of queer people to fix the system – but knowledge is power, and healthcare is essential. That’s why we’ve rounded up everything you need to know about navigating mental illness, sexual wellness and genderaffirming healthcare for those within the LGBTQIA+ community.
The search for a GP
Finding a GP you feel comfortable with is absolutely vital – it shouldn’t be a luxury
Finding a GP you feel comfortable with is absolutely vital – and shouldn’t be a luxury. You can visit sites like gp-patient.co.uk, which collates patients’ ratings, for a ranking of the most trustworthy NHS practitioners across England. Trans-led organisations such as Action for Trans Health also keep regularly updated, crowd-sourced Google Sheets of trans-friendly GPs. Sites like Reddit and Facebook are full of queer discussion groups, so even googling your local area plus the term ‘trans-friendly GP’ will often lead to honest, no-frills reviews from other queer people in your local area – though these will not have been reviewed for accuracy and will vary in credibility, so exercise caution.
It can also really help to just scope out your prospective GP’s website. As a first port of call, check if they have an LGBTQIA+ inform
