Choosing Alternative Healthcare

Going to the Doctor’s Got You Feeling Down? Why Today’s LGBTQ+ Are Choosing Alternative Healthcare for Wellness, Prevention, and Chronic Conditions

BY MELISSA-MARIE MARKS

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any LGBTQ+ folks report regularly feeling pressured to explain how and why a person’s outside appearance and/or gender expression may not always coincide with what society believes their sexual anatomy and sexual orientation should be.

Unfortunately, a number of these discussions occur between LGBTQ+ patients and their healthcare providers, those we trust to keep up-to-date not only on the ever-changing world of medicine, but also on the topic of cultural competency—defi ned as healthcare tailored to meet the specific needs of groups of people with diverse beliefs, values, languages, and cultural and social behaviors.

It is the year 2021, in the United States of America. It goes without saying that healthcare should be for Every Body.

Sadly, we’re not there yet.

On June 12, 2020, the 4-year anniversary of the Pulse nightclub shootings, the Trump administration removed gender identity from the Section 1557 rule that protects patients from sex discrimination in healthcare settings, defi ning sex as “male or female and as determined by biology.”

And although, on August 17, 2020, a federal judge temporarily blocked this rule change from going through, many LGBTQ+ people are understandably apprehensive about seeking healthcare.

Yet, members of the LGBTQ+ community are often those who need medical care the most, facing an increased risk for medical issues such as cancer, intimate partner vi-

Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) Modalities to Explore

To treat musculoskeletal pain, headaches, and injuries, look into acupuncture, chiropractic care, and massage therapy. For mind/body/spirit health, wellness, stress-relief, and trauma, try reiki, talk therapy, or hypnosis. For hormonal regulation, nutritional defi ciencies, and chronic illness, check out Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), Western herbalism, and Ayurveda. And midwifery, with either independent (licensed or non) midwives or Nurse Midwives, offers reproductive and fertility care. olence, substance abuse, STIs, eating disorders, and certain cancers.

There is hope.

More and more LGBTQ+ are walking away from mainstream medicine and exploring alternative healthcare.

Already used to life (and work) on the fringe, many alternative healthcare providers off er a welcoming space, as well as culturally sensitive care, to minority groups like LGBTQ+, BIPOC, and people with disabilities.

Additionally, alternative healthcare providers are often trained to provide wellness education, therapy and counseling, and preventative screening, crucial pieces often missing from the mainstream medicine puzzle.

Of course, not all alternative healthcare providers are experienced in caring for LGBTQ+ folks, and, thankfully, a number of mainstream medical doctors are. The Gay and Lesbian Medical Association (GLMA) is one of many online resources dedicated to helping LGBTQ+ folks fi nd their dream healthcare provider.

But perhaps the most straightforward way to fi nd out if your healthcare provider is going to respect you is to ask them directly how they feel about caring for people like you.

The world is rapidly changing. As more LGBTQ+ patients demand equal access to appropriate and sensitive healthcare, the future of healthcare is shaped to meet those demands.

MELISSA-MARIE

MARKS is a freelance writer based in North-Central Florida. She specializes in writing about green business and green technology, renewable energy, conservation and sustainability, and holistic health. Melissa graduated from The Florida School of Traditional Midwifery in 2012 and practiced as a Florida licensed midwife until 2018, when she retired from private practice to focus on her writing career. She spends her leisure time camping with her kids and manifesting a life she loves by utilizing the law of attraction.