HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, Fla. — For many in the transgender community, getting healthcare services can be a daunting experience. Many trans people say it’s common for them to face discrimination from medical professionals.
“We can’t ignore the fact that there will be healthcare needs across all the specialties, and we have a right to healthcare,” said Nathan Bruemmer, a trans man and LGBTQ+ activist. “I worry that my trans siblings would be more hesitant – in the climate of hatred and bigotry that’s been created in our state – not to seek out care.”
Bruemmer said many in the trans community face discrimination in healthcare.
“I do have a lot of friends – and more stories than I wish I had – that talk about times that they tried to access care, whether emergency room care, cardiac care, cancer care and either didn’t trust the system or tried to pursue that care and were met with resistance or questions about identity not relevant to the treatment they were receiving,” he said.
STATISTICS
According to the latest U.S. Transgender Survey in Florida (2015), 20% of respondents experienced a problem in the past year with their insurance related to being transgender; 33% said they had a negative experience with a healthcare provider and 25% said they didn’t see a doctor out of fear of being mistreated.
TRAINING MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS
Andrew Lent is with Equality Florida. They’re trying to make healthcare for the trans community more accessible and comfortable.
“They’re a lot of well-intentioned providers, but they just don’t know how to care for trans people. So, why is a trans person going to go get care when it’s going to be a hassle for them, and they might be discriminated against,” said Lent.
Equality Florida launched their health equity program in 2021 during the pandemic. They partner with major hospitals in Florida to ensure that medical professionals have the tools to better cater to the LGBTQ+ community.
“We go in. We audit their policies to see if they’re inclusive. We give them recommendations for best practices and policies that are aligned with the Human Rights Campaign’s Health Care Quality Index,” he explained
They also provide training to medical professionals.
“It focuses on things like terminology, discrimination among the LGBTQ community. A heavy focus on what gender-affirming care looks like for trans people,” Lent explained. So far, they’ve partnered with hospitals in South Florida, like Broward Health, but they’re trying to partner with hospitals in the Tampa Bay area.
MAKING A DIFFERENCE
“We understand that it’s important that we reach out and make our patients feel comfortable, especially our transgender patients,” said Dr. Bethany Niell with Moffitt Cancer Center.
Moffitt Cancer Center is trying to do its part in catering to the trans community.
“What we also have to do is remember that cancer screening and prevention is something that we need all of our patients thinking about, including transgender,” she explained.
They’re focusing on guidelines regarding breast cancer screenings for transgender people and teaching their medical professionals the difference between sex, gender and sexuality.
“I think those things are some of the most important ones for us to talk about,” said Dr. Niell.
Click here to find a local medical professional who’s LGBTQ+ friendly
