Its tough out there for Gay Seniors. Now that is hardly news to me and many of you come here.
A report released today out of McGill University has a study to prove what so many have known within the gay community.
"People were once forced into psychiatric institutions ... so going to a doctor was a very fearful experience for many people," said Bill Ryan, a researcher from the McGill School of Social Work. "There were also instances where health care professionals reacted in "disgust when someone says that they're gay or lesbian in front of a health care professional."
The study will help address the problems faced by the LGBTQ communities by shedding light on homophobic attitudes within the health care system from Mental health to emergency wards to llong term care.
In my work largely with gay men I would often askj if they had told their Doctor they were gay. More often than not they had not shared this information. The reasons were similar, scared, they would tell my family, I live in a small community, he's anti gay.
Now having been an out gay guy for years I have made sure my Doctor knew I was gay, I saw the need to let my doctor know. Yet many before and since are still scared. The gay seniors grew up with being classed as suffering with a mental illness at best, as a pervert at worst.
So while many gays entering the health care system have good experiances, too many don't.
Read more here...
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