Some topics may be controversial, but this doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t lay the cards on the table. When it comes to inclusive health care, it isn’t up to debate whether members of the LGBTQ community deserve proper attention. Still, we must address the series of barriers that these people experience while looking for sexual and reproductive health care so that we can tackle them, change the way our health care system works, and help millions of LGBTQ people across the country.
Disparities in sexual and reproductive health care
Over the past few years, several studies have proven that queer people are more likely than their straight counterparts to have unintended pregnancies or abortions. Similarly, lesbian and bisexual women are less likely than straight women to perceive themselves as being at risk of acquiring STIs.
But what does this mean? Well, the answer is pretty simple. These issues suggest that LGBTQ patients are victims of structural barriers to contraceptive care. Fortunately, overcoming them isn’t impossible: all that’s needed is to provide them with inclusive, comprehensive sex education. It isn’t that difficult, right?
