Social Issues: Non-fiction themes: LGBTQ+ Healthcare

Drawn from real-world experience and current research, the fully updated LGBTQ Cultures, 3rd Edition paves the way for healthcare professionals to provide well-informed, culturally sensitive healthcare to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) patients. This vital guide fills the LGBTQ awareness gaps, including replacing myths and stereotypes with facts, and measuring the effects of social stigma on health. Vital for all nursing specialties, this is the seminal guide to actively providing appropriate, culturally sensitive care to persons of all sexual orientations and gender identities.

This co-edited volume addresses a population of people whose lack of health care access, mistreatment in health care settings, and refusal of health care services are often omitted from discussions about health care disparities and insurance reform. The perspectives and needs of LGBT people should be routinely considered in public health efforts to improve the overall health of every person and eliminate health disparities. Previous research suggests that LGBT people experience worse health outcomes than their heterosexual counterparts. Differences in sexual behavior account for some of these disparities, but others are associated with social and structural inequities. Low rates of health insurance coverage, high rates of stress due to systematic harassment, stigma, and discrimination, and a lack of cultural competency in the health care system frequently manifest in negative health-related behaviors.

The Fenway Guide to Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Health reflects clinical and social changes since the publication of the first edition. Written by leading experts in the field of LGBT health in conjunction with The Fenway Institute at Fenway Health, one of the most trusted and respected community-based research, education, and care centers, this edition continues to present the important issues facing patients and practitioners, including: Principles for taking an LGBT-inclusive health historyCaring for LGBTQ youth, families, and older adults. Behavioral Health Care: coming out, intimate partner violence, drug, alcohol, and tobacco use. Understanding health care needs of transgender people. Development of gender identity in children and adolescents. Sexual health and HIV prevention. Policy and legal issues.

To remedy means to heal, to cure, to set right, to make reparations. The Remedy invites writers and readers to imagine what we need to create healthy, resilient, and thriving LGBTQ communities. This anthology is a diverse collection of real-life stories from queer and trans people on their own health-care experiences and challenges, from gay men living with HIV who remember the systemic resistance to their health-care needs, to a lesbian couple dealing with the experience of cancer, to young trans people who struggle to find health-care providers who treat them with dignity and respect. The book also includes essays by health-care providers, activists, and leaders, with something to say about the challenges, politics, and opportunities surrounding LGBTQ health issues.

LGBT people pervasively experience health disparities, affecting every part of their bodies and lives. Yet many are still grappling to understand the mutually reinforcing health care challenges that lead LGBT people to experience worsened health outcomes. Bodies and Barriers informs health care professionals, students in health professions, policymakers, and fellow activists about these challenges, providing insights and a road map for action that could improve queer health. Through artfully articulated, data-informed essays by twenty-six well-known and emerging queer activists-including Alisa Bowman, Jack Harrison-Quintana, Liz Margolies, Robyn Ochs, Sean Strub, Justin Tanis, Ryan Thoreson, Imani Woody, and more-Bodies and Barriers illuminates the ubiquitous health challenges LGBT people experience throughout their lives.