Lgbt Community Essay

The mental health of individuals in the LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgendered) community is something that is a serious problem. For most of the history of the United States and many different parts of the world LGBT people faced much persecution and in some cases even death. This constant fear of discovery and the pressure that one feels on oneself when “in the closet” can lead to major mental distress. Research has shown that people who identify as LGBT are twice as likely to develop lifetime mood and anxiety disorders (Bostwick 468). This is extremely noticeable the past couple years in the suicides of bullied teens on the basis of sexual identity and expression. The stigma on simply being perceived as LGBT is strong enough to

This article describes the aging gay and lesbian community. Past research of this community focused more on the gay White man, well-educated, active in the gay community and high socioeconomic backgrounds. This study examines current roles of social work regarding research with older gay men and lesbians and presents recommendations for both practice and research in the years ahead. Not only is this community of sexism, they are also victims of ageism. Future work must strive to be more representative of older lesbians, geographic diversity, and classes because these variables play an important role in shaping the gay aging experience.

Delay of seeing a healthcare provider on the basis of fear increases the development of severe illnesses in older LGBT populations. It exacerbates healthcare costs, can put a strain on mental health, and overall decreases wellbeing (Fredriksen-Goldsen & Kim, 2014). Although there is not a calculated cost to be found within the older LGBT community, the delaying of necessary preventative tests, medical treatment, or mental health can worsen current symptoms. This can increase emergency room visits, an already expensive system, thus increasing healthcare costs (Meyer, 2011). In addition to declining physical wellbeing, these adults lack social support systems as they are “twice as likely to live alone, and more than four times as likely to have no children, as compared to heterosexual adults (Gendron et

In addition to the economic vulnerability of older adults, being a part of the LGBT community makes dealing with disparities connected to aging even more difficult because many LGBT elderly experience increased isolation due to a lifetime of stigma. Karen I. Fredriksen-Goldsen a Ph.D. professor and the director of Healthy Generations cited a study called Caring and Aging with Pride. In this study 2,560 demographically diverse LGBT older adults across the nation mention similar concerns related to Isolation, finding friend support, caregiving and health. Fredriksen-Goldsen mentions how LGBT older adults are

This decision has affected people’s behavior as individuals and public institutions such as family, young, elderly, disabled, LGTB and those with pre-existing conditions. For example, Kates & Ranji (2014) report that health care access and coverage for the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGTB) community in the U.S. face opportunities and challenges when getting access to care. The authors report that LGBT individuals experience some discrimination because of their sexual orientation or gender identity, due to ongoing discrimination, access to health care have been limited to these people (Kaiser Family Foundation, 2014). LGBT individuals not only face discrimination when trying to receive care, but also face difficulties that limit them such as “barriers in obtaining insurance coverage, gaps in coverage, cost-related hurdles, and poor treatment by health care providers” (Kates & Ranji, 2014).

Assessing the needs of the LGBT elderly population is essential, they are independent and it is hard for them to seek assistance. Furthermore utilizing various assessment tools within the geriatric LGBT population can provide insightful information regarding the type of care needed. The assessment measurement tools that can be used include the Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS), The Lawton Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADL) scale, and the Alcohol Use Screening and Assessment for Older Adults. In addition information will be provided regarding organizations such as SAGE (Services and Advocacy for LGBT Elders) and the Griot Circle. These organizations can assist the patient with housing, social adult day programs, social services, health and wellness programs and many other services. Overall, we should treat people, the way that we like to be treated. Treat people with respect, courtesy and be culturally

This activity is relevant to the Kimmel (2014) article because during the activity I was not able to mention anything on my list and it correlates to the LGBT community because they feel like they must be silent about their sexual orientation. For instance, Kimmel states, “Feeling unsure about acceptance, it can be difficult for LGBT elders to disclose hidden facets of their intimate life to physicians, hospital workers, or social service agencies. Most fear they will have to remain (or go back) in the closet of secrecy if they need care in old age, either by an in-home service or in a care facility (National Senior Citizens Law Center, 2011).” Another factor is not being accepted by their biological family members. Kimmel states, “In contradistinction

The LGBTQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgendered, and queer/questioning) community has many individuals who are in primary, secondary and postsecondary institutions. Bullying that takes place at these locations often occur with people that identify or are perceived to be affiliated with the LGBTQ community. This issue is not only important to me, but it is extremely important to those professionals in the educational fields. Bullying has come to a head in the past few years and has really shown that it is a problem. Educational professionals should take this information and try to find ways in which we can help to decrease the amount of bullying in general, not only with LGBTQ individuals.

Sexual and social stigmas largely affect the health of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) population. While many reports from the Institute of Medicine, Healthy People 2020 and the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality recognize a need to improve the quality of health care, barriers still remain. LGBT patients face legal discrimination, especially with insurance, a lack of social programs, and limited access to providers competent in LGBT health care. Although the Affordable Care Act increased access to care for LGBT patients, unless these patients feel understood by providers and develop trust in the system, they are not likely to utilize care. Healthcare providers need to recognize how these vulnerabilities, as well as persistent racism and stigma linked to sexual orientation and gender identity, make the healthcare needs of LGBT patients more challenging than the general population. Healthcare providers also need to promote cultural competence within this population and broaden their clinical lens to include health promotion, in addition to addressing concerns mentioned above within the population. Additionally, medical and nursing schools need to ensure that future providers are adequately educated by including information about this population in the curriculum.

In this article, Dr. Sabin, Dr. Riskin, and Dr. Nosek analyze both implicit and explicit attitudes held by health care providers in terms of lesbian and gay patients. The authors based their research on prior findings that identified the Lesbian Gay Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) community to be a minority population that was found to be at a higher risk than heterosexual people to smoke, use alcohol and illegal substances, attempt suicide, and experience depression. Prior research also identified chronic stress among this population, mainly caused by their minority status, legal barriers to health insurance, providers lack of culturally competent training, and experiences and expectations of discrimination. Furthermore, the prior research also found this population,

While stakeholders noted some gains in providing social support for lesbian, gay and (to a lesser extent) bisexual aged care consumers, a number suggested that a stronger focus on gender diversity and intersex status is required. In particular, improving the knowledge and confidence of aged care staff in working with transgender and intersex people, including their specific health-related issues, was considered necessary. Improving knowledge around other specific relevant health issues (such as the management of HIV) was also considered necessary.

Although awareness surrounding specialized healthcare for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender patients has significantly increases since the AIDs epidemic that began in the mid-to-late 70s, it is still not where it needs to be. This is apparent from the fact that LGBT youth have a higher risk of attempting suicide, lesbians are at higher risk of developing cancers, especially breast cancer; and gay men and transgender individuals are at higher risk of HIV and other STDs (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Health). As a member of the LGBT+ community who is also an aspiring physician, I have a special interest and passion for this topic. Improving the way, the medical field approaches queer patient care is a problem that is best

Brandon Boso, female to male transgender, was eleven when he came out to his parents as transgender. From Brooklyn to Brandon, his parents were skeptical and did not want to accept him as Brandon. Fights broke out and yelling became an everyday occurrence. In an interview, he states, “One day my mom came into my room screaming that I wasn’t a boy and I wasn’t gay because I had said that I still liked guys” (Boso). Although his family became more supportive as he became older, he still had to deal with the backlash from his family while most of his friends were supportive. This is the case for many individuals in the LGBT community who are afraid of coming out to their family. Coming out to your family and friends can be and is a crucial point in someone’s life. The process of coming out and how this affects personal relationships, the break in communication between them and their parents, the toll this takes on them emotionally and mentally while transitioning as well are all key pieces to the coming out as transgender process and also the transition. While some may think that coming out as transgender is an easy decision, people do not take into consideration that coming out as transgender to your parents, family and friends can be emotional, terrifying, and can lead to suicidal thoughts. This process is key in the development of the rest of these teens life and can lead to serious problems with self-esteem and self-acceptance.

The LGBT community, ( Acronym for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender), lives globally. However, research has found

The topic I picked is Homosexual people should have the right and the freedom like what straight people have in this world.