Wellbeing of gay, lesbian, and bisexual doctorsCommentary: The medical profession should face up to its own homophobia
BMJ 2001; 322 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.322.7283.422 (Published 17 February 2001) Cite this as: BMJ 2001;322:422All rapid responses
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Dear Editor,
The use of email groups in Australia for gay and lesbian health
workers, especially medical practitioners, confirms the experience of
joining email lists as suggested in the article Burke et al.
In Australia, lesbian doctors have had an email group (Australian Lesbian
Medical Association - ALMA) to discuss their needs, and there is now an
Australian email group for all medical paracitioners (email address:
queermedoz@egroups.com).
Email groups are cheap and offer anonymity, and now with the advent of
websites offering html managment of the groups, anyone can now manage
these groups with little or no technical expertise.
The large distances of Australia can be especially isolating for gay and
lesbian doctors, but email groups provide a ready solution to overcoming
this distance barrier.
These groups have now faciliated peer group discussion througout
Australia, and are now used as a referral service for finding gay and
lesbian frinedly doctors for patients throughout this vast land.
Yours sincerely
Dr Ron McCoy
Dr Nick Medlands
General Practitioners
Moderators Queermedoz
c/o
1/43 Westbury Street
East St Kilda VIC 3183
Email: rmccoy@ocean.com.au
Competing interests: No competing interests
It is disappointing that in the 21st century that an article on
sexuality and the wellbeing of doctors should omit any reference to
transsexual or transgendered individuals. They may experience significant
problems both as service providers, and service users despite the
provisions of the Sex Discrimination Act (Gender Re-assignment) 1999
regulations.
Their position resembles that of gay and lesbians 20 or 30 years ago,
and unfortunately is likely to remain so due to the small size of the
transgendered community. The teaching of transgender issues is non-
existent, perhaps because it raises awkward questions about the nature of
gender roles and sexuality. However I suspect gay and lesbian doctors and
indeed female health care professionals in general will
remain marginalised unless we, as professionals engage these questions and
take the debate to wider society. Anti-discrimation policies are not
enough
Competing interests: No competing interests
Was it not a little unfortunate that the only link at the end of this
article considering inappropriate responses to lesbian, gay & bisexual
medical professionals should have been to a book on the clinical
management of HIV?
Competing interests: No competing interests
International Convergence - Understanding Homophobia in Medicine and Psychiatry
It is significant that the article published by Drs. Burke and White
in the WJM was reprinted in the BMJ with an accompanying commentary by Dr.
Saunders; it demonstrates an international convergence in the
understanding of the impact of homophobia in medicine. There is great
potential for sharing of information gained from the international,
medical training experiences that foster equal treatment and and respect
for gay, lesbian, and bisexual peers.
I agree with Dr. Saunders - it is vital that medical schools develop
curricula to provide effective learning opportunities to help students
face up to their own homophobia, challenge and eradicate it and that
appropriate learning opportunities be provided as part of general and
specialty training programs and continuing professional development.
Several psychiatric colleagues and I proposed previously that a more
supportive milieu for homoerotically identified students from premedical
through postgraduate training would include the institution of diversity
training for students and faculty utilizing curricula such as the one
proposed by the American Psychiatric Association's Committee on Gay,
Lesbian, and Bisexual Issues (1), the development of support groups for
homoerotically identified students (2), and the hiring of "out" lesbian,
bisexual, and gay male faculty who can serve as mentors. On a broader
social level, as experts in mental health, psychiatrists can combat myths,
stereotypes, discredited theories, and any residual homophobia within
psychiatry used to justify the marginalization of homoerotically
identified people. (3)
1. Stein TS. A curriculum for learning in psychiatric residencies
about homosexuality, gay men, and lesbians. Acad Med 1991;66:361-3.
2. Townsend MH, Wallick MM, Cambre KM. Support services for
homosexual students at U.S. medical schools. Acad Med 1991;66:361-3.
3. Polansky JS, Karasic DH, Speier PL, Hastik K, Haller E.
Homophobia: therapeutic and training considerations for pyschiatry. JGLMA
1997;1(1)41-47.
Competing interests: No competing interests