BY SHARON GITTLEMAN
ANN ARBOR – When it comes to their own good health, fear often keeps LGBT people out of their doctor's offices – until it's too late. It's not just a case of wishing ailments away. Some lesbians and gays are afraid to tell their physicians what the doctors need to know to give them optimum care.
That's one big reason behind the fourth annual National LGBT Health Awareness Week, running March 4-18, and a series of lectures to be held on the campus of the University of Michigan, called "'Outing' the Barriers to Health Care for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender Communities."
The theme for the National LGBT Health Awareness Week is "Own Your Health – Get Checked Out."
Organizers say they hope to inspire members of the LGBT community to get regular physical exams and take better care of themselves.
The too-frequent cases of obesity and smoking amongst gays and lesbians can cause health woes including heart disease and cancer. With the LGBT community at increased risk for these ailments and other stress-related troubles, hiding your sexual orientation can be deadly.
These health risks are compounded by financial barriers to getting good medical care caused by insurance companies that don't extend policies to domestic partners.
You can find out more about what you can do to take charge of your own health at the National LGBT Health Awareness Week web page, www.lgbthealth.net/awarenessweek06.
Organizers of the free University of Michigan lecture series are offering the same call to action at their event geared to medical students, physicians, health care professionals and other interested members of the community.
The gatherings, held from noon to 1 p.m. on March 6, 7 and 9, at lecture halls inside Medical Science Building II on Catherine Street in Ann Arbor, will look at several issues, including how physicians can make their practices more gay-friendly.
The event is sponsored by the University of Michigan Medical School student group, Bisexuals, Gays, Lesbians and Allies in Medicine.
LGBT health resource cards and physician guides will be handed out to the doctors and others who attend, said event organizer and second-year UofM medical student Jesse Markman.
Nick Gorton, an emergency room physician at the Lyon-Martin Clinic in San Francisco, will speak about transgender health care.
Gorton is both transgendered and gay.
"Transgendered medicine is something that's not often covered in medical school," he said.
Gorton will speak about how doctors can make transgendered people feel more comfortable when they stop by for check-ups.
"There's a cultural competency for treating lesbians and gays," he said. "You shouldn't just assume any man who walks into your office has a female partner. The same cultural competency is true for transgendered people."
Treatment specifics for transgendered men and women will also be covered, he said.
Finding a competent physician familiar with transgender health issues is the first hurdle many in the T community face, said Gorton.
"Your primary care doctor may not know how to treat you," he said.
People in local transgender groups are a good source for names of T-friendly physicians. Referrals are available at the Harry Benjamin International Gender Dysphoria Association at http://www.hbigda.org or at the Gay and Lesbian Medical Association web page at http://www.glma.org.
Insurance can be another barrier to good health care, especially for people who haven't had lower-body surgery.
"If you are a transgender man and you need a pap smear, they may not cover it," he said. "Any of the hormones, blood tests, psychotherapy – they've tried not to pay for it."
Thankfully, some companies are trying to do the right thing, he said.
"One reason insurers are starting to offer these policies is people are asking for it," he said.
Event speaker Julie Lavrack Stetten, co-founder of the Lesbian Mom's Network, will tell doctors not to ask every child who visits their office whether they have a mom and dad.
"That way children in a lesbian family don't always have to explain themselves and fit into whatever that person thinks is a standard family unit," she said. Another discussion topic will cover encouraging doctors to not just ask the birth mom to make treatment choices.
"I would have them ask, 'who do you want making decisions for your child?'" she said. "They could give positive reception to both parents."
Gay people have a responsibility to take charge of their own health.
"I also think it's up to us as lesbians and gay men and transsexuals to be very open with our health care providers," she said. "You let them rise to the occasion to treat you as a whole person."
