just out ▼ January 20, 1995 ▼ 7
Answers Within
For Survivors of Trauma
Side One
Cure for
discrimination
Understanding
How Trauma
Side Two
Experiencing
Your Safe
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A local lesbian physician helps pave path
toward equality in health care
MANCHI
▼
D IA M O N D B A C K
by Inga Sorensen
CANNONDAU
« I « M V IfT M
DOW W TOVIW
tt7-M U
eforming an entrenched institution is
The next logical step was the adoption of this
no easy chore, in fact, it is a project
particular policy, in which White drafted a section
many people would forsake for less
dealing with lesbian health concerns. “For years
lofty tasks. Not so for Jocelyn C.
the AMA viewed gayness as something to be
White, a Portland physician who is
cured. Now it is something to be accepted,” she
helping drag the medical establishment out
of adding
the
says,
she realizes this is a tall order.
dark ages when it comes to addressing the needs
A survey last year of members of GLMA—
of sexual minority health care providers and cli
formerly known as the American Association of
ents.
Physicians for Human Rights— found that 64
“Even today, there are many doctors who
percent believed gay and lesbian patients risked
simply don’t want to take care of gay and lesbian
receiving substandard care if they disclosed their
patients due to fear and prejudice,” says White,
sexual orientation to their health care providers.
who, at the age of 33, has a thriving private
The new policy, meanwhile, cites a 1989 survey
practice and is an instructor at Good Samaritan
of general practitioners in which only one-third of
Hospital and Medical Center’s residency pro
respondents felt comfortable with gay men and 11
gram. White, who is also an assistant professor at
percent said homosexuality was an illness.
Oregon Health Sciences University, is the vice
GLMA has made an effort to shatter the nega
president of the Gay and Lesbian Medical Asso
tive stereotypes of gay men and lesbians by hold
ciation, a 1,600-member organization composed
ing meetings with AMA leaders and other medi
primarily of gay and
cal colleagues. Group
lesbian health care
members have met with
¿to M
providers who are con
Clinton administration
cerned about the ineq
health officials, and
uities they and sexual
GLMA has launched a
minority patients of
campaign to encourage
ten face in the medical
health organizations
world. “Things are
across the United States
getting a little better,”
and Canada to adopt
she says, “ but the
ant i - di s cr i mi n a t i o n
changes are extremely
statements based on
slow.”
sexual orientation.
In what can be de
White has also writ
scribed as a dramatic
ten extensively on les
evolutionary step for
bian and gay heath care
ward, the American
issues. A paperof hers,
Medical Association
"Lesbian Healthcare:
last month adopted a
What the primary doc
report that calls for a
tor needs to know,” is
“nonjudgmental rec
slated for publication
ognition of sexual ori
in the Western Journal
entation by physi
o
f Medicine, and she’s
Jocelyn C. White
written chapters per
cian s.” It may not
sound so wild and crazy to some, but since 1981
taining to the specific health needs of gay and
the AMA has had on its books a policy that
lesbian patients for a handful of medical text
books.
supported treatments aimed at changing gay men
and lesbians into heterosexuals. That policy backed
That type of proactive work on the part of
the use of “aversion therapy,” which included
lesbian and gay health care providers may be an
practices such as showing gay men pictures of
important factor in the AMA’s recent policy shift.
nude men and then administering electric shocks.
As medical professionals get to know gay and
lesbian colleagues, they may become more com
The newly adopted report, titled “Health Care
fortable with sexual minorities in general.
Needs of Gay Men and Lesbians in the U.S.,” says
all patients “regardless of their sexual orientation,
One published newspaper report quotes Dr.
have a right to respect and concern for their lives
M. Roy Schwartz, the AMA’s vice president, as
saying he was surprised the [new] policy paper
and values.” Additionally, the report, which was
adopted by the AMA’s governing House of Del
was adopted without dissent. He says, “There
egates, acknowledges that “gay men and lesbians
were physicians who announced from the floor
face ostracism and discrimination from some
[of the meeting] that they were gay. That wouldn’t
have happened five years ago.”
health professionals.” It also says sexual minori
ties may have some “unique mental health con
It is assuredly the persistence of people like
White that is paving the path toward equality. “I
cerns,” not, as the old policy inferred, because of
have to admit I did wonder whether I would be
their sexual orientations, but rather because of the
hurt professionally by being out and being out
social attitudes and discrimination they face due
spoken on gay and lesbian health issues,” says
to who they are.
White, who last year was invited by the National
White and other GLMA members were instru
Institutes of Health to speak on lesbian health
mental in laying the groundwork for the adoption
issues. “I’m pleased to say for the most part that
of the new policy, which will likely have long-
that hasn’t happened.”
lasting effects on how sexual minority health care
White, who received her medical degree from
providers and clients are treated.
New York University School of Medicine, lives
“This was really part of a process. An impor
in Portland with her partner, Lynn Nakamoto, an
tant change occurred last year when the AMA
attorney. The two have been active in the lesbian
agreed to adopt a nondiscrimination statement
and gay community for many years.
based on sexual orientation," says White.
R
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