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LGBTQ+ Health
LGBTQ+ individuals face specific health disparities and barriers to care that the medical system has historically failed to address. On Pair-A-Docs, we have the conversations that affirm, inform, and advocate — with the honesty and expertise that every person deserves.
Living authentically — in alignment with your true identity — has measurable health benefits. Research consistently shows that LGBTQ+ individuals who are able to live openly have better mental health outcomes, stronger relationships, and greater overall wellbeing. Yet LGBTQ+ people also face significant health disparities, including higher rates of certain cancers, mental health conditions, and substance use disorders, as well as persistent barriers to affirming healthcare.
Questions We Answer
- What health disparities affect LGBTQ+ individuals? Dr. Sherry Ross discusses the specific health risks and disparities that affect LGBTQ+ populations, including higher rates of certain cancers, mental health conditions, and cardiovascular disease.
- How can LGBTQ+ people find affirming healthcare providers? Finding providers who are knowledgeable about LGBTQ+ health and genuinely affirming is essential. We discuss practical strategies for identifying and evaluating providers.
- What are the health benefits of living authentically? The research on the psychological and physical health benefits of living in alignment with one's true identity is compelling. We discuss what it means and what it requires.
- How does internalized homophobia affect health? Internalized homophobia can affect sexual health, relationship satisfaction, and mental health in ways that are worth exploring with a knowledgeable therapist.
- What does representation mean for LGBTQ+ health? Media representation has real health implications for LGBTQ+ youth. Visibility and affirmation are not just cultural goods — they are health interventions.
- What are the specific health needs of LGBTQ+ relationships? Dr. Tammy Nelson discusses the particular dynamics that can arise in same-sex relationships and what it means to build a genuinely affirming relationship with yourself and your partner.
Episodes on This Topic
Leisha Hailey & Kate Moennig: Living Authentically
Actors and LGBTQ+ icons best known from The L Word, Leisha and Kate bring candid conversation about identity, relationships, and what it means to live authentically — on screen and off.
Ep 14Camryn Manheim: Owning Your Identity
Emmy Award-winning actress Camryn Manheim joins us for an honest, powerful conversation about body image, self-acceptance, and what it really means to own your identity — on your own terms.