Navigating Cancer as an LGBTQIA+ Parent
Parenting with cancer can be an isolating experience. Parents who are LGBTQIA+ experience additional alienation due to discrimination in healthcare, provider bias, underrepresentation in research and estrangement from family support. Even welcoming support spaces may not reflect your experience.
Safe, inclusive and affirming health care is a right for all patients.
Taking Pride in Your Care: Suggestions for Patients on Advocating for Affirming Care
Coming out to a provider can be scary
Consider asking trusted contacts for referrals to providers
Share your pronouns and chosen name with providers to establish genuine rapport–research has linked this type of openness to better health outcomes
Keep in mind that the Affordable Care Act prevents health care providers who receive federal funding from discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity
Questions to ask your healthcare provider regarding your cancer care:
Do you have experience working with LGBTQ+ patients?
How can we address potential biases in my care?
What specific health screenings do you recommend for me based on my gender identity and/or sexual orientation?"
Can my partner/support person be included in my care and treatment decisions?
What support networks are available to individuals who have my orientation or concerns?
Consider how cancer and treatment may affect your choices in family building
Family planning conversations are impacted by sexual orientation and one’s body. Research shows that conversations about fertility options are not discussed as often as they should, and medical systems have historically failed to provide inclusive sexual and reproductive health care for persons identifying as LGBTQ+
You may want to consider the following issues regarding family planning and get more information from your providers:
For individuals assigned female at birth (AFAB):
Do you want to experience pregnancy?
Is it important to you to be genetically related to the child?
If you are in a partnership with another person AFAB, do they want to experience pregnancy or be genetically related to the child?
How will you choose the sperm?
How does your cancer history impact your reproductive health?
If considering reciprocal invitrofertilization (IVF):
Who will be the egg donor?
Who will carry the pregnancy?
Will you consider an anonymous or known sperm donor?
If considering other fertility options, talk to your provider about:
Options for freezing eggs or embryos
Pausing an endocrine therapy plan long enough to get pregnant
Egg harvesting
Cultivating Pride for Patients: Suggestions for Providers on Affirming Care
Utilize affirming language in-person, on forms, and on websites
Examples:
If you don’t know a patient’s pronouns, use “they” or refer to them as “the patient”
Utilize “Partner,” instead of wife/husband or spouse
Ask a person’s chosen name and pronouns
Introduce yourself using your pronouns with every patient
Utilize inclusive sexual orientation and gender identity demographic questions
Allow patients to sign forms using their legal and chosen name
When asking about family and emergency contacts, allow for chosen support people, not just biological family
Create an affirming office space
Have access to an all gender restroom
Display a pride flag
Hire diverse staff
Offer LGBTQ+ affirming care trainings for staff, including diverse LGBTQ communities and strengths of LGBTQ+ patients
Provide affirming cancer care to non-binary and trans patients
Don’t assume anatomy
Delete automatic reminders (e.x: for mammograms, pap smears)
Add an “organ inventory” to forms that inquire about parts of the patient’s body in an inclusive/non-assuming way
Resources
Bright Spot Network Resources
Other Helpful Resources