LGBTQ+  Health

As LGBTQ+ people, we have a wide range of experiences throughout our lives and in our daily interactions within our communities that impact our health. These experiences can be related to heterosexism, homophobia, biphobia, sexism, and transphobia we can experience in the media, our workplaces, our communities and our families, as well as other parts of our identities. This section provides some basic information and links to other resources that can help us be our healthiest selves.

It can be hard to find health information specific to LGBTQ+, especially since so much of what we know about health is based on cisgender, heterosexual people, and heteronormative lifestyles. Not all health and service providers are up to date on issues that matter for LGBTQ+ people’s health. In this section, you will find resources and links to information that specifically relates to LGBTQ+ health. This section is not exhaustive – please let us know if you know of other resources you would like to see added.

Although there is a lot of focus on physical aspects of health, being healthy also includes:

• Feeling good about ourselves, our skills and abilities, our bodies, and our relationships
• Doing things that we enjoy
• Spending time with people who care about us
• Being connected to supportive communities
• Thinking about ways to manage stress in our lives
• Being knowledgeable about, and in tune with, our bodies

Are you a health care provider that would like to know more about supporting your LGBTQ+ patients?

ARCH offers training and resources for service providers. To request training, contact Jasper Smith  at education@archguelph.ca to see upcoming sessions.

Rainbow Health Ontario has a resource database, including information about training opportunities.

Fenway Health has online learning modules on LGBT healthcare provision.