‘Increased visibility for the LGBTQ+ population is essential not only during Pride Month, but throughout the year.’
As a gay medical provider, I want to be a positive role model for my patients, families and colleagues.
I take immense pride in my personal identity, my loving husband and son, my circle of family and friends, my church family and the community in which I work both here at Advocate Health Care and Aurora Health Care and also within the multiple professional networks I’m involved with across the nation.
If you look up “pride” in the dictionary, you’ll find it’s a “feeling of deep pleasure or satisfaction derived from one’s own achievements, the achievements of those with who one is closely associated or from qualities of possessions that are widely admired.”
Unfortunately, there are others who are unable to experience that same sense of pride I do, for various reasons. I want everyone to be comfortable being exactly who they are in every space of their life – at school or work, with family and friends – and at the end of the day, with themselves. That’s why every day, I try to serve as a role model for those around me.
Increased visibility for the LGBTQ+ population is essential not only during Pride Month, but throughout the year, to eliminate the pervasive discrimination that continues to prevent the LGBTQ+ community from accessing health care and to minimize the health care disparities that exist today.
I’m proud to be a part of the Advocate Health Care and Aurora Health Care team and its mission to maximize the Healthcare Equality Index through the Human Rights Campaign, promoting equitable and inclusive care for all LGBTQ+ patients and their families.
As we celebrate and embrace Gay Pride during the month of June, let us rightfully and joyously celebrate and promote the self-affirmation, dignity, equality and increased visibility of the LGBTQ+ community.
Looking for an LGBTQ+ friendly health care provider? Find one in Illinois or Wisconsin.
Andrew is a pediatric cardiologist at Advocate Children’s Hospital in Oak Lawn, Ill.
Related Posts
Comments
3 Comments
About the Author
health enews staff is a group of experienced writers from our Advocate Health Care and Aurora Health Care sites, which also includes freelance or intern writers.
Do you have any suggestions on how to approach finding a local gay practitioner? I’ve done various searches and they all seem to be pretty distant. I’m north of Chicago and thought they’d be more plentiful here.
Hi David,
It can be challenging to find a good doctor and even more so when you want one with significant knowledge and cultural competency in a specific area, like the LGBTQ+ community. That said, I have two recommendations for you.
First, check out https://www.advocateaurorahealth.org/our-story/diversity-equity-inclusion/lgbtq-health/il-providers. These doctors have all been vetted as culturally competent and knowledgeable about the care of LGBTQ+ persons.
Second, if possible, talk to friends who can make referrals. That is how I ultimately found all of my doctors.
Good luck.
Thank you Dr. Van Bergen for a heartfelt and timely article. With discrimination and animosity towards members of the LGBTQ+ community so pervasive, it is incumbent on all of us to be aware of which politicians holding and running for office advocate for inclusion and dignity and which ones support laws and policies that do the opposite. We can all raise our voices and cast our votes accordingly.