A man we spoke with told us he avoided going to his GP because he feared being judged, stigmatised, or discriminated against as a queer person. He did not disclose his sexuality. His care suffered for it.
If you are queer, trans, bi, or anywhere else under the LGBTQ+ umbrella and also Black, you know there is a double layer to navigating health, family, faith, and community. This page is for you.
Faith and sexuality
Faith and queerness are not always at war. They are not always at peace either. We are not here to resolve that for you. We are here to say that both can be true at once, and both can be part of a full life.
House of Rainbow is a UK organisation specifically for LGBTQ+ people of African and Caribbean heritage who want to keep their faith. Their work is rare and worth knowing about.
Disclosure at the GP
Whether and when to tell your doctor is your call. But it can affect the care you get, especially for sexual health, mental health, and any prescription that interacts with hormones or PrEP.
If you decide to disclose, here is a script:
"Before we go further, I want you to know I am a Black man who has sex with men. I am telling you because I want my notes to be accurate, and I want my care to reflect my life. I am asking that this is recorded without judgement."
If a doctor responds badly, you have the right to request a different GP, in the same surgery or in a different one entirely.
Code-switching, coming out, choosing who knows
A man told us he is out in some rooms and not in others. That is a real strategy, not a moral failing. It is also exhausting. The De-Mask tool is for this too.