7 Ways To Support Your LGBTQ+ Employees Beyond Pride Month

Originally published on IncludedHealth.com

While Pride Month might be over, support for the LGBTQ+ community should continue year round. The workplace is the perfect setting to show up for queer and trans people in impactful ways every day—helping us to be safe, respected, and feel a sense of belonging. It's become increasingly important to employees, as well as customers and clients, that businesses foster work environments that welcome the LGBTQ+ community. 

When a company stands behind its queer and trans employees in both its workplace policies and culture, it results in better collaboration between colleagues, improved productivity, and better business results. Beyond the benefit of recruiting the best talent, supportive companies can expect to retain more satisfied employees in the long run—84% of LGBTQ+ employees at supportive companies say they are proud to work there, compared to 68% at unsupportive companies. It's essential for employers and HR leaders to take action to make people of all identities within the LGBTQ+ community more comfortable, safe, and happy . 

Below are 7 simple ways to continue supporting your LGTBQ+ employees year round:  

1. Respect other people’s pronouns

It’s essential to respect people’s pronouns and refer to them by their correct ones, especially considering that being misgendered creates a negative touchpoint for queer and trans people leading to worse mental health and workplace engagement. Our community includes individuals who are non-binary, transgender, and gender-fluid and use various pronouns, like he/him, she/her, they/them and/or neopronouns like ze/hir. So it’s important to never rely on perceptions or assumptions when it comes to someone’s pronouns, as our pronouns may or may not match our gender expression. 

We recommend leading by example and introducing yourself with your pronouns first. This is a great way to create an inclusive environment allowing others to introduce themselves with their pronouns. You can and should also correct co-workers if they misgender a colleague, as it can be scary and laborious for LGBTQ+ employees to have to correct repeatedly. For digital introductions, add your pronouns to your email signature, Slack profile, Zoom display name, and social media accounts. Lastly, work with your workforce management vendors to enable employees to add and edit their pronouns as necessary.

2. Educate yourself

Our community is incredibly diverse, and our experiences are personal—not every person will have an answer to your questions. Additionally, many of us have faced trauma and discrimination, which makes it exhausting to be tasked with educating people at work. Instead, employers and HR leaders should research, listen, and partner with your LGBTQ+ employees to build understanding. Leverage resources from organizations like Human Rights Campaign, The Trevor Project, and GLSEN to educate yourself about the experiences of queer and trans people and learn how to be better allies and advocates. Consider implementing diversity training to share these resources across your organization. Join your Pride resource groups to gain perspective. And for people at companies offering Included Health’s care concierge, our care coordinators are here to help connect you to trainings and resources. 

3. Adjust your Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Policies to include the LGBTQ+ Community

Workplace culture starts with the policies a company upholds, and HR and Culture leaders have the unique opportunity to shape them. Company policies must protect all sexual orientations and gender identities while also celebrating LGBTQ+ employees. Employers should update their company policies to remove any gendered language that may potentially alienate LGBTQ+ employees. For example, eliminating gendered language in dress code policies, parental leave policies, and removing the “s/he” mentions in job descriptions can signal a more inclusive work environment and attract more candidates to the company. Employers should also conduct a top to bottom audit to find and replace gendered language that is used across intranet resources and other internal tools for employees to ensure a thorough policy update.

4. Invest in Employee Resource Groups

If Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) do not already exist in your workplace, give employees the resources they need to start one—appoint someone who is passionate about this mission to lead the group and allow employees to take the necessary time to participate in, build and promote the ERG. If ERGs already exist at your company, make sure to further invest in those existing groups to support the LGBTQ+ community in the workplace. Having true executive sponsorship, budget and buy-in can help foster community and belonging, and create space for all of your employees to thrive at work.

5. Offer benefits that truly meet your LGBTQ+ employees' needs

Queer and trans people often face discrimination within the healthcare system. We also have unique healthcare needs that cisgender and non-LGBTQ+ colleagues never face. Whether it’s finding insurance coverage for gender-affirming surgery, or an affirming LGBTQ+ therapist or doctor, queer and trans people need extra support and resources that are not always available in health plan tools like provider directories or navigation teams.. HR leaders and employers can provide LGBTQ+ employees with the benefits they deserve through healthcare concierge platforms that are intended for the community. 

Grindr recently partnered with Included Health so they could offer an LGBTQ+ affirming care concierge to best serve their queer and trans employees health needs. "We are committed to creating a safe space for LGBTQ+ people around the world and want to ensure that our benefit offerings reflect that dedication by providing our employees and their loved ones with the supportive, affirming healthcare everyone deserves," Heidi Schriefer, the Vice President, People of Grindr, says. 

6. Establish a workplace resource for LGBTQ+ employees

Julia, the Principal People Relations Manager at Genentech, has seen firsthand how LGBTQ+ employees benefit from having someone they can rely on at work. "Part of my job includes being a navigator. If an employee reaches out to me needing guidance on fundamental issues, I help them put a plan together to get what they need," she says. "They might ask questions like 'how do I come out to my manager?' or 'how do I help my colleagues remember my pronouns?' and I offer ways of communication and find solutions so that they can be their true self at work." Julia sees how this has made a difference for employees at Genentech. "Luckily, LGBTQ+ employees at Genentech rarely have to come to me. But I do get emails saying, 'I'm so happy you're here.' I think it's important for LGBTQ+ employees to know that they have someone in their corner at work. “Supporting the LGBTQ+ community should be something that isn't an ‘extra’ for a company, but a part of its culture,” she adds. “At Genentech, it’s who we are.”

7. Support  LGBTQ+ organizations 

Showing support for the LGBTQ+ community can extend outside of the workplace. Fundraising for local and national LGBTQ+ charities and organizations demonstrates that your business not only accepts the community, but is actively providing resources. There are hundreds of organizations, all with unique and important missions, that you can volunteer with or donate to.

It’s equally essential to review what entities or individuals your company is already financially backing, and the beliefs they actively support. While a handful of major companies have outwardly expressed their acceptance of the LGBTQ+ community, a recent report exposed their donations to be supporting politicians who are introducing anti-LGBTQ+ legislation. Research where your money is going, and whether or not your donations are championing the causes you and your company care about.

Being an LGBTQ+ ally is not a title you’re given, it’s in your actions. And, it doesn’t hurt that these changes can create real impact to growth (Deloitte found that companies which had LGBT-supportive policies experienced 2.7% higher average employee productivity and 25% higher average profitability compared to those without LGBT-supportive policies.) Implementing changes to improve the lives of all queer and trans people can easily start with small changes at the individual level and at the company level. While a lot of what you can do for the community can involve change within your workplace culture, remember to initiate change in yourself first. Whether it’s remembering to use your employee’s pronouns or educating yourself on the LGBTQ+ experience, lead by example to make your workspace a safe place for everyone. 

At Included Health, we strive to provide friendly and exceptional healthcare navigation services to the LGBTQ+ community. Join our mailing list to receive more health and wellbeing updates from our care team. And please do not hesitate to contact us to #GetIncluded for your company, health plan, and community.

The Facts Every LGBTQ+ Person Needs to Know About PrEP

Originally published on IncludedHealth.com

Taking PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis) can be an important aspect of wellness for queer and trans people. Simply put, PrEP is an HIV prevention pill, and as of July 2021, almost all insurance plans and state Medicaid programs must cover the cost of PrEP as well as the required clinic visits and lab tests, with no cost sharing—this means the entire experience of maintaining a prescription to PrEP should now be totally free for almost all insured individuals. 

At Included Health, we’re delighted to see the progress made in this important aspect of HIV-prevention and care. And we’re here to support our members as this change is made by insurance plans: we can help find providers or clinics to help prescribe you PrEP, schedule appointments, and navigate through the insurance billing process so that you get the healthcare you deserve.

Read on below to learn more of the history and facts you should know about starting PrEP. 

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

What is PrEP?

PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis) is prescribed to people of all genders, transgender experiences, races, ethnicities, and ages who are at high risk of contracting HIV (human immunodeficiency virus.) HIV hinders one’s body to fight infection, and if left untreated, it can lead to AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome), the late stage of HIV. While HIV does not only affect the LGBTQ+ community, it has and continues to affect queer and trans people disproportionately. 

Why does HIV/AIDS disproportionately affect LGBTQ+ people?

While many believe that HIV/AIDS surfaced in 1981 with cisgender gay men who lived in urban American cities like New York City and San Francisco, research has shown otherwise. In actuality, the virus first appeared in what is now the Democratic Republic Congo during the 1920s, and most likely arrived in the US in the 1960s. Because it can take anywhere from five to 10 years for HIV to develop into AIDS, scientists believe HIV began spreading here in the early 1970s—nearly a decade before the HIV/AIDS pandemic began and people started dying from AIDS-related illnesses. 

The virus killed more than 120 gay men by 1981, and scientists labeled the disease “GRID” (Gay-Related Immune Deficiency). The name inherently stigmatized the gay community, wrongly putting the responsibility on individuals. Scientists later renamed the virus AIDS after finding that it was affecting a larger population of people, including hemophiliacs and children of intravenous drug users (IDUs) who were also exhibiting associated symptoms. 

A number of factors led to HIV/AIDS spreading within the LGBTQ+ community: unprotected sex, anonymous sex, the sharing of needles and syringes for drug use. Most importantly however, systemic anti-LGBTQ+ discrimination caused and excaserbated conditions including homelessness, unemployment, and lack of health insurance. In the end, the government and healthcare systems failing to focus on and provide necessary education and resources for the LGBTQ+ community and our health, coupled with lack of prevention, enabled HIV/AIDS to disproportionately spread in the LGBTQ+ community. 

HIV still affects members of our community today because of those initial systemic failings. Trans people are diagnosed with HIV at a higher rate than the general population, with trans women being 49 times more likely to be living with HIV than trans men (0-3%), according to the CDC. Scientists have also found that cisgender women are at a higher risk of HIV than cisgender men and account for 23% of the 1.1 million people living with HIV in the US, with Black and Latinx women having a higher incidence rate of contracting the virus than white women. HIV can affect anyone, regardless of their sexual orientation, gender, transgender experience, race, ethnicity, or age. The good news is that PrEP is one of the most effective methods LGBTQ+ can take to prevent contracting HIV.

How does PrEP prevent HIV? 

PrEP is an oral medication that combines two antiretroviral medicines, tenofovir and emtricitabine, and lowers the chances of the HIV virus from replicating in your body and spreading. PrEP is prescribed as a preventative strategy, meaning people take the anti-HIV drug to lower their chances of contracting when they encounter it through sex or drug use. 

Who should take PrEP? 

PrEP is prescribed to HIV-negative adults and adolescents who have anal and/or vaginal sex and are at a higher risk of contracting HIV. PrEP is also prescribed to people who share syringes and needles for drug use with someone who is living with HIV. However, is not just for cisgender gay men and intravenous drug users. HIV can affect anyone, regardless of their sexual orientation, gender, transgender experience, race, ethnicity, or age. 

PrEP may benefit you if you:

• Do not consistently use condoms

• Engage in sex with multiple or anonymous partners

• Have a sexual partner living with HIV

• Been recently diagnosed with an STD

• Have repeatedly taken PEP (post-exposure prophylaxis) or on-demand PrEP

• Are considering pregnancy and have a partner living with HIV

How often do you take PrEP?

Daily PrEP is a single pill taken once a day, every day. Once you start taking PrEP, you have to have lab tests every three months to make sure you have not contracted HIV and assess kidney function. 

What if I miss a dose?

Missing a dose may lower your level of protection against the virus, so it is important that you take PrEP as prescribed by your healthcare provider. 

How long does it take for PrEP to start working? 

The timeline for daily PrEP’s effectiveness varies from person to person. For people who have receptive anal sex (bottoming), it takes at least a week for the drug to offer its maximum protection against HIV. For receptive partners in vaginal intercourse and injection drug users, it is estimated to be about 21 days. PrEP is 99% effective in preventing the transmission of HIV through sex when taken as prescribed. When it comes to drug use, PrEP has shown to reduce the chances of contracting the virus by 70%. 

If I start taking PrEP, do I still have to use condoms?

PrEP only reduces the risk of contracting HIV—not other STIs. While some people choose not to use condoms for a variety of reasons, a combination of condoms and PrEP is one of the most effective ways of reducing your chances of getting HIV. There are other, effective methods to reduce your chances that do involve PrEP or condoms. 

If I choose to take PrEP, do I have to take it for the rest of my life? 

No, PrEP does not have to be a life-long drug. Your reasons for taking PrEP or your exposure to HIV may change over time. It’s safe to start and stop taking PrEP with the proper medical guidance. 

You may choose to stop taking PrEP if you: 

• Only engage in low-risk behavior (oral sex, kissing) or are not currently having sex

• Are in a monogamous relationship 

• Experience side effects (nausea, headaches, vomiting) associated with PrEP 

• Use other STI preventative measures (condoms, PEP) 

• Decide to no longer inject drugs or share drug paraphernalia like syringes  needles

How do I start taking PrEP? 

PrEP requires a prescription from your healthcare provider. You must complete an HIV blood test to confirm your negative status before you receive PrEP. Your provider will also ask you to take a risk assessment for HIV, kidney function testing, pregnancy testing. 

What kinds of PrEP can I take?

Truvada and Descovy are the only two brand-name PrEP medications approved for PrEP use by the FDA and CDC. A generic equivalent to Truvada has also been approved for use in the US. Truvada can be prescribed for adults and adolescents over 77 pounds, and Descovy can be prescribed to adults and adolescents over 77 pounds excluding those who have receptive vaginal sex because it has not yet been studied for this use.

Where can I get a prescription for PrEP? 

Included Health members can find providers who are able to prescribe PrEP through our dedicated care concierge. We match you with one of our 4000+ vetted providers in your area who is knowledgeable in LGBTQ+-affirming care. 

For anyone interested in PrEP, there’s a handful of resources, like PrEP Locator and Greater Than Aids, that can help you find a PrEP provider near you. Your local health department and your doctor’s office may be able to write you a prescription. 

Once you have your prescription, it’s important to know that PrEP may only be available at certain pharmacies. Be sure to verify pharmacy information with your provider during your appointment!

I’m afraid to ask my healthcare provider about going on PrEP. What should I do? 

If you’re concerned about having conversations about PrEP, it’s best to plan ahead to make those conversations successful. First, make sure your provider is knowledgeable about PrEP and is comfortable with prescribing it. Calling your provider in advance is a great way to make sure this is a service they can provide. (For Included Health Members, your dedicated Care Coordinator can vet your provider and ensure they’re able to provide the care you need!) 

Once you’re at your appointment, be prepared to share that you’d like to start PrEP. You can also say that you’re looking to take preventative medication to avoid contracting HIV, or refer to PrEP’s brand names (Truvada or Descovy) to introduce the topic of PrEP. Your provider will likely ask some questions about your sexual activity and drug use, which is part of their process to determine how you will benefit from being on PrEP. This is also a great opportunity to ask questions you have about PrEP. 

Last, if your provider is not comfortable prescribing PrEP and providing the necessary related care (like ordering quarterly labs), there are specialty clinics that can provide it. You should never be discriminated against or shamed for taking care of your sexual health, and there are providers who will prescribe you preventative medication, it’s just a matter of finding them!

How do I pay for PrEP? 

Almost all insurance plans and state Medicaid programs cover the cost of PrEP as well as the required clinic visits and lab tests, with no cost sharing—this means the entire experience of maintaining a prescription to PrEP should now be totally free for almost all insured individuals. Anyone on insurance who is interested in PrEP should be aware of this change (effective July 2021). Included Health Members can reach out to your dedicated care coordinator to help navigate claims and billing with your insurance if you receive surprise bills associated with PrEP. 

For those not on insurance, there are also PrEP assistance programs in most states dedicated to providing financial assistance with prescriptions. Ready, Set, PrEP works with eligible clients to get them PrEP for free, while a list of states have PrEP Assistance Programs that can lower the costs associated with PrEP. 

Learning about the precautions we can take to have safer sex, like taking PrEP, can lead to more sexually positive experiences and potentially save you and your sexual partner(s) from experiencing severe health consequences. At Included Health, we strive to connect every client with an LGBTQ+ healthcare provider that can meet their needs, including prescribing PrEP. Join our mailing list to receive more health and wellbeing updates from our care team. And please do not hesitate to contact us to #GetIncluded for your company, health plan, and community.

Inclusive Dress Codes Make Work Better for LGBTQ+ People—And Everyone Else

Originally published on IncludedHealth.com

Dress code policies often separate employees by gender. They also typically single out women and women-assumed people by policing their attire more harshly. But queer and trans people shouldn’t have to adhere to gender norms to maintain the appearance of professionalism. 

At the retail store that Bruno, a queer man, works at in Arizona, there’s a gender neutral dress code policy. “My employer offers the same selection of uniform apparel to all employees, regardless of the item,” he says. “The level of respect that my coworkers treat me with has been unaffected by the fact of whether I’m wearing a miniskirt or a four-piece suit. It’s a very inclusive work environment where everyone seems to focus on the quality of your work as opposed to the items of clothing on your back.”

By avoiding gender stereotypes, workplace dress codes can accommodate people in the LGBTQ+ community and relieve us of the burden of norms that make us feel like we can’t be ourselves. While employers have the right to set guidelines on what we wear when it concerns our safety or maintaining a professional image, it’s more complex than that. Dress codes with more flexibility can help us to celebrate our identities, whether we’re gay, queer, lesbian, bisexual, or transgender.

How Work Dress Codes Affect Us

“I have had many experiences in which my work dress code was used to stifle my identity and expression,” Scottie, a non-binary trans person says. “I had been written up in a six-month review for not appearing ‘professional’ enough,” they added. “When I pressed them for more information, they gave me examples of things I could do to ‘improve’ my professionalism. All of [the suggestions] were specifically related to me having a more femme presentation, including makeup, dress slacks, and even my shoes, despite me wearing the exact same clothing as my cis-male coworkers. I’d like to see policies that remove gender from the table altogether. Business casual can incorporate all gender-presentations inherently.”

The Human Rights Campaign’s “A Workplace Divided” study found that 46 percent of queer and trans employees are closeted at work. Additionally, one in five LGBTQ+ workers have been told or had coworkers imply that they should dress more feminine or masculine aligning to the “traditional” gender norms. Only one in 24 non-LGBTQ workers faced the same discrimination. 

We’re Better Workers When We Can Be Ourselves 

“When my more masculine clothing was tied to a ‘lack of professionalism,’ I caved and purchased more femme pants and shoes so as to not further upset my employer,” Scottie says. “I was extremely uncomfortable, felt not only exposed but erased or hidden. The gender dysphoria made my workdays miserable, and it bled into my daily life as well. My interaction with my patients and clients was subpar because I was hyper-focused on how uncomfortable I felt with my appearance and how I had to carry myself to compensate.”

Bruno is a better employee and colleague because he can express his LGBTQ+ identity at work. “Having a baseline of respect that never changes based on what I’m wearing has helped me thrive in my work environment,” he says. “I feel empowered to follow my intuition and trust my instincts,” Bruno adds. “I’m super fortunate to be working in a very open and inclusive work environment.” 

Inclusive Dress Codes Benefit Everyone 

The clothes we put on for work, uniform or otherwise, serve as an extension of who we are. When employers eliminate barriers that keep us from expressing who we are, we have more space to bring our full selves to work and can better focus on our jobs. At Micron Technology, Inc., the dress code policies set “basic” ground rules for how employees should dress: professional, clean, and tidy. Micron places trust in their team by allowing their workers to interpret what is and isn’t suitable attire. 

“Micron wants our team members to be comfortable and their true selves,” Susi, a team member advocate at Micron, says. “People are really good at knowing how to dress for their role. We’ve made a lot of progress in the last ten years when it comes to people feeling free to be themselves in a workspace.” 

Susi serves as a layer of support by assisting team members who are considering transitioning and resolving any LGBTQ+ discriminatory issues. “Being able to dress more comfortably helps people with their creativity and collaboration,” she says. “They’re not fussing with their clothes or worrying about whether they have to wear a uniform that doesn’t suit them.” 

Important Things To Remember When Creating a Workplace Dress Code Policy

• Allow employees to dress authentically and comfortably 

• Create rules that focus on articles of clothing rather than on gender and grooming standards that could be applied to any employee

• Avoid mandating employees to wear clothing that enforces gender stereotypes and set guidelines that allow them to choose how they present 

• Use non-gendered language, like “dress appropriately” and “appear clean and tidy,” if employers want their employees to appear professional 

• Place trust in their employee’s sense of judgement (which empowers employees and leads to better collaboration and work!)

Workplace dress codes greatly impact our mental well-being, how we collaborate with our colleagues, how we interact with customers, and the work we produce. That’s why, as a community, we need policies that allow us to be our authentic selves in what we wear. We work better when we work together. 

How LGBTQ+ Affirming Therapy Benefits LGBTQ+ People

Originally published on IncludedHealth.com

Our mental health and wellbeing is important, and sometimes the best way to take care of our mental health is with the support of a professional. We deserve mental healthcare that is culturally competent in providing treatment for gay, queer, lesbian, bisexual, and trans people’s experiences. LGBTQ+-affirming therapists not only offer the tools we need to overcome any challenge but can help us live our most authentic lives. 

What is affirming therapy?

“When I was growing up in my small, Texas hometown, I didn’t have many queer and trans friends that I could confide in,” Brian, a gay, Latinx man from New York, says. “And because of that, I never had the best foundation of camaraderie with the LGBTQ+ community,” he adds. “So when I began my search for a therapist, I had to consider what I should share about my life because I didn’t know whether I was going to be ridiculed or accepted in a session. My [affirming therapist] alleviated that stress and made me realize a stronger relationship with the LGBTQ+ community would benefit me. Now, I’m immersing myself more in the community and developing my own identity as a queer person.” 

Affirming therapy is more than just accepting of your identity—it’s care from a competent provider with knowledge and tools that apply to your specific experiences. It embraces all LGBTQ+ identities and addresses how heterosexism, homophobia, and transphobia can affect our daily lives. “Many of my clients are working through the trauma of being shamed about their sexuality or gender experience,” Seth Ambrose, a gay affirming therapist in California, says. “Having an affirming therapist means that that shame can be addressed sooner, in this peer to peer way,” he added. ”[A client may think] ‘if my therapist is queer or my affirming therapist keeps showing me that there's no problem with my identity, then maybe it's okay for me to be who I am out in the world.’” 

Dennis, a care coordinator at Included Health, spends every day connecting members to affirming providers, including therapists. In one situation, Dennis was working with a gender-expansive person who first reached out to them to find counseling. When Dennis matched her with a provider, she hesitated to set up an appointment; she said she felt like an imposter who just “dressed up once in a while.” After a few conversations where Dennis offered their full support, she made an appointment and, eventually, transitioned. “I’m thankful that I kept nudging this member, because if I hadn’t, she might not have started seeing that initial therapist who helped her embrace her identity,” Dennis says. 

How current systems impact LGBTQ+ care

Jay, a non-binary, queer person in Michigan, began their mental healthcare journey with a non-affirming therapist. “I told her I do drag and had explored ideas of gender, and she kept those parts of our conversation very short,” they say. As someone new to the therapy process, Jay kept an open mind. “By the third session, I realized that this isn’t how it’s supposed to be,” they say. “When I discussed my ex-boyfriend, she kept centering any struggles in my life to that relationship. She asked me ‘do you think you are the way you are because of your relationships with men?’ and said my sexuality was harmful to myself.” 

Jay reported the therapist to her superiors and, after a six year break from counseling, found an affirming therapist that embraces their LGBTQ+ identity.  “When I started seeking out treatment again, I wanted to make sure I was going to be taken care of,” Jays says. “So I went through my primary physician, who’s a part of a local LGBTQ+ focused health organization. I was put on a waitlist at first, but when I was given my new therapist’s intake form to fill out, they asked me what my pronouns were,” they added. “I had never been asked by a doctor before, so it was an easy decision [to become a patient] because of that.” 

The experience of finding an affirming therapist changed Jay’s perspective of mental healthcare. “I used to see therapy through an objective lens that never involved intersectionality, which is interesting because I check off a lot of boxes,” they said. “It’s been amazing.”  

The value of an affirming therapist

Therapy doesn’t boil down to just affirming versus non-affirming, according to Ambrose. “A lot of LGBTQ+ people are looking for [a therapist] who identifies as queer or trans,” he says. “I do hear clients say things like ‘I had a really lovely therapist, but I couldn't actually talk about my queer experience [with them].’ It's been an important part of my practice to be willing to offer the self-revelation that I’m queer in an initial or second session because part of a successful treatment is the feeling of being seen, known, understood. In my practice, I work with a lot of gay men, and they might talk about the party they went to last week or registering for a marriage in a smaller town with their same-sex partner. There’s a sense of ‘he gets it’ that comes from my clients.”

The LGBTQ+ experience cannot be replicated through medical training. When queer and trans people don’t have to educate a therapist to get the treatment we need, we’re able to feel more comfortable. “That doesn't speak to a lack of efficacy of therapists who identify as community allies, but rather the traumas that queer and trans people have sustained at the hands of a more heteronormative counterpart in the world,” Ambrose says.

“The right therapist is out there for everyone, which makes it all the more reason to do your research, try therapy out, and keep looking until you find the right one,” Brian says. “The whole process [of finding an affirming therapist] has taught me that there is no linear guide to having good mental health,” he adds. “It takes change, experimenting, exploring and investigating, and most importantly, always listening to your needs and meeting them accordingly.” 

Affirming therapists, whether they belong to or are allies of the community, practice to improve the mental well-being of all LGBTQ+ members. As medical professionals, they understand the dynamic lives we lead and provide every queer and trans invidual the opportunity to heal and grow. 

At Included Health, we strive to provide friendly and exceptional healthcare service to the LGBTQ+ community. Become a member today to receive more health and wellbeing updates from our care team. And please do not hesitate to contact us to #GetIncluded for your company, health plan, and community.

Included Health Helped Me Take Control of My Healthcare Journey

Originally published on IncludedHealth.com

Finding the right providers can be a lengthy, daunting process for a queer or trans person. We have healthcare needs that must be met but are not always understood by every medical professional. That’s why there’s no underscoring the importance of providers who are not only affirming but are educated on how to facilitate our healthcare journeys. When we’re met with discrimination rather than compassion from providers, it can deter us from seeking help. Being a cis, gay man myself, I’ve experienced the prejudice that can come with seeking treatment firsthand. So when I began looking for LGBTQ+ affirming providers, I trusted Included Health to help me with my search.

My experience with Included Health began with filling out a care request form that inquired about my healthcare requests. And while this was only the first step in the care navigation process, it brought back a sense of hope I had lost when it came to my own search. The form not only asked what kind of trusted and reviewed LGBTQ+-affirming providers I was looking for but what my pronouns are and how I identify. I had never seen these kinds of questions on an intake form for a new provider. Having the opportunity to answer them made me realize I could, in fact, take control of my healthcare journey. 

Before I had reached out to Included Health, I’d spent countless hours scanning the internet for providers that were LGBTQ+-affirming and also within my insurance network. I made dozens of phone calls to healthcare offices across Manhattan and Brooklyn, only to be told that either the provider in question wasn’t accepting new patients or was booked until next year. This cycle of hope and then being asked if I wanted to place my name on a waitlist again and again was more than disheartening. In the past, I had settled for providers who didn’t understand my  identity and everything that comes with it. My requests for a PrEP prescription had been answered with judgmental responses like “PrEP is only for people who engage in promiscuous sex.” I didn’t want to give up on finding a provider who understands and cares about how I can protect my sexual health or why I might want to undergo a gender-affirming procedure as a cis person. It was hard to find providers that fit my criteria while working a full-time job and taking care of my family. I needed someone who understood my healthcare options as a queer person and would connect me with providers that could help me explore them. 

After I submitted my Included Health care request form, I received an email from Graham, my care coordinator, 48 hours later. Graham reassured me that he would do whatever it took to fulfill my requests, and he wasn’t lying when he wrote that message. Our conversation spanned over three months, 77 emails and one phone call. I was particular about what I wanted in my therapist, primary care physician, and surgeon, and Graham provided endless options—all of which took my insurance and were accepting new patients. When a provider didn’t seem like the right fit, Graham sent a chart of new providers for me to consider within hours, each one containing a brief description of the provider, my proximity to their practice, and a link to their website. I was gleefully overwhelmed with options.

My care coordinator has been more than just a person who will email a list of potential providers that are within my insurance network, though. After Graham had exhausted his resources for in-network therapists, he didn’t give up his search. Rather, he started looking into out-of-network providers that offered sliding scale payment options and were open to a single case agreement—meaning that if my insurance approved of the provider, they would treat them and all therapy sessions as an in-network provider. Graham’s explanations of all of these options gave me a better understanding of how I could use my insurance to benefit me.  

In the end, Graham found me the care that I couldn’t find on my own. I have a primary physician who is not just affirming but identifies within the LGBTQ+ community himself, which has made it easier for me, as a patient, to ask questions relating to my sexual health. My therapist, who also identifies as gay, provides insight into my life that previous, non-affirming mental health counselors couldn’t. And perhaps most exciting is that Graham has connected me with a local surgeon that performs thyroplasties—a relatively new gender-affirming procedure. 

(Read more on the Benefits of Affirming Therapy.)

Had I not reached out to Included Health and met Graham, I would have continued to spend too much  time and energy on a process that feels like a full-time job itself. When it came to my search, I was placing and fielding calls from doctors’ offices throughout my workday while submitting my personal and insurance information on my lunch breaks. It made it difficult to not only focus on my job but be the employee my superiors and colleagues needed me to be. For LGBTQ+ people like myself, the thought of lacking a provider you can trust and reach out to in a time of crisis can be all-consuming. Now, I live with a sense of relief knowing that I have a set of providers who will care for me. 

(Read more on Ways Employers Can Support LGBTQ+ Employees Beyond Pride Month)

More so, I’m grateful to know that Graham and the rest of the Included Health care team will be there if I ever need to find a new provider for any healthcare request I might have. Having a care coordinator is having an advocate on your side. While they’re looking out for you and your well-being, they also celebrate your healthcare wins (like when your insurance agrees to pay for your gender-affirming surgery). And if there’s ever a loss when it comes to your healthcare journey, they go right back to the drawing board until they have a solution that works for you. 

From Graham: “Working with Tim was wonderful! It’s always so rewarding to find our members the knowledgeable providers and the quality of care that they deserve. I feel it is so important to have a connection with any provider you see and it was so great to hear that Tim met with two mental health providers before deciding on who to continue to build a relationship with. I’m so happy I was able to help Tim find providers that are not only LGBTQ+ affirming but people that he can connect with.” 

5 ways LGBTQ+ people can practice self care and community care in honor of Mental Health Awareness Month

Originally published on IncludedHealth.com

As LGBTQ+ people, the descrimination we face in our daily lives and against our community (i.e., anti-LGBTQ+ legislation like Arkansas's House Bill 1570) affects our psychological well-being. Tending to our mental health is particularly pertinent for those of us riding out the COVID-19 pandemic in unsupportive or isolated environments where we might lack access to identity-based resources. Even though the LGBTQ+ community faces more adversities than the general population—especially mental health conditions and illnesses—we strive to celebrate all identities and take care of one another.

In difficult times, we rely on our communities to remind us that many of the challenges we face, we take on together. Below are our recommendations for how self care (nurturing your well-being) and community care (supporting the people around you) can rejuvenate and support ourselves and others. 

1. Allow yourself to feel whatever it is you’re feeling

Let yourself feel as negative as you need to feel while reminding yourself that these negative emotions aren't permanent, When you process your feelings, you learn how to handle difficult emotions, make better decisions, and form deeper connections with others. Toxic positivity, or suppressing your emotions in favor of being positive, can lead to more stress, according to a 2011 study from the University of Texas at Austin. In order to heal, we have to sit with and confront our emotions and feelings.

One grounding technique you can use in these moments is picking a color and naming everything in your environment with that color; this is useful because it provides a neutral, non-judgmental way to connect back to the present moment, rather than worrying about the past or future.

2. Use social media to find community but remember to take breaks from being online

Before she started using Twitter, Ace, a disabled trans person, felt a lack of community. "For those with ADHD or other neurodivergence, a lot of us have felt that we were lazy or just not good enough until we realized others experienced the same things," they say. “This is also how I've felt about being trans and queer. Being able to call someone I first met online 'family' is one of the best experiences I've ever had." 

Facebook, Discord, as well as Twitter, are home to groups like Transgender World, Everyone is Gay, Black Lesbians, and LGBTQ+ Hangout that exist specifically for creating community with other queer and trans people. It’s true that social media can help us find community but it's also important to log off and set boundaries around screen time. Doomscrolling, or constantly being online to keep up with the news and the world, can amplify pre-existing anxiety or depression. But carving out time for a new, offline hobby is one way to avoid it. "It is good to stay informed, but you cannot make the world a better place if you are too depressed to function,” Ace says.

3. Find help from a professional 

Connecting with someone who understands your specific identity within the LGBTQ+ community can do wonders for your mental health, whether you’re in a crisis or simply trying to figure life out. "There are a lot of great people that can support you [to] live your best life, heal wounds, overcome atrocities, and get you into alignment," Dr. Zelaika Hepworth Clarke, a sexologist who specializes in human sexualities, gender and relational diversity, says. "The unfortunate fact is that heterosexism and homophobia have been ingrained into facts and mental health systems. But don't give up if you find someone that you're not really vibing with. It's helpful just to have someone that supports you." 

4. Community and affirmations as medicine

Keah Brown, a Black bisexual author, explains that adding daily affirmations to her life over the last several years has radically changed her life. “I am a big believer in daily affirmations. They have allowed me to appreciate who I am becoming even on bad days,” she says, adding, “What I normally do is I say four things that I like about myself in the mirror during the morning hours or the night hours, sometimes both. It allows me to sit in my body in ways that I never could before. In saying these affirmations, I give myself validation, which has made me a better person to myself, to my friends, to my family and the other people who love me.”

Dr. Clarke acknowledges that not everyone has the opportunity to express themselves safely, which is why they suggest practicing consistent self-compassion. Reciting affirmations like "I am loved," "I am worthy," and "I am beautiful" can reinstate your sense of self-value and counteract negative thoughts. "Part of my healing is queerness as a medicine," says Dr. Clarke. "So when I need to get out of oppressive spaces, I find it refreshing to be around individuals where you can be authentic." 

5. Heal by helping others heal

Self care is all about nurturing your well-being, while community care focuses on fostering camaraderie and supporting the people around you who share your identities and values. The more we take care of each other, the better we can support both our individual and collective well-being. If you have the ability to do so, take a moment to connect with your friends and community as a supportive listener; a simple ‘thinking of you’ message is a great way to reach out. 

Dr. Clarke believes that helping others starts with listening. "Sometimes we don't want advice. We just need to vent, and I find that listening is very powerful,” they say. It doesn’t even necessarily have to be listening in person—it can be over text, letter, phone, or social media.

At Included Health, we strive to provide friendly and exceptional healthcare navigation services to the LGBTQ+ community. Become a member today to receive more health and wellbeing updates from our care team. And please do not hesitate to contact us to #GetIncluded for your company, health plan, and community.