Let start off by saying this - This was a nightmare from HELL and I do not wish this on my worst enemy. Please excuse the typo's - I am not a good speller. Some backround information - I had tonsil pain/sore throat for about 10 days before seeing this doctor. I thought nothing of it really as I had no other flu-like symptoms and the pain was bearable. I wanted to be R/O for tonsilitis and recieve a course of antibiotics and some rest....no big deal. I belong to a health insurance company where the medical offices and the doctors are mostly Seventh-Day Adventist. The SDA's usually abstain from alcohol, smoking, caffiene, coffee and meat. MOst of them seem to be positive and nice people....This is not going to be a bashing vent. I saw this doctor, told him of my symptoms and he proceded to do an examination. The exam was fine....nothing out of the ordinary. WHen the doctor reviewed my medical record....he asked me about my sexual health history. "Mr._____, I see that you came to our clinic a few months back for STD/HIV testing. Are you wanting to get tested today?" No, I was recently tested and i am fine. "Mr._____, You are a homosexual and you are sexually active...there is a possibility that you may have an STD and your tonsils may be sign of Primary HIV infection".
This was uncalled for for SEVERAL reasons... 1- I came to be seen to r/o acute tonsilitis - I have recurring tonsil problems I know my body cause its MINE 2- My sexual health history has nothing to do with why i am being seen TODAY 3- He is implying that I practice unsafe sexual relations....As my dad always said -"dont be a fool wrap your tool" 4- he statements leads one to believe that hetrosexuals do not have the same risks.
Thuis doctor continued to press me for a STD/HIV test. I told him i was tested in July at the public health department....Why the public health Dept Mr.____? Because this is why people hate coming to an Adventist health clinic....you people shame them and make them feel like crap. At least at public health, they have seen it all and dont care. At county health it goes like this:"So you just came back from Pride weekend in San Francisco, hope you had fun...here is the lttle brown bag of condoms...have fun be safe",
I told him that i was fine and this issue was NOT why i was being seen....."Well, Mr.____, this is a public health issue you may have been blah blah blah". Long story short.....I asked to have the chief attending come to assess me right then and there.....after some red tape BS he saw me. I was not given any hassle about my sexual health and was treated professionally. Dx: Acute Tonsilities Tx: Z-Pak antibiotics
Let me vent here.....This is why I hate going to Seventh-Day Adventist doctors (but my insurance trap me in a system of Adventist Health network). In my opinion Adventism is a modern twist on racism and discrimination....It makes you feel like an outsider and a loser....in there minds you need to be perfect. Nodody is perfect. This experience made me fell violated at the medical community as a whole.....I may be gay but i am deserving of respect and equality. I should have been treated for my presenting symptoms, not my previous visits history. I am proactive in my healthcare but never agin will i let myself be degraded and humiliated like that. Just needed to vent....sorry if i offend anyone on here but my voice needs to be heard and this is how i feel....but i am also still in the trauma phase so in a few weeks i should be okay
First, I have to say that I am offended at the characterization that this was because the MD was SDA. I see nothing in the story that indicates that this questioning had to do with any specific SDA description.
Just to clarify, I am not SDA but have worked at their facilities, and they were nothing if more accepting of "outsiders" than many religiously based facilities.
Second, I can fully understand whyan MD that has someone presenting with a sore throat, and history of being sexually active/having asked previously for STD testing, would ask whether they would want to be tested.....again, regardless of gender/sexual orientation or claims of using "protection". I have close friends at a major University campus clinic, and the number of coeds that come in with sore throats/abdominal pain that swear that they ALWAYS use protection/or aren't sexually active that come up positive for STDs/pregnant is astounding. I think that is appropriate screening for anyone who indicates that they are sexually active, regardless of gay/straight/bisexual orientation..
Having said that, the comment about you being homosexual and to badger you after you declined testing was entirely inappropriate. I am sorry that you were treated insppropriately.
I also don't think that being SDA has anything to do with it. And for the OP to stereotype SDAs is no better than an MD stereotyping homosexuals.
The other thing is as a single female who goes through long periods of abstinence, I have to deal with the perpetual pregnancy test issue. I go in for an xray/CT/procedure requiring sedation, and I know and can ABSOLUTELY say with all certainty that I am not pregnant....but that does not matter. I STILL HAVE TO PEE IN THE DAD GUM CUP.
Because as a woman, my medical care revolves around the possibility of being potentially pregnant.
I am so tired of having my insurance having to pay for unnecessary pee tests.
Specializes in Emergency Dept. Trauma. Pediatrics.
In all fairness, you had a choice. You could have visited a more tolerant doctor rather than thinking a Christian doctor was going to applaud you for being gay.
To be honest, I see you were treated professionally and all possible variables were discussed.
How was he supposed to know his Dr. wasn't going to be tolerant? When did he ever suggest he wanted applause for being gay? For the record, I have met MANY christian people that would not discriminate against homosexual people, me being one of them. One should not have to assume that a Christian Dr. is going to treat him negatively because of their life. A Dr. should not be pushing his religious beliefs upon someone. I don't chose my Doctors based on their religious beliefs.
I do not see how the continued badgering was professional at all.
Specializes in Emergency Dept. Trauma. Pediatrics.
First, I have to say that I am offended at the characterization that this was because the MD was SDA. I see nothing in the story that indicates that this questioning had to do with any specific SDA description.
Just to clarify, I am not SDA but have worked at their facilities, and they were nothing if more accepting of "outsiders" than many religiously based facilities.
Second, I can fully understand whyan MD that has someone presenting with a sore throat, and history of being sexually active/having asked previously for STD testing, would ask whether they would want to be tested.....again, regardless of gender/sexual orientation or claims of using "protection". I have close friends at a major University campus clinic, and the number of coeds that come in with sore throats/abdominal pain that swear that they ALWAYS use protection/or aren't sexually active that come up positive for STDs/pregnant is astounding. I think that is appropriate screening for anyone who indicates that they are sexually active, regardless of gay/straight/bisexual orientation..
Having said that, the comment about you being homosexual and to badger you after you declined testing was entirely inappropriate. I am sorry that you were treated insppropriately.
I also don't think that being SDA has anything to do with it. And for the OP to stereotype SDAs is no better than an MD stereotyping homosexuals.
The other thing is as a single female who goes through long periods of abstinence, I have to deal with the perpetual pregnancy test issue. I go in for an xray/CT/procedure requiring sedation, and I know and can ABSOLUTELY say with all certainty that I am not pregnant....but that does not matter. I STILL HAVE TO PEE IN THE DAD GUM CUP.
Because as a woman, my medical care revolves around the possibility of being potentially pregnant.
I am so tired of having my insurance having to pay for unnecessary pee tests.
I can so relate to the last part of your post on another level. I was a teen unwed mother so you can imagine all the stereo types that I got. Turns out I had endometrosis, but before I knew this whenever I would go to the Dr. or Urgent car crunched over with severe abdominal pain they would look at my chart, make mention of me being a teen mom, ask if I was sexually active, order Pregnancy and STD checks (I understand that part) but when it would come back negative they would just send me home. Like their could be NOTHING else to cause the pain, Finally after 2 years I found a Dr. willing to pursue the problem further with other testing and eventually a Dx lapraoscopy and make the Dx. Had other Dr's not made the assumption that it had to be Pregnancy or STD it might have saved me a lot of pain.
I had a Mormon family practitioner that I would go routinely see whenever I got sick when I was a teenager. His questions would be wacky, too. He had asked me if I was married once when I was SIXTEEN...what does that have to do with any medical purposes?! And he would always ask me if I was sexually active (I came in once for the flu and he asked me that) and he would always just give me the creeps. At least now I have no health insurance so I don't have an option to see him anymore!
I had a Mormon family practitioner that I would go routinely see whenever I got sick when I was a teenager. His questions would be wacky, too. He had asked me if I was married once when I was SIXTEEN...what does that have to do with any medical purposes?! And he would always ask me if I was sexually active (I came in once for the flu and he asked me that) and he would always just give me the creeps. At least now I have no health insurance so I don't have an option to see him anymore!
The Mormons do have whacky believes,they dont believe in sex before marriage,birth control and kisses must be short (no french kiss before wedding night!) Yep,yep,I really dont understand why someone with such a radical points of views would become a doctor in America,sorry but such believes wont fly here in the States.
The Mormons do have whacky believes,they dont believe in sex before marriage,birth control and kisses must be short (no french kiss before wedding night!) Yep,yep,I really dont understand why someone with such a radical points of views would become a doctor in America,sorry but such believes wont fly here in the States.
You post was overwhelmingly discriminatory. America is all about religious tolerance, but it seem atheists think they are immune to being respectful towards the religious,
Specializes in Emergency Dept. Trauma. Pediatrics.
The Mormons do have whacky believes,they dont believe in sex before marriage,birth control and kisses must be short (no french kiss before wedding night!) Yep,yep,I really dont understand why someone with such a radical points of views would become a doctor in America,sorry but such believes wont fly here in the States.
Some christian denominations don't believe in sex before marriage or birth control either. Should they not become Dr's either or leave America.
I think asking to be tested was ok, but not because you are gay. I've seen plenty of gonorrhea positive tests from people's throats (most of them heterosexual, btw). In any case, once you refused the STD testing idea should have been dropped.
The doctor sounds rude, homophobic, and was overgeneralizing. I would write a letter to the clinic or supervising staff detailing how you were made to feel belittled and discriminated against. It's likely that this will happen to someone else, and the doctor may actually have the opposite effect on people who want to have STD tests by scaring them off or making them feel disgusted with themselves. Nobody should be treated the way you were.
Some christian denominations don't believe in sex before marriage or birth control either. Should they not become Dr's either or leave America.
I'm far away from being an atheist (jumping quick to conclusions huh?) however I dont agree with certain religious teachings/laws. I quess I dont agree with how religious doctors tend to force their believes on others, where is the tolerance you speak of then>
The other thing is as a single female who goes through long periods of abstinence, I have to deal with the perpetual pregnancy test issue. I go in for an xray/CT/procedure requiring sedation, and I know and can ABSOLUTELY say with all certainty that I am not pregnant....but that does not matter. I STILL HAVE TO PEE IN THE DAD GUM CUP.
Because as a woman, my medical care revolves around the possibility of being potentially pregnant.
I am so tired of having my insurance having to pay for unnecessary pee tests.
Hah me too! I'm gay and I also take birth control (for dysmenorrhea), and they still make me do this crap. My primary doc finally stopped doing it after I developed a good relationship with her, but there is nothing more annoying than having to pay for a hcg test. Then again, I can't tell you how many times I would get patients in the ER who would swear they were not pregnant and come up positive. It's just part of the "CYA" medicine people have to practice these days to avoid litigation
Specializes in Family Practice, Urgent Care, Cardiac Ca.
For the record, I agree that this situation represents the assumption that GLBT individuals are more promiscuous, a reputation that both GLBT members and healthcare is TRYING TO REPAIR! Whether or not you are promiscuous, asking about partners, testing and safe sex SHOULD NOT DIFFER than if asked to a heterosexual person. Whether you are for, against, or indifferent to homosexuality, we in the healthcare profession have an obligation to serve the patient, to relieve the suffering, and to heal the sick, NO MATTER WHO. Mother Theresa had VERY conservative views about homosexuality, but she treated THOUSANDS of gay men and women, because she took a vow to serve. Our service in healthcare can be ideally the same, and judging our patients, or worse, changing our treatment of them is not only illegal, it's unconstitutional, and against the very vows we took going into healthcare.
Thanks for the wonderful, enlightening, and engaging conversation! A fresh change!
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caroladybelle, BSN, RN
5,486 Posts
First, I have to say that I am offended at the characterization that this was because the MD was SDA. I see nothing in the story that indicates that this questioning had to do with any specific SDA description.
Just to clarify, I am not SDA but have worked at their facilities, and they were nothing if more accepting of "outsiders" than many religiously based facilities.
Second, I can fully understand whyan MD that has someone presenting with a sore throat, and history of being sexually active/having asked previously for STD testing, would ask whether they would want to be tested.....again, regardless of gender/sexual orientation or claims of using "protection". I have close friends at a major University campus clinic, and the number of coeds that come in with sore throats/abdominal pain that swear that they ALWAYS use protection/or aren't sexually active that come up positive for STDs/pregnant is astounding. I think that is appropriate screening for anyone who indicates that they are sexually active, regardless of gay/straight/bisexual orientation..
Having said that, the comment about you being homosexual and to badger you after you declined testing was entirely inappropriate. I am sorry that you were treated insppropriately.
I also don't think that being SDA has anything to do with it. And for the OP to stereotype SDAs is no better than an MD stereotyping homosexuals.
The other thing is as a single female who goes through long periods of abstinence, I have to deal with the perpetual pregnancy test issue. I go in for an xray/CT/procedure requiring sedation, and I know and can ABSOLUTELY say with all certainty that I am not pregnant....but that does not matter. I STILL HAVE TO PEE IN THE DAD GUM CUP.
Because as a woman, my medical care revolves around the possibility of being potentially pregnant.
I am so tired of having my insurance having to pay for unnecessary pee tests.