Supporting Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Medical Students: Overcoming the Medical Closet

The student bodies of U.S. medical schools have become increasingly diverse. While homosexual people were no doubt present in past medical school classes, the presence of openly lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) students is a recent phenomenon. Because sexual orientation is not necessarily visible, LGB students are frequently presumed not to be present by either fellow students or professors. Often, LGB students cannot make their needs known unless they perform the daunting task of coming out to their entire class. Recent studies have documented high levels of antigay speech and harassment from both faculty and peers, however, inhibiting such self-disclosure. LGB students are therefore vulnerable to isolation. The development of official student–faculty liaisons for LGB issues has been one response to the diffculties experienced by LGB students. LGB student groups often take the initiative in developing mentoring programs. In summary, openly gay students and faculty are a new presence within academic medicine, and medical schools have only recently begun to address their needs.