Lack of trust between patients and providers is a common roadblock to care.

In each story circle, participants shared that they felt fear in accessing care and worried that the systemic bias of healthcare institutions would cause more harm than their actual medical symptoms.

“Can I enter this space and seek care without being harmed?”

Harm trickles down from high-level policy decisions and into our daily lives. It could be that the equipment in the doctor’s office is not accessible or that a medical provider is not queer-affirming.  Our participants shared many accounts of facing harm in a medical setting– an institution that is supposed to heal. 

Here are their stories: