LGBTQ+ Affirming Care and Your Rights

Access to quality, respectful healthcare is a human right. Yet for many people in the LGBTQIA2s+ community (which we’ll collectively refer to in this article as LGBTQ+), that process is often fraught with discrimination, misunderstanding, and fear. Affirming healthcare goes beyond treating disease; it embraces dignity, cultural awareness, and a deep respect for a person’s identity. Health equity isn’t optional: it’s central to improving health outcomes and honoring legal protections.

What Is LGBTQ+ Affirming Healthcare?

This definition refers to clinical environments where providers are educated about the needs of LGBTQ+ people, use inclusive language (including correct names and pronouns), and tailor medical care in ways that respect sexual orientation and gender identity. This means:

Not dismissing pain or symptoms.
Collecting accurate demographic information when appropriate.
Ensuring patients feel safe and welcome.

Research shows that affirming care is associated with better preventive screening uptake and improved management of chronic and mental health conditions among LGBTQ+ people, especially older adults who may already face layered health risks.

Providers who embrace affirming care also participate in ongoing training and adapt health systems to meet the diverse needs of their patients. Unfortunately, national surveys find that only about one-third of U.S. primary care practices offer training specific to LGBTQ+ inclusion, suggesting there is still work to be done to make affirming care universal.

Why Does Affirming Care Matter to You?

Many members of the LGBTQ+ community have faced negative experiences in health settings—including refusal of care, harassment, or assumptions about their bodies and relationships. Such experiences can lead people to delay or avoid care altogether, leading to worse health outcomes, including untreated alcohol and substance use disorders and heightened mental health challenges. Affirming healthcare helps break this cycle by fostering trust, reducing stigma, and improving access to vital preventive services.

Supportive medical environments are particularly essential when it comes to gender-affirming care, which includes medical and surgical services that align a person’s physical body with their gender identity. Leading medical associations agree that gender-affirming care is medically necessary and can significantly improve overall health and well-being for transgender and gender-diverse individuals.

Know Your Rights

In the United States, civil rights laws set a baseline of protection for all people, including LGBTQ+ individuals seeking healthcare or health coverage.

According to Section 1557 of the Affordable Care Act (ACA):

This federal law bars discrimination in health programs or activities that receive federal funding, covering most doctors, hospitals, clinics, insurance plans, and community health centers.
The law’s protections extend to discrimination based on sex, which federal agencies interpret to include sexual orientation and gender identity, meaning it’s illegal for covered health providers to deny care because someone is LGBTQ+.

At press time of winter 2026, these protections apply across a wide range of health services and insurance plans. If you or a loved one believes they’ve experienced discrimination in care because of sexual orientation or gender identity, the Human Rights Campaign states they can file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Office for Civil Rights. This federal agency investigates violations of nondiscrimination laws and can help protect people’s rights to access care without bias or harassment.

Challenges and Ongoing Debates

Despite existing federal protections, the commitment to affirming care remains uneven across states and individual providers. In some regions, laws or legal interpretations challenge the enforcement of nondiscrimination policies related to gender identity and healthcare, leading to confusion and inconsistencies. These legal disputes highlight the ongoing tensions between civil rights protections and other policy frameworks.

Nevertheless, advocates, providers, and patients continue to push for broader education, clearer legal protections, and health systems that center dignity for every person, regardless of identity.

What Does LGBTQ+ Affirming Care Look Like in Practice?

Prominent health systems and academic medical centers—such as UCLA Health and other university-affiliated programs—are increasingly adopting such practices to ensure LGBTQ+ patients receive high-quality, compassionate care. Here’s what you can expect:

Providers asking patients about their sexual orientation and gender identity in a respectful way when relevant to care.
Use of gender-inclusive bathrooms and waiting areas where possible.
Inclusive patient forms and electronic health records that allow for recognition of name, pronouns, and identity.
Mental health and reproductive health services tailored to LGBT+ experiences.
Culturally competent HIV prevention, testing, and care services.

For additional guidance, we offer some helpful resources in this article.

Fair Oaks: Proud to Be Inclusive

Affirming healthcare isn’t just respectful—it’s vital for a better way of life. Everyone deserves access to healthcare that respects who they are, and knowing your rights to it is a powerful first step.

At Fair Oaks Recovery Center in Sacramento, California, we’re an inclusive, licensed Chemical Dependency Recovery Hospital—a status issued by the California Department of Public Health to addiction rehabilitation and dual diagnosis/mood disorder treatment facilities. Our board-certified professionals offer you compassionate, affirming care, continuous education, and a deep esteem for who you are and your experiences. Talk to our admissions team to learn more about how we’ll help you pursue a healthier state of being.

For more information about programs offered at Fair Oaks Recovery Center, including our intensive outpatient program in Sacramento, please call us today at (888) 576-0222.