Homophobia and Discrimination on

<strong>Homophobia</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>Discrimination</strong> on Grounds of Sexual Orientation <strong>and</strong> Gender Identity in the EU Member States
82
respondents claimed that they concealed their sexual orientation when accessing
healthcare services. In Germany, studies 248 have demonstrated that LGBT persons
remain closeted during contact with health institutions due to fear of discrimination. In a
Slovakian study, 249 50 per cent of respondents stated that they always hide their sexual
orientation from medical staff <strong>and</strong> 22 per cent only disclose it occasionally, a
phenomenon which may itself lead to health risks.
Lack of recognition of same-sex partners in the health sector
Obtaining access to information about a partner’s health due to denial of ‘next of kin’
status is highlighted as a problem in the country reports for Bulgaria, Hungary, Italy <strong>and</strong>
Estonia. However, denial of next of kin status is also found in Member States which
recognise same-sex partnerships, as illustrated in the quote below.
'My partner had an accident in Wales <strong>and</strong> the staff wouldn't recognise me as next of
kin until we made a fuss. My partner was not physically touched by the female nurses
during her six days stay. She had to wash herself or wait till the male nurse came on'.
250 (Female, 59, UK)
During meetings in the field, representatives of the LGBT NGO SEKÜ in Estonia
highlighted one example regarding a lesbian couple where the mother’s partner was not
allowed to be present at birth. 251 Similarly, representatives of the LGBT NGOs Arcigay
<strong>and</strong> Arcilesbica in Italy also highlight the denial of ‘next of kin’ status, leaving the
treatment of LGBT patients <strong>and</strong> their partners dependent on the attitudes of individual
staff members. 252
In contrast, interviews with representatives of LBL [The National Organisation for Gays
<strong>and</strong> Lesbians] in Denmark <strong>and</strong> CIGALE in Luxembourg revealed more positive
experiences with healthcare for LGB persons with healthcare. 253 Their representatives
stated that there did not appear to be any major problems with visiting partners in
intensive care, hospitals or being present when a partner is giving birth. Both NGOs
noted, however, that the language used in hospital administrative forms can be a
problem for LGBT persons, as two German studieshave shown. 254
248 G. Dennert (2004) Die gesundheitliche Situation lesbischer Frauen in Deutschl<strong>and</strong>: Ergebnisse einer
Befragung [Dissertation], Nürnberg: Med. Diss. FAU Erlangen-Nürnberg
249 Slovak Republic, country report
250 Stonewall (2008) Prescription for Change. Lesbian <strong>and</strong> Women’s Health Check 2008 p. 14
251 Fieldwork meeting with Diversity <strong>and</strong> SEKÜ (Estonia 10 March 2008)
252 Fieldwork meeting with ARCIGAY <strong>and</strong> ARCILESBICA (AL) (Italy 5 March 2008)
253 Fieldwork meeting with Cigale (Luxembourg 7 April 2008) <strong>and</strong> LBL (Denmark 26 April 2008)
254 See for example: H. Seyler (2004) Lesben, die unsichtbaren Patientinnen. Düsseldorf: Paper
Presentation to the Commission on “Frauengerechte Gesundheitsversorgung in NRW.” [10 February
2004]. And G. Wolf (2006) "Diskriminierung und Gewalt gegen Lesben, Schwule und Bisexuelle im