Essay

Stereotyping and Healthcare
Decisions: Gays, Lesbians and
LGBT

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
BACKGROUNF INFORMATION.................................................................................................1
STEREOTYPING OF CHOSEN GROUP......................................................................................2
IMPACT OF STEREOTYPING.....................................................................................................3
STRATEGIES TO PROMOTE INCLUSIVITY.............................................................................4
REFLECTION OF SELF- AWARENESS AND RESILIENCE....................................................5
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................6
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................8

INTRODUCTION
In present word, use of the word stereotype is a manner for simplifying social world. It
reduces the level of processing or thinking a person have to perform while meeting to some new
individual. Stereotyping refers to an over-generalized belief related to specific category of
population. In other words, stereotype is an expectations which people generate about each
individual of particular group (McDonnell and Baxter, 2019). The essay covers information gay,
lesbian and LGBT of client group with commonality in age, disability, living environment,
illness and behaviour. The essay is prepared on people who are gay, lesbian and LGBT that
comprises attractions and sexual relationship with same gender. Homosexual group have sexual
behaviour among members of same gender. Homosexuality is an enduring behaviour of
romantic, emotional or sexual attraction towards people belonging to same sex. People belonging
to this group values their friendship and support views of other for them.
The essay focuses towards stereotyping and healthcare decisions that are relevant to
people which are gay, lesbians and LGBT. It covers information about stereotyping and common
stereotyping behaviours society have towards patient group. Further, it includes impact of
stereotyping in physical or mental health of the patient. Some strategies for promoting inclusivity
are discussed in the report. At last, the report includes a reflection part on self awareness as well
as resilience.
BACKGROUNF INFORMATION
Homosexuality group is a group that have romantic attraction, sexual behaviour and sexual
attraction among people of same gender (Collective, 2018). Similarly, Homosexuality men are
named as gay for males. These are the people that posses sense of identify related to attractions,
membership or related behaviours within community of other that share all concerned
attractions. In different times as well as in distinct cultures, the term of homosexuality/gay men
is used to mean “bright and showy”, “carefree” as well as “cheerful”. In modern era, gay men
refers to a male performing practices or cultures associated with other male person. In context to
case of Shaun, the person belonging to gay men group lives with the partner of same gender. The
group celebrates individuality, pride, sexuality together with diversity. People belonging to the
group organises themselves into support addition to movements for civil rights by promoting
rights of gay man in various locations across the globe. It is regarded as most cognitive element
1

which occurs without any conscious awareness. It is a composite idea which makes up image or
apperceptive mass that refers to all experience obtained in part ascertain about person at a
specific moment.
In relation to homosexuality, common names used are gay, lesbian, queer and bisexual. Gay
is the label that refers to homosexual male or the attribute of being homosexual (Adamczyk,
2017). Similarly, lesbian is said to homosexual women which is adjective towards qualities with
attraction towards female. At same time, queer is an adjustive word that is used by various
people, specially younger population, whose sexual orientation is not exclusive to heterosexual.
It describe gender identity or expression of such people.
STEREOTYPING OF CHOSEN GROUP
Stereotyping is defined as an over generalisation of thought about specific category of
group of population. It is a widely held, fixed or modified image of specific category of group. It
is used by society to make quick decisions or may be erroneous at the time of application to
specified individuals (Van Miltenburg, 2016).
It is identified that people uses the mentioned names or labels homosexual gay group as
these are the terms that describe sexual orientation as well as gender identify of gay men. A man
whose enduring romantic, physical and emotional attraction with other man is perceived as
quality of gay men group. In case with gay, lesbian and LGBT people, the label or name of gay
is used by people as defines the identity and qualities of them. These labels are used for
homosexuality or gay men group as to examine the ways these can shape how the population
belonging to the group feel about policies related to civil rights and describing identity or
belonging to the group that is different from those living in same society. From a statistics, it is
discovered that demographics of sexual orientation shows variance addition to predictions about
gay people in UK. There was approx 723000 homosexual people belonging to the group within
UK in 2018. There are around 4.2% of UK's population aged between 16 to 24 years analysed as
bisexual. The number of population identifying as homosexual in UK have increased by more
than a third ion last couple of years (Robinson, 2020). Overall proportion of population of the
nation which belongs to the group have decreased from 95.3% to 94.6% between 2014 and 218.
One of ten percent rule have long held in popular culture are seen as reliable guesstimate
of homosexual rates. In overall population of United Kingdom, 6.6 million people belongs to
homosexual group category In 2020, proportion of people that are seen as bisexual was sale for
2

Wales (2.4%), Scotland (2.0%) as well as England (2.3%). Sexual orientation is an outcome of
social, individual as well as genetics factor (Ivtzan, 2019).
IMPACT OF STEREOTYPING
Stereotype impacts adversely on physical and emotional health, health choices of gay,
lesbian and LGBT people as well as their access towards health care. Stereotypes are the
situation that denotes false picture of about others. In context to gay men group, they feel
dishearten or uncomfortable when others call them or prejudice them with the name of gay or
homosexual person (Knaak, Mantler and Szeto, 2017). There are many men who faces sexually
abused and assaulted fear their masculinity is been compromised like they are not real boys.
There expressions or health run opposite to the ways they are commonly socialised as well as
encouraged to be. The confidence together with self esteem of people belonging to gay men
group depends on the way others perceive them. When a gay man is considered as “not a real
man” their emotions are hurt and they feel discriminated in the society which negatively affect
their mental along with physical emotions due to who they are. At same time, gay man
experiences negative beliefs when they are seen as the one who have chances to make children
gay.
The kind of stereotyping have wide chances to impact negatively on relationships among
gay man and their friends. In context to gay, lesbian and LGBT people, relationship with others
because of her stereotype thinking can affects their relationship. It makes harder for them to open
about his sexual orientation in front of children that can limit support and increase stress among
the both. At same time, relationship between gay, lesbian and LGBT people and the children
may not affect because of the stereotype as Shaun is an intelligent and brave man who values
relationship. After understanding thinking of others, gay, lesbian and LGBT people makes
possible actions so that the children do not know about his sexual orientation and the gay man
talks openly about various topics other than being a gay. Moreover, parents and society might
have strong impacts on their relationship with gay man group and their mental or physical well
being. When families and parents of gay, lesbian and LGBT people talks openly about the
concerns then the gay man feels loved and supported that strengthens their relationship.
Stereotyping adversely impacts risk taking ability of gay man when they are considered
as “not a real man”. The physical risk behaviours that a gay man can do to themselves includes
consumption of alcohol, smoking more, minimal physical activities or limited interactions with
3

society (Rabie, Rossouw and Machobane, 2020). In case with gay, lesbian and LGBT people,
physical risk behaviours that he can do to himself includes mental illnesses and minimal physical
movements or interactions with the children. In order to avoid the stereotype, gay, lesbian and
LGBT people must not share his sexual orientation with the children, instead talk or
communicate with them related to other topics. Furthermore, others can add poor mental health
as well as poor coping skills including risky behaviours or suicide attempts on gay man from
their stereotyping thinking.
Names or labels affects ability of gay man to access healthcare services as it makes it
harder or critical for them to open about their issues as sexual orientation that restrict them to
visit general hospitals and take healthcare services from medical practitioners. However, in
modern or changing era, every one have right to access healthcare services and if someone
restricts gay man by discriminating them on the basis of their sexual orientation then strict
actions are taken by political system. In case with gay, lesbian and LGBT people, special
considerations are provided by medical establishments that influences their ability to access
related healthcare services easily and efficiently. Shifting cultural attitudes together with
legislations have enhanced emphasis towards healthcare needs of gay man group that fosters
abilities of gay man to access healthcare services.
STRATEGIES TO PROMOTE INCLUSIVITY
Inclusivity refers to a practice to provide equal access of opportunities addition to
resources to people facing challenges in the society or belonging to other groups (Van der
Heijden, Brown Mahoney and Xu, 2019). Inclusive is termed to all people despite of their
abilities or sexual orientation have right to being respected together with appreciated as valuable
individual of the communities. In aspect to gay man group, various risks, problems as well as
behaviours are faced to access healthcare services. For this aspect, One of the way through which
gay man or Shaun might be aware about services as well as encouraging them to access them is
analysing healthcare initiative aimed for gay man. It is the first step to improve awareness of
gay man group and motivating them to access all healthcare services. In all medical
establishments or clinics, there is an initiative taken by government that is LGBTQ friendly
practice in which people belonging to such group, including Shaun can share their issues and
avail services without any risk or challenges. Through the practice medical practitioners provide
welcoming and comfortable environment to gay man group where they can discuss the problems
4

of illness faced and get precautions easily. By displaying brochures as well as educational
materials related to LGBTQ health concern, gay, lesbian and LGBT people can be informed and
provide assess to health care service.
The other step is identifying charity that aimed to help gay men. There are various
charities that private sector organisation organises to help gay man group to access healthcare
facilities (Neville and Adams, 2016). Some of charities includes Kaleidoscope trust, Outright
charity, Marmaids and so on that are taking crucial activities to empower gay man group and
help them to access required healthcare services. When Shaun will take help of these charities
then it will make things and behaviours of other possible to provide them necessary health care
services on time.
There are multiple policies that are concerned with sexual health. In UK, a framework of
Sexual Health Improvement was published in the year 2013 by NHS to promote or encourage
access of heath care services to gay man group or other groups. Professionals of medical
organisations provides or empower gay man group to avail health care services. In aspect to
Shaun, awareness about the policy of Sexual Health Improvement can be generated through
advertisements and other mediums. With this, gay, lesbian and LGBT people will be encouraged
to take treatment and cure as per requirements for illness and diseases that he is facing.
Nurse plays important role in health promotion. Main role of nurse is to support rights of
people to have knowledge about their heath status as well as assess physical and spiritual
responses to their knowledge. It is role of nurse to provide quality care to all groups including
gay man group so that necessary services are access effectively and in proper manner
(Margolies and Brown, 2018). Moreover, nurse can use professional skills including listening
skill, flexibility skill, genuine interest ion patients and strong communication skills will help in
promoting health for gay man groups such as gay, lesbian and LGBT people. At same time,
personal skill including problem solving abilities, willingness to work and empathy for others are
necessary to promote health for gay man group.
REFLECTION OF SELF- AWARENESS AND RESILIENCE
The assessment is related to gay man group and it is about gay, lesbian and LGBT people
who lives with same sex partner. I am aware about behaviour and risk abilities of a gay man and
how they are perceived in the society, I believe being a gay man is quite impossible to live with
people that have totally opposite thinking, According to me, being a gay man is not bad as it is
5

all natural to have trait of homosexual. People with traits of homosexuality are generally
attractive towards same gender. I felt happy about taking consideration of my own stereotype
views associated to gay man as I support the group and feel that they must be given equal rights
to avail services that are enjoyed by normal groups or people. I am honest about my views for
gay man group as people of these groups are carefree, enjoy their lives, values their friendship as
what they are. Through out the learning, opinion of others for not sharing anything related to
social life of gay man to the children have challenged my thinking as I believe that children are
brave and they should have knowledge about what is going into society and what are the
potential or prospective groups facing challenges and risk behaviour.
There is an aspect that I feel would be changed which is access of healthcare services to
gay man group. I discovered that there are multiple medical organisation that discriminate
between gay man group and straight person group which should be changed by providing equal
rights and accessibility to gay man group. According to my own consideration, I learnt that a gay
man should feel happy about what he is and should live his life happily. In the working, I learnt
that it is best to avoid comments or thinking of others that will help me in coping with
stereotyping actions which population aim towards me. I prefers to live my life as per my own
values so that any negative stereotype is avoided which is made by people towards me. I think, I
need to develop various coping mechanisms skills for their purpose of building my own
resilience, the skill set includes mediating, humor, physical recreation, adjusting expectations,
venting and many more.
CONCLUSION
From the discussion, it is concluded that stereotyping is a classificatory concept to which
powerful feeling tone including approval, likes and many more are attached. Stereotype is a
collection of quality names on which larger proportion of population agree to describe some kind
of people. In context to gay man group, the stereotype widely affect relationships with others.
Homosexuality person is that an individual who is more attracted and attached with same gender.
For the purpose of promoting inclusivity, strategies or steps taken are analysing healthcare
initiative aimed for gay man, identifying and making available charity that aimed to help gay
men together with providing multiple policies that are concerned with sexual health. In
healthcare services, nurse plays significant role in promoting health for gay man group and other
groups across the globe.
6

7

REFERENCES
Books and Journal:
Adamczyk, A., 2017. Cross-national public opinion about homosexuality: Examining attitudes
across the globe. Univ of California Press.
Collective, G.L., 2018. Homosexuality: Power and Politics. Verso Books.
Ivtzan, I., 2019. " The relationship between socioeconomic factors, wellbeing, and
homosexuality in the theatrical profession": Correction.
Knaak, S., Mantler, E. and Szeto, A., 2017, March. Mental illness-related stigma in healthcare:
Barriers to access and care and evidence-based solutions. In Healthcare management
forum (Vol. 30, No. 2, pp. 111-116). Sage CA: Los Angeles, CA: SAGE Publications.
Margolies, L. and Brown, C. G., 2018, February. Current state of knowledge about cancer in
lesbians, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people. In Seminars in Oncology
Nursing (Vol. 34, No. 1, pp. 3-11). WB Saunders.
McDonnell, M. and Baxter, D., 2019. Chatbots and gender stereotyping. Interacting with
Computers. 31(2). pp.116-121.
Neville, S. and Adams, J., 2016. Views about HIV/STI and health promotion among gay and
bisexual Chinese and South Asian men living in Auckland, New Zealand. International
journal of qualitative studies on health and well-being. 11(1). p.30764.
Rabie, T., Rossouw, L. and Machobane, B. F., 2020. Exploring occupational gender‐role
stereotypes of male nurses: A South African study. International Journal of Nursing
Practice, p.e12890.
Van der Heijden, B., Brown Mahoney, C. and Xu, Y., 2019. Impact of job demands and
resources on Nurses’ burnout and occupational turnover intention towards an age-
moderated mediation model for the Nursing profession. International journal of
environmental research and public health. 16(11). p.2011.
Van Miltenburg, E., 2016. Stereotyping and bias in the flickr30k dataset. arXiv preprint
arXiv:1605.06083.
Online:
Number of homosexual people in the United Kingdom (UK) from 2012 to 2018(1,000s). 2020.
[Online]. Available through: <https://www.statista.com/statistics/719614/homosexual-
population-united-kingdom-uk/>
Robinson. G., 2020. Number of people who identify as lesbian, gay or bisexual at UK high.
[Online]. Available through:
<https://www.theguardian.com/society/2020/mar/06/number-people-identify-lesbian-
gay-bisexual-uk-high>
8