Life
as a Gay Dietitian
Today’s Dietitian
By Sharon Palmer, RD
Vol. 6 No. 3 p. 32
Gay and lesbian dietitians hold a variety of jobs
across the country, some dispensing nutrition advice to outpatients,
others smoothly directing large foodservice operations. Exploring
the life of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) dietitians
is not an easy matter, as there are no statistics that measure their
numbers and no formal networking groups that gather their members
into a supportive fold. Yet, LGBT dietitians work quietly with finesse
to add depth to the field of dietetics, bringing diversity and compassion
to a homogenous profession that is approximately 90% Caucasian and
97% female.
I talked to several lesbian and gay dietitians to
get a take on their professional lives, discussing issues ranging
from discrimination to professional ideals. Most of the dietitians
I spoke with were openly gay or lesbian in their work environment.
A few felt uncomfortable about being publicly gay in their workplaces;
thus, they requested anonymity in this article. I found that gay
and lesbian dietitians were attracted to the field of dietetics
in as many varied ways as were their heterosexual counterparts.
Some gay men hoped that a field primarily dominated by women might
hold many advanced opportunities for them as males but later discovered
that this thinking was not valid. Other gay and lesbian dietitians
reported that they felt the healthcare field was a supportive environment
for being “out.” And, like heterosexual dietitians,
some LGBT dietitians had an important role model in their impressionable
youth who happened to be a dietitian.
Battling Discrimination
Many of the gay and lesbian dietitians I interviewed felt that the
healthcare environment has been open about sexual orientation for
years, so their own presence in the setting doesn’t register
a blip on the radar. “I have no personal experience with discrimination,
not on an individual basis,” says Peter McNight, MS, RD. Antidiscrimination
policies at work that specifically address sexual orientation have
helped some gay and lesbian dietitians feel secure in their work
environments. According to Lester Rosenzweig, MS, RD, “Most
healthcare settings I’m aware of commonly have gay and lesbian
employees, and it’s not an issue. In my experience with the
profession and associations over the past 20 years, I have never
come across any blatant bias or discrimination because I was gay.”
But, as open as the healthcare environment is, many
gay and lesbian dietitians have experienced an episode or two of
discomfort because of their sexual orientation. “I have perceived
negativity from other RDs,” says Diana Cullum-Dugan, RD, LD.
Another gay dietitian admitted that he had witnessed slandering
of gay coworkers by dietitians within his earshot.
Most of the gay and lesbian dietitians interviewed
for this article live in major cities, such as Boston and Los Angeles,
where sexual and cultural diversity flourishes. “The year
I worked in dietetics in Little Rock, two people were fired because
of sexual persuasion,” says Cullum-Dugan. “But there
are no challenges in an open, diverse culture. We have domestic
partnership benefits and can be very open.”
“The whole country’s changing,”
says McNight. “Most of the country is opposed to discrimination
against gays and lesbians.” With millions of viewers tuning
in to television programs such as “The Ellen DeGeneres Show,”
“Will & Grace,” and “Queer Eye for the Straight
Guy,” some gay and lesbian dietitians feel that much of the
public considers LGBT people to be in the mainstream and that tolerance
of a variety of sexual orientations is at an all-time high.
Fighting Homophobia in
Healthcare
The LGBT community has long known that homophobia in the healthcare
setting is not imaginary. The Gay and Lesbian Medical Association
(GLMA) reports that when patients reveal their sexual orientation
and HIV status, they indeed run a risk of encountering discrimination
by medical professionals.
A 1998 survey of nursing students showed that 8%
to 12% “despised” lesbian, gay, and bisexual people,
5% to 12% found them “disgusting,” and 40% to 43% thought
that they should keep their sexuality private.1 In another 1999
New Mexico study, 8% of the male physician respondents could be
described as homophobic.1 In a 1992 study, gay men were found to
avoid medical care for fear of discrimination.1
Misinformation, homophobia among healthcare providers,
and a lack of scientific data on basic lesbian health needs results
in dangerously inadequate medical care for many lesbians today.
All of these factors have fed into astonishing rates of suicidal
behavior among lesbian, bisexual, and questioning youths; the high
incidence of stress-related chronic illnesses in lesbian adults;
and the avoidance of preventive health services by lesbians of all
ages.
GLMA suggests that healthcare providers seeking
to offer a gay-friendly service should participate in provider referral
programs through gay organizations or advertise in gay media to
promote a welcoming environment for gay-identified patients.
Bringing Sensitivity to
Work
Gay and lesbian dietitians feel that they possess unique strengths
they can bring to the forefront of dietetics. All of the gay and
lesbian dietitians I spoke with felt that LGBT patients might feel
more comfortable seeking out an LGBT dietitian for nutrition advice.
“As a gay nutrition provider, we can be in their shoes and
understand their lifestyles, just like Hispanic dietitians can better
understand Hispanic patients,” says one gay dietitian.
Providing nutritional services for gay individuals
living with HIV/AIDS is an example of opportunities for LGBT dietitians
to serve a specific population that might feel more comfortable
discussing their concerns with someone who can understand them.
“Gay and lesbian providers are typically part of other forms
of support—for example, AIDS teams. They may be able to offer
more support because they understand,” says Cullum-Dugan.
“Gay and lesbian dietitians can appreciate
a different life perspective,” adds McNight. “It makes
one more tolerant of diversity and more sympathetic with all sorts
of problems like HIV and substance abuse. It’s harder to look
down on people when you’re looked down on by many people.”
Gay and lesbian dietitians frequently report that
their own personal challenges have brought out an inner sensitivity
that makes them exude a unique empathy toward their patients. “Without
sounding too cliché, I am indeed more sensitive than my other
straight male counterparts, which makes patients more comfortable,”
says Jeremy Rentsch, a dietetic student who hopes to work with patients
with eating disorders in the future. “Gay and lesbian dietitians
can bring a sensitivity to their clients’ backgrounds because
of adversity they may have faced in their own lives,” says
another gay dietitian.
The LGBT population may be at risk for obesity and
eating disorders, an area that LGBT dietitians often find themselves
especially poised to tackle. According to “Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual,
and Transgender Health: Findings and Concerns” (January, 2000),
social stressors may impact body image and eating patterns among
gay and lesbian teenagers. This report also suggests that emphasis
on thinness in gay men who place importance on appearance may result
in eating disorders. A study of 135 men treated for eating disorders
at Massachusetts General Hospital from 1980 to 1994 revealed that
27% of all men in the program reported homosexual orientation and
42% of the bulimic patients identified themselves as homosexual
or bisexual.2 In the Minnesota Adolescent Health Survey in 1998,
a survey of more than 30,000 students in grades 7 to 12 showed that
homosexual boys were more likely than heterosexual boys to report
a poor body image (28% vs. 12%), while homosexual girls were more
likely than heterosexual girls to report a positive body image (42%
vs. 21%).2
“It wouldn’t at all surprise me to find
that young gay men are more concerned about their weight and body
image. Young gay men may benefit from weight-loss counseling with
someone they could talk to. It’s helpful to the patient if
he doesn’t have to skirt around [the issue of sexuality],”
says McNight.
Most of the gay and lesbian dietitians I talked
to agreed that one of the most important benefits that LGBT dietitians
might bring to the entire dietetics profession is an increase in
sensitivity that the profession can then funnel into its care of
LGBT patients. After all, sexual orientation sensitivity should
be packaged right along with racial and ethnic sensitivity. The
American Dietetic Association (ADA) includes sexual orientation
in its diversity statement. “I don’t think sensitivity
to sexual orientation has been addressed much in courses or conferences,”
says Rosenzweig. “We need to encourage sexual orientation
sensitivity for existing dietitians in the workplace and school
and internship programs,” says Cullum-Dugan.
Fostering tolerance to sexual orientation in healthcare
practices is one of the primary missions of health professional
groups such as the GLMA; the Network for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual
and Transgender Concerns in Occupational Therapy; the Association
of Gay and Lesbian Psychologists; the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and
Transgender Caucus of Public Health Workers; The Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual,
and Transgendered Audiologists and Speech-Language Pathologists;
and Alternative Modalities (The Organization of Gay and Lesbian
Physical Therapy Professionals).
Encouragingly, most of the gay and lesbian dietitians
I talked to felt that for the most part, dietitians were very sensitive
in their provision of care to LGBT patients.
But, dietitians still have work ahead of them, as
some lesbian and gay dietitians reported incidents of dietitians
refusing to work with HIV-positive patients or derogatory comments
whispered in hallways about LGBT patients. Dietitians need to ask
themselves the tough questions. Are you free of bias, prejudice,
attitudes, and opinions that might influence your ability to provide
service to a particular patient? And, as they would with all patient
contacts, dietitians need to begin their interviews with a positive,
open-minded expression stamped on their faces. Examples of establishing
sensitivity to patients of alternative sexual orientation start
with tasks as simple as taking a history. Instead of asking patients
about their “marital status,” consider replacing that
phrase with “relationship status.” In conversation,
substitute the word “partner” for “spouse.”
“Every family is different, and dietitians need to probe in
different ways. With the Massachusetts Supreme Court ruling, gays
and lesbians will be able to marry and family dynamics will change,”
says Cullum-Dugan.
Networking the Profession
With most allied health professions equipped with formal professional
networking groups for LGBT members, all of the gay and lesbian dietitians
I interviewed agreed that LGBT dietitians would surely benefit from
such a group. (One dietitian even proposed a name for a future networking
group that rolls off the tongue quite easily: GLAD [Gay and Lesbian
Association of Dietetics]). “It might be a good thing to have
a gay and lesbian networking group. It might be helpful for people
in the Midwest and South where more hate crimes occur,” says
Cullum-Dugan. McNight has established an informal gay and lesbian
networking group (http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/gaysandlesbiansindietetics/),
hoping to encourage camaraderie among LGBT dietitians. Currently,
the ADA has not received any requests from members to initiate an
LGBT dietitian networking group.
Many LGBT health professional groups focus on important
issues such as promoting better quality of health services for the
LGBT community, fostering a positive professional climate for LGBT
professionals, educating professional members about LGBT health
issues, wiping out homophobia and misinformation about LGBT people
within their practice, promoting research devoted to LGBT health
issues, supporting LGBT health and civil rights, referral programs
for LGBT-friendly healthcare providers, and retention programs for
practitioners who are HIV-positive.
Two thousand members strong, GLMA “came out”
in 1994 in response to many LGBT concerns within the healthcare
arena. Its members include physicians, medical students, other healthcare
professionals, and LGBT patients throughout North America. In addition
to their groundbreaking programs, GLMA publishes the Journal of
the Gay and Lesbian Medical Association, which focuses on clinical
and research issues. GLMA also coordinated a massive effort to yield
the premier comprehensive document on LGBT health, the “Healthy
People 2010 Companion Document for LGBT Health.” This document
explores and makes recommendations in areas such as quality health
services, mental health, public health infrastructure, HIV, immunizations
and infectious disease, tobacco, injury and violence prevention,
and substance abuse.
“In the End, We’re Just Dietitians”
Most of the gay and lesbian dietitians interviewed for this article
feel strongly that they are simply dietitians and that their sexual
orientation doesn’t make them perform their jobs any differently
than their straight peers. “I’ve never really thought
of myself as a gay dietitian. I consider myself a dietitian. I am
gay, but I don’t relate it to my job performance or job prospects
at this time,” says Rosenzweig. One dietitian who wished to
be unnamed adds, “You are judged based on the qualities that
you have as a person and dietetics professional.” This seems
a fitting lesson from which we can all learn.
— Sharon Palmer, RD, is a freelance writer
in southern California.
References
1. http://www.glma.org/medical/clinical/msm_safe_clinical.html.
Accessed January 28, 2004.
2. http://www.glma.org/policy/whitepaper/hpwp.html.
Accessed January 28, 2004.
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