One of the infestations of social taboos in Indian society is inequality. Inequality can be based on several aspects: the discrimination against the LGBTQ+ community and the uneven distribution of social status between the sexual minorities.
The sexual minorities in India are not only despised by society but also deprived of the rights of ordinary citizens, sometimes even the basic amenities. One such area is healthcare.
There are varied reasons for the exclusion of susceptible communities from healthcare services, the discernible ones being poverty and distance from healthcare centers while the harsher ones being societal discrimination, affecting the mental health of the community members.
Expression of inequality
The members of the gender and sexual minority groups, or typically the LGBTQ+ community, are denied proper healthcare services. This population is the most likely to fall victim to awful mental conditions, anxiety, depression, and even suicidal thoughts. Studies found that most of the transgender population suffered from mental stress and frequent alcohol consumption.
When the country was facing the first wave and the aftermath of Covid 19, there was a disruption in vaccination drives within the LGBTQ+ community as many of them don’t own a proper photograph identification, which mainly pertains to the transgender people whose identifications record the genders assigned to them after birth. Furthermore, the vaccines have side effects for people undergoing Hormone Replacement Therapy, which is a crucial shortcoming but never discussed or researched.
Apart from that, the sexual and gender minorities do not have fundamental provisions or smooth access to the treatment of STDs. Most of the population goes without treatment because of interrupted permits to general healthcare firms and unnecessary referrals to specialist services.
What should be done?
Healthcare programs should properly broaden the gender terms and include the none binary and transgender identities. A clear plan needs to be chalked out to discuss why the community lacks healthcare services, including the lack of safe transportation, financial conditions, prejudice from the healthcare centers, lack of public awareness, and proper education, both in the community well as outside. Also, it must be made sure that the services are harmless to the members of the community and everyone we made aware of their treatments. All these steps will lead to a progressive society in a good sense.
The LGBTQ+ community is deprived of proper healthcare services
