Changing conservative views

Aoife Connors speaks to Dr Conor Malone, from an organisation called Gay Doctors Ireland, about overcoming the challenges faced by LGBT doctors over the course of their careers

Coming out – to identify yourself as lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender (LGBT) – can be a very daunting experience, but may be particularly so in the traditionally conservative Irish medical system, according to Dr Conor Malone.
“There are students who say that they want to do surgery, for example, but are not sure if they can be out because surgery is perceived to be quite conservative,” said Dr Malone, a surgical NCHD based in Beaumont Hospital. He is also the interim honorary chair for a new organisation, Gay Doctors Ireland (GDI).
The association aims to be an educational, supportive and holistic organisation centred on issues affecting LGBT persons in the medical community, whether they are medical students or qualified doctors.
“We also aim to keep members informed on relevant medical, social and psychological issues and we hope that regional networking will serve to provide links between LGBT doctors across the country,” said Dr Malone.
He says that his sexual orientation has not affected his professional work, but what is the reaction from straight colleagues in the medical profession? “Medicine is very hierarchical and I think there is a perception that there are consultants or a group of doctors that might not look too kindly on someone being out,” Dr Malone said.
In the past, doctors may have made decisions to move to the United States or to the UK, where they felt they could live freely as a gay person, but he thinks ‘this is less of an issue now’. “Being out to patients is very important, because they can tell when you’re not being honest with them. I am out to patients any time that the issue has come up and they have been very positive,” he said.
“It’s important for GPs to be comfortable being out, as there are very few visibly out at the moment, perhaps because they worry about the consequences for their practices — especially in rural areas. If people realise that there are gay doctors who are out, they might be more comfortable saying to their GP, ‘Look, I’m gay’, and their GP will find it easier to tailor the care to those patients.
“But a lot of patients are unsure about how their doctor will react to them describing themselves as gay or bisexual,” he said. Often people do not feel they can speak out about their sexual orientation or that they can be supported if they do speak out, Dr Malone added.
People are often out to different degrees in different circles, whether at work, with family or with friends. “It’s probably fair to say that current medical students and NCHDs are more out than most senior doctors, but that varies greatly from place to place – and indeed, there are many older physicians and surgeons who are out but not as visible,” he said.When someone who comes out, they identify themselves as either lesbian, gay or bisexual but transgender individuals can have a more nuanced orientation, he explained.
Gay Doctors Ireland
This discussion is now in the limelight with the recent establishment of the Irish organisation for LGBT doctors. In December 2009, a group of medical students and NCHDs decided it was time Ireland had similar supports to LGBT medical organisations in the United States, which has the Gay & Lesbian Medical Association, and the UK, which has the Gay & Lesbian Medical Association for Doctors & Dentists.
The original idea behind the establishment of the organisation was to act as a support network for doctors at all levels and medical students who were interested in seeing how out they could comfortably be as they progressed through their career. Along with Dr Malone as the interim honorary chair, Dr Matthew Barrett is the interim honorary secretary and Dr Leslie Hannon is interim honorary treasurer. “We hope our organisation will give more people the confidence to work openly in a positive environment,” Dr Malone explained. “The group is for anyone who self-identifies as LGBT; there are no labels and as such there is no ‘proof’ required to join.
“It’s needed in Irish medicine; doctors can be very isolated. Even though we’re relatively well viewed in society, it’s a very pressurised environment for some individuals, especially in a city practice, and doctors often experience bullying or name calling.” This is sometimes unintentional discrimination, where people do not realise that certain language is no longer appropriate or that it creates a negative working environment, he said. “I don’t think people are always intentionally homophobic; comments can be a slip of the tongue,” he added.
He said that LGBT doctors, particularly in rural areas, can feel isolated and may benefit from the organisation: “They can be in a position in the community where they may not be able to socialise like a lay person.”
Openly meet people
Gay Doctors Ireland wants people to have access to a group nationwide, where they can openly meet people of similar sexuality from the medical community. GDI hopes to reach every corner of Ireland, to educate the LGBT community about LGBT health, ‘because often you’ll find that even an LGBT doctor may lack certain knowledge or skills in certain areas of LGBT health – like problems that LGBT youth will have with substance abuse, suicide or depression’.
The group has over 40 registered members but expects membership to increase. Members include an equal mix of medical students, junior doctors, GPs and consultants.
Dr Malone said that the reaction to the group has been very positive. “Most have said they can’t believe we didn’t have this before now.”
l The first Gay Doctors Ireland AGM will be held on May 8 in the Radisson Blu Hotel, Golden Lane, Dublin 8 at 7pm. Any gay doctors or medical students interested in joining are welcome to attend. Register at www.gay doctorsireland.ie. Dr Jesse Ehrenfeld from Harvard University, Chair of the Massachusetts committee on LGBT health, will speak about ‘Better Healthcare for LGBT Communities’.