Heterosexism in the ER

[Afrotea]

So i recently took a trip to the ER. And while i was there i noticed that i had to answer the same question AT LEAST 4 times, but i'm pretty sure it was six because everyone i talked to (6 people, 1 med student, 2 nurses, the doctor, the attending doctor, the radiologist) asked me. "Is there any chance you could be pregnant?" or "Are you sexually active?" I answered all six times with "no". No, no, and for the last and final time NO. Gosh! i can a thousand percent assure you in the negative! anyway, my point with all this is that you are assumed to be straight, and pregnant, when you go to the ER. Also, this brings up the question, Do you tell your gyno?

[diane]

THATS USALLY THE FIRST QUESTION THEY ASK YOU WHEN YOU ENTER THE ER. IF YOU DO NOT SEEM TO BE ANY PAIN.IN THAT ORDER.BUT MY DOCTER KNOWS THAT IM A LESIBAN.

[thru'Ntrue]

Protocall with the ER. Never had a reason to tell my doctor. He never tells me his sexual preference, we're even.

[Locd Psyience]

i haven't been to the ER in years...but have never known anyone to ask me this question outright in any medical setting...but if asked, i share with no hesitancy...never thought beyond that though...

[dain-daingerous]

questions such as those are protocol in the ER, 4 womyn.
-doctors and technicians like 2 know this information because certain
medications/ treatments/ non-treatments can be harmful 2 a fetus and
they don't want any lawsuits. "are u sexually active?", unfortunately,
they ARE referencing men...

as 4 my gyno & primary care physician, those chics are informed during
the 1st visit...

-if u can, for (health) discussion's sake, be "categorized" under the lesbian,
bisexual and FTM umbrella, there are many health challenges u may face.

http://www.womenshealth.gov/faq/lesbian-health.cfm#1
http://www.plannedparenthood.org/health-topics/sexual-orientation-g...

[Janelle Greene]

I actually do tell my gyno. It kind of amuses me, and sounds similar to the line of questioning you were subjected to:
DOC: 'Are you sexually active'
ME: 'yes.'
DOC: 'Are you using birth control?'
ME: 'nope.'
DOC: 'Do you want to get pregnant?'
ME: 'absolutely not.'
The doc proceeds to look puzzled. Her face goes through a number of changes. I can tell she's thinking: 'Is this girl ignorant?' AND 'Where was she educated?' AND 'Did she miss sex ed?' and I'm thinking: 'Wait for it...wait for it...wait...' And then a cloud breaks over her forehead and she goes: 'OOOOOHHHHHHH....' and then she scribbles on her little notepad. Looks up. And then scribbles some more. And I laugh; it's become my favorite part of going to the doctor.
I've been lucky- I've never experienced homophobia or gender discrimination, even though many ladies have and do.

[Tiffany]

Ha! I had this exact same dialogue in the ER not too long ago. I literally was asked if I "want to get pregnant..." I wonder if that's in the protocol.

[BigBadButch]

I told my doctor I'm a lesbian and somehow she misheard/mis-remembered that as me saying I am celibate. It is not pleasant having to come out again and again every time I see the doctor.