The Importance of Disclosure for Sexual and Gender Minorities in Oncofertility Cases

Abstract

The lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer/questioning (LGBTQ) population is an understudied and underserved community often referred to as sexual and gender minorities (Fredriksen-Goldsen et al. Am J Public Health 103(10):1802-1809, 2013). The labels “lesbian, gay, and bisexual” refer to sexual orientation (Spectrum Center. LGBT terms and definitions [internet]. Ann Arbor: Spectrum Center; 2015. [cited 2015 Jul 20], Available from: ► http://internationalspectrum.umich.edu/life/definitions ; Johnson. J Homosex 54(3):213-224, 2008). The term “transgender” refers to gender identities, where an individual does not identify with the sex assigned to him or her at birth (i.e., biological sex) (Spectrum Center. LGBT terms and definitions [internet]. Ann Arbor: Spectrum Center; 2015. [cited 2015 Jul 20], Available from: ► http://internationalspectrum.umich.edu/life/definitions ; Johnson et al. J Homosex. 2008). The labels “queer” and “questioning” may be used to refer to either sexual orientation or gender identity (Institute of Medicine. The health of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people: building a foundation for better understanding. Washington, DC: National Academies Press; 2011; Institute of Medicine. Collecting sexual orientation and gender identity data in electronic health records. Washington, DC: National Academies Press; 2013). There are several other terms associated with this community (e.g., “gender fluid, genderqueer, two-spirit”) as well as nomenclature used within these groups that is typically not acceptable to be used by nonmembers (e.g., dyke) (UC Berkeley Gender Equity Resource Center. Definition of Terms [Internet]. Berkeley: UC Berkeley Gender Equity Resource Center; c2014 [updated 2013 Jul; cited 2015 Jul 21]. Available from: ► http://geneq.berkeley.edu/lgbt_resources_definiton_of_terms ; Gender and Sexuality Center. LGBT Vocab 101 [Internet]. Northfield: Gender and Sexuality Center; [date unknown] [updated 2014 May 27; cited 2015 Jul 21]. Available from: https://apps.carleton.edu/campus/gsc/students/ally/lgbtvocab/). It is estimated that 3-12% of the US population identifies as gay, lesbian, or bisexual and 1-3% are transgender (Gates. How many people are lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender? Los Angeles: The Williams Institute, University of California, Los Angeles School of Law; 2011).