Genders and sexualities in medical education: Between the hidden curriculum and the integrality of care

Abstract

The National Curricular Guidelines for Undergraduate Medicine Courses reiterate the importance of gender and sexuality issues for the development of competencies related to integral health care and promotion of human rights. In view of this, this debate was implemented in the curriculum of a medical school in Brazil, discussing the influence on health education and practice of the heteronormative matrix and its consequent social and institutional prejudice. The data and reflections of this experiment were analyzed and presented from the performance autoethnography reference, in dialogue with the queer and cultural studies. It was identified that integral health care becomes a great challenge between the essentializing and naturalizing effects of the hidden curriculum on the bodies that slide the norms and expectations of gender and sexuality. It was concluded that actions to raise awareness and affectation to others, with the realization of a network of supporters were fundamental to promote a sense of solidarity, love and dialogue in the face of a struggle without guarantees, thus promoting integral health care and human rights.