Imagine walking into the hospital room, your hands cold from the fear of what your blood tests might reveal, high cholesterol, maybe something worse. And the doctor barely looks up before making remarks that have little to do with your health and everything to do with your identity. A smirk, a raised eyebrow, and then a sarcastic comment that cut deeper than any diagnosis could.
According to the first full-scale study in Cyprus on LGBTQ+ people and healthcare, such incidents are indeed documented in Cyprus and continue to affect the healthcare access of LGBTQI+ individuals and what is even more alarming is that members of the community choose to be left unchecked than exposed to prejudice, bureaucratic roadblocks and a lack of proper specialized care.
The study, carried out by IMR/University of Nicosia™ as part of the European Safe-R Program (CERV - 2023 - Equal) and coordinated by the Cyprus Family Planning Association shows that many people said they avoid or delay seeing a doctor or a therapist because they’re scared of prejudice or being treated with a “non-inclusive” attitude. In fact, 17% said straight out they wouldn’t go for medical or psychological help at all if they expected bias. Another 15% had already skipped care because of bad past experiences, and 6% stayed away simply because of who they are, their sexual identity or how they express their gender.
Discrimination that hides in plain sight
Another striking finding from the report is that discrimination in hospitals and clinics isn’t usually loud or openly aggressive, it’s subtle. It shows up as microaggressions, offhand remarks, stereotypes, or assumptions rooted in heteronormative, binary ideas. At first, these might seem minor, but the impact is real: many in the community would rather avoid the system altogether than risk facing them. Over time, these quiet forms of bias chip away at trust and leave people feeling unsafe in a place that should be all about care.
So, what do people do? They turn to their own networks. Friends, community groups, word of mouth, that’s how they find doctors who will treat them with respect. Sounds supportive, sure, but it also shows something bigger: there’s no strong institutional safety net.
Even tougher for trans and non-binary people
For trans and non-binary individuals, things get way more complicated. They run into a wall of admin hassles and health workers who simply aren’t trained to understand gender identity or expression. And outside the big cities? It gets worse. The lack of specialists, the gossip in small communities, and plain old social prejudice make things even harder.
Mental health matters
Here’s what I think is one of the most important findings: mental health. About a quarter of people (24%) live with a mental illness, and nearly half (43%) go to therapy. But here’s the uplifting part, 97% believe therapy is valuable and helps improve mental health. Isn’t that amazing? Almost everyone sees the good in it.
But, there’s a catch. Many therapists do not actually have the training to work with LGBTQI+ clients. That means awkward moments, misunderstandings, and chances for real care just slipping away. So, the quality of support? Quite uneven. It depends more on the individual therapist’s sensitivity than on the system itself.
What about the professionals?
Now, it’s not all bad news. Most healthcare professionals want to offer inclusive care. They just admit they don’t have the training or the institutional backing to do it right. Now here is the eye opener, when researchers tried to get doctors and nurses involved in the study, many didn’t even sign up. Kind of says a lot, doesn’t it? It shows LGBTQI+ health issues still are not a top priority in the medical field.
Where do you even find information?
That’s another big gap. There just aren’t enough local resources on key topics like safer sex, PrEP and PEP treatments, hormone therapy, or gender transition processes. So, people end up turning to unofficial sources, which aren’t always reliable. And if you face discrimination or bad treatment? There’s no official, safe complaints system to record it and get it fixed. So those experiences just vanish into thin air.
Time for action
But here’s a hopeful note. The study makes it clear: yes, the gaps are there, but so is the potential for real change. Both the LGBTQI+ community and the healthcare world see the need for action. The solutions? Better policies, proper training for health professionals, smoother admin processes, and full legal recognition. The goal is simple, a health system that treats everyone with dignity, safety, and respect, no matter who they are.
About the study
The numbers behind it? 125 LGBTQI+ people, 55 health professionals and medical/nursing students, plus in-depth interviews with 19 LGBTQI+ people and 8 professionals.
So, what do you think? Here we are in 2025, and people must still fight this hard just to get fair healthcare...
