Sexual Health Tips for the Bi+ Community and Best Practices for Providers

Tips for Healthcare Providers

Bi+ patients are less likely to come out to healthcare providers than lesbians or gay men. This lower rate of disclosure among bi+ patients is likely influenced by the amount of bisexual erasure and bi+ antagonisim that the bi+ community frequently experiences in broader society. As a result of not disclosing, the health of bi+ patients may suffer since their health needs are unique. You can help change this by following the guidelines below:

• Ask your patients how they identify their gender and sexual orientation, and about their current sexual behavior. Making assumptions about any of these is detrimental to physical and mental health.
• A patient’s sexual orientation and sexual behavior may or may not align, so don’t label a patient’s sexual orientation based on their sexual behavior. For example, labeling a patient a lesbian because she identifies as a woman and has only been sexually active with women for several years erases other ways she might identify, like bi+.
• Be explicit when asking about a patient’s sexual behavior, as the gender of a patient’s partner does not indicate that partner’s anatomy. You can define terms as needed for your purposes; for example: “Do you have vaginal sex, meaning penis in vagina sex?”
• If you make a mistake, such as using the wrong pronouns or mislabeling a patient’s sexuality, apologize, correct yourself, and move on. Dwelling on a mistake will only make the situation more uncomfortable for your patient.