title: Being (in)visible in the clinic: A qualitative study of queer, lesbian, and bisexual women's health care experiences in Eastern Canada.
abstract: In this article, we examine the ways in which 18 queer, lesbian, and bisexual (QLB) women in Eastern Canada negotiated their visibility in interactions with primary care providers. QLB women patients used a number of strategies to determine risk and to be visible or invisible to their health care providers. We describe participants' disclosure decisions and strategies, and we argue that being visible and invisible requires work on the part of QLB patients in the context of institutionalized heteronormativity. Conceptualizing (in)visibility as work is required in efforts to account for and improve health care interactions across differences.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Sociology , St. Thomas University , Fredericton , New Brunswick , Canada.
authors.forename: Erin
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Fredericks
authors.affiliation: b Departments of Philosophy and Women & Gender Studies , Oakland University , Rochester , Michigan , USA.
authors.forename: Ami
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Harbin
authors.affiliation: c Department of Global Studies , Wilfrid Laurier University , Waterloo , Ontario , Canada.
authors.forename: Kelly
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Baker
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006297:Health Services Accessibility / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009674:Nova Scotia; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care / Q000523:psychology*; D011369:Professional-Patient Relations; D036301:Qualitative Research; D012649:Self Concept; D000072339:Sexual and Gender Minorities / Q000523:psychology*; D019529:Sexuality / Q000523:psychology*; D012938:Social Perception; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016387:Women's Health; D055815:Young Adult