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.