LGBTQ Health Disparities—Getting Better, but Still Not Equal

In the recent, highly publicized case of Obergefell v. Hodges, 135 S. Ct. 2584 (2015), the US Supreme Court upheld the right for same-sex couples to marry. You would think, then, that social justice had been achieved. The historically marginalized community of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) individuals in the United States had found equality, right? Think again. There are still several states in which it is legal to discriminate based on gender identity and sexual orientation in employment, housing, and the provision of services. Worse yet, parental rights are not automatically guaranteed for both spouses of married same-sex couples who decide to have children. The stress these circumstances create can wreak havoc on one’s health and well-being.