Equity, Fairness and Pride Month

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Health Equity Monthly Focus
By Anita Ramsetty, MD, Director of Health Equity

June 2026

During Pride Month, we give additional attention to LGBTQ+ access to care, the organizational and structural barriers that remain, and the societal issues that continue to affect health and well-being. After decades of progress, these concerns persist and deserve our ongoing focus.

There are several definitions of health equity, but one I often return to is from the CDC because it focuses on fairness and just circumstances. Equity means having a fair and just opportunity to attain your best health. And in healthcare, that opportunity often begins with something simple but powerful: asking the right questions.

Several years ago, I had the privilege of being part of the healthcare team for a woman in her 30s who identified as lesbian. During a follow-up visit for diabetes, I asked the usual range of reproductive health questions, including questions about her menstrual cycle and related concerns. These were questions she expected.

Then I asked, “Are you and your partner planning to become parents at some point?”

She paused and looked at me expectantly.

I continued, “Is either of you planning on pregnancy? If it is you, I want to make sure you are in optimal health and that your blood sugars are well controlled, especially heading into a pregnancy.”

She was quiet for a few more seconds, then said softly, “No doctor has ever asked me that question before — whether I wanted or planned to be a parent. I felt like they assumed that because I was lesbian, I didn’t want kids or would never want to be pregnant.”

Our clinic visit that day opened the door to a conversation she had not expected to have. Although she was not planning to become pregnant herself, when her partner became pregnant the following year, she was better prepared to support and understand the health implications of planning for a safe, healthy pregnancy. That conversation served her, her partner and, ultimately, their child.

The questions we choose to ask — and the questions we omit — matter. So does the information patients feel comfortable sharing, or choose to withhold, based on whether they feel seen, respected and understood. These moments can shape healthcare decisions, relationships and outcomes.

At Englewood Health, we continue to move forward in recognizing the unique needs of the LGBTQ+ community, as well as the healthcare concerns that affect all of us as human beings. Fair and just access to health may begin with a single conversation. We strive to provide a welcoming, respectful environment that builds trust from the very first step.