LGBT+ Equal Representativity in Medical Training and Covid-19: Building Care and Solidarity Networks

Abstract:

Introduction:

Members of the LGBT+ community have historically faced structural obstacles denying them the protections and rights guaranteed by full citizenship. The COVID-19 pandemic has caused the vulnerability of these individuals to become even more intense and explicit. In light of these developments, this experience report presents and critically analyzes an action executed by medical students to promote equal representation and a care/support and solidarity network among LGBT+ students during the pandemic.

Experience Report:

This report describes the creation of a video entitled “Evoluiu Challenge” by medical students and graduates from a Brazilian public university. In the face of social isolation and the need for LGBT+ equal representation, encouragement and empowerment in medical schools, actions, such as producing the video, were identified as necessary in order to help the most vulnerable academics find a network of support, solidarity and empowerment among their peers. The project was developed with 20 students and 3 graduates from the same institution, with the video being viewed more than 85,000 times. Discussion: The experience reported here highlights the importance of technological advances to promote “togetherness” in times of isolation and social distancing. In this regard, the video increased the visibility of the LGBT+ population in the medical sphere. Furthermore, it fostered equal representation and the construction of a student support network promoting care, as described in the National Curriculum Guidelines.

Conclusion:

This experience report clearly demonstrates the need to implement strategies for actions that support the LGBT+ community at universities, such as care/solidarity networks. Such strategies, like the video, will therefore leverage the construction of a more inclusive teaching-learning space, representing an oasis of thought against oppression and space for contestation.

Keywords:
Sexual and Gender Minorities; Pandemic; Medical Education; Social Media; Health Promotion