If you’re not counted you don’t count: recognising the needs of sexual and gender minorities

Understandings of sexuality and gender diversity are ever-developing, and the visibility of their lives and the needs of communities of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Intersex and Asexual (LGBTQIA) people are more in focus than ever before. Embracing and respecting sexuality and gender diversity is a fundamental process in ensuring that the care given by nurses is both person-centred and respectful of the innate human dignity acknowledged in the codes of numerous international and national nursing bodies. As a fundamental aspect of human experience, how patients identify in terms of sexuality and gender identity can be core information for planning appropriate and effective interventions in their care.