Shocking report finds half of EU doctors consider homosexuality a disease

Being gay is still considered a pathological disease by nearly half of all EU doctors, according to a new survey by the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (EUAFR).

The survey, ‘Professionally speaking: challenges to achieving equality for LGBT people’, was carried out in 2013 with more than 1,000 respondents working in policy development and implementation, education, healthcare and law enforcement in 19 member states, Towleroad reported. It also shows that Bulgaria, Hungary, Italy, Lithuania, Poland and Slovakia are the EU countries where this misconception is most widely held.

According to The Huffington Post UK, the report also found that the idea that homosexuality is a disease was still present in medical training.

Responding to the findings, Kim Sanders of LGBT charity Stonewall, said: “This research is a reflection of the shocking treatment and inequality that lesbian, gay, bi and trans people face in some European countries.

“Homophobia, biphobia and transphobia underpin these beliefs and they leave the health of LGBT people at severe risk. Not only do LGBT people face abuse and discrimination, they effectively have access to essential healthcare provision blocked because of prejudice.

“Our own study found 10% of healthcare professionals had heard colleagues express the belief that same-sex attraction could be cured.  

“The lack of education, as well as the discriminatory beliefs highlighted in this report and in our research, show how much work there is left for us to do before everyone is treated equally, both in the UK and internationally.”

Towleroad and The Huffington Post UK contributed to this report.

The Gayly- 3/23/2016 @ 4:54 PM CST