WONCA Special Interest Group: LGBTQ Health

Filiz Ak, MD, MPA (Turkey)

Dr. Filiz Ak graduated from Hacettepe University Faculty of Medicine in 1994. She completed her specialty training at Ankara Numune Training and Research Hospital in 2001 with the thesis titled "The Opinions of Physicians and Nurses on Menopause and Hormone Replacement Therapy" and became a family medicine specialist. She completed her master's degree in public administration at the Public Administration Institute of Turkey and the Middle East in the 2002-2003 education period with her thesis titled "Gender and Politics in Turkish Novel After 1980".

She has been working as a Lecturer Doctor at Ankara University School of Medicine since 2007. She gives courses on “Gender and Health”, “Gender-Based Medicine”, and “LGBTIQ+ Health in Primary Care” in undergraduate medical education and family medicine residency programs. She is the Education Manager and Quality Manager of the Department of Family Medicine. She conducts research on LGBTIQ+ health and advocates for human rights and health needs of LGBTIQ+ individuals. She completed Foundation and Advanced Courses of WPATH, and she will participate in the medical mentorship group of WPATH for 10 weeks from October 26, 2021 to March 22, 2022.

Her aim has been to specialize in transgender health. Dr. Filiz Ak has carried out various tasks in The Women Physicians and Woman Health Branch of Turkish Medical Association and The Women Physicians and Woman Health Commission of Ankara Medical Chamber. She founded LGBTIQ+ Working Group in Ankara Medical Chamber in 2014 Spring, which has been collaborating with LGBTIQ+ organizations in Ankara.

She is a feminist activist and works in various organizations for gender equality. She is also members of two LGBTIQ+ organizations, Kaos GL and 17 May Association. She feels responsible for the future of the Planet Earth. She is a member of Planetary Health Alliance and Clinicians for Planetary Health. She does not only dream a World without war, but also dreams a Planet and a Universe in peace with all living species. She likes as an amateur to do Greek dances Hasapiko, Uriotikos, Ikariotikos, Sympethéra. Zeibekiko, Zorbas; and she loves with passion and wants to learn Argentinian tango, especially Milonga.

Julien Artigny (France)

Dr Julien Artigny is a general practitioner (GP) working in Toulouse in the south of France. He is involved in the CMG (French College of General Practice) as a member of the International Delegation.

He is an LGBT advocate and was co-chair of the “Educational committee” in a regional LGBT association, providing school interventions regarding LGBTphobia. He is working with GP residents as thesis director on LGBT health issues.

Passionate about General Practice and international collaboration, he is the WONCA Europe representative in the Organizational Equity Committee of WONCA World. He is also the Policy Officer of the Vasco da Gama Movement (VdGM), European Young Doctors Movement of WONCA and chair of Saint-Exupery Network, French association promoting international opportunities for GPs.

email convenors

TBA

a) Educate family physicians and general practitioners about the healthcare inequities experienced by patients who identify as LGBTQ
b) Provide evidence-based resources for the healthcare of LGBTQ patients
c) Facilitate and create international research focusing on LGBTQ health in PHC
d) Connect LGBTQ-identified and ally family physicians and general practitioners in a safe and affirming space within the WONCA organization

Potential collaboration with WONCA Working Parties and Special Interest Groups:

• Working Party on Education
• Working Party on Ethical Issues
• Working Party on Mental Health
• Working Party on Research
• SIG on Family Violence
• SIG on Health Equity
• SIG on Adolescents and Young Adult Health

Potential collaborating international NGOs

• World Professional Association for Transgender Health (WPATH)
• GLMA: Health Professionals Advancing LGBTQ Equality

WONCA Organizational Equity Committee. Statement on LGBTQ. 2018.

Global Conference on Primary Health Care, Declaration of Astanta, October 2018.

ILO, OHCHR, UNDP, UNESCO, UNFPA, UNHCR, UNICEF, UNODC, UN Women, WFP, WHO and UNAIDS. Ending violence and discrimination against lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex people (UN statement). September 2015.

PAN AMERICAN HEALTH ORGANIZATION WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION, Addressing the causes of disparities in health service access and utilization for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Trans (LGBT) persons, October 2013.

“Prevention and treatment of HIV and other sexually transmitted infections among men who have sex with men and transgender people” WHO, Department of HIV/AIDS, June 2011.

World Health Organization. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Adopted 10 December 1948.

World Report 2019. Human Rights Watch. Available online: https://www.hrw.org/world-report/2019.

Ream GL. What’s Unique About Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) Youth and Young Adult Suicides? Findings from the National Violent Death Reporting System. Journal of Adolescent Health. Jan 2019.

Almeida J, Johnson RM, Corliss HL, Molnar BE, Azrael D. Emotional Distress Among LGBT Youth: The Influence of Perceived Discrimination Based on Sexual Orientation. J Youth Adolescence, 2019.

Brown TNT, Herman JL. Intimate partner violence and sexual abuse among LGBT people. 2015.

Gates GJ. How many people are lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender? 2011.