Press Release

Dr. Michelle Garrido, a first-generation Cuban American, believed in the American Dream. Raise a family. Find career success. Make an impact. That dream became reality, but not without friction and hard work. After college, she became a teacher and later a family medicine physician with Optum, a UnitedHealth Group company. When she came out, Dr. Garrido felt the uneasy shudder of negative implications, particularly from care providers. She remembered one clinician shutting down when she mentioned her girlfriend: 'I could tell she was taken aback, disgusted even.'

Experiences like these are common among lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and other sexual and gender minority individuals (LGBTQ+) and can negatively impact their health and well-being. As a result, LGBTQ+ individuals experience greater risks of mental health issues, substance abuse and chronic conditions that lead to care delays, emergency room visits and poorer health overall.