LGBTQ+ Coloradans Have Unique Healthcare Needs
Colorado is home to hundreds of thousands of people in the LGBTQ+ community, with a variety of identities related to their gender expression and sexual orientation.
As a member of the community, I know how important it is to feel seen and valued by the people we engage with every day. We have diverse, unique experiences and compelling stories to tell.
However, LGBTQ+ people are being erased through deliberate policy choices. The University of California Los Angeles’ Williams Institute found that over 360 data measures or metrics related to data collected about sexual orientation and gender identity have been removed from federal data collection systems since January 2025. [1] As of June 2026, 530 anti-LGBTQ+ bills have been introduced in state legislatures throughout the United States throughout the 2026 legislative session. [2] These policies inherently erase LGBTQ+ people’s experiences and make it difficult to track on key information about the community to help provide resources and programs to support them.
The Colorado Health Access Survey (CHAS) ensures that LGBTQ+ Coloradans are seen and heard. It has captured the experiences of the LGBTQ+ community for over 10 years. For example, our CHAS data story shows that LGBTQ+ people often feel disrespected when seeking health care. The CHAS provides data to quantify the problem, and these numbers let us — and the whole state — know that we are not alone in our experiences.
Intersecting Identities and the Impact on Health
No one has a single identity. We all have parts of ourselves that come together to make a whole. For example, a Black nurse and mother in Jefferson County may have a very different health experience than a trans Chicano performance artist and barista in Pueblo.
We bring these identities to the systems we interact with every day. These systems can provide people with a safe place to show up as themselves to get the kind of support that they need, or they can harm people with discrimination.
Negative healthcare experiences dissuade people from seeking healthcare in the future, ultimately hurting their health. Who you are shouldn’t change your experience trying to get care — but unfortunately it does.
LGBTQ+ Coloradans have unique healthcare needs, not just those related to gender-affirming care. They also cited disability, weight, and chronic illness as reasons for feeling disrespected when seeking healthcare. All these factors may have led to poorer healthcare outcomes when compared with their cisgender, heterosexual neighbors.
When providers increase their awareness of the distinct needs of their LGBTQ+ patients and practice responsive care, they can help reduce the negative interactions people have with the healthcare system and encourage them to continue getting the care they need.
Our Stories Are Powerful
Now more than ever, it is important that we show up for each other. Understanding people’s stories is one place to start. Organizations like Rocky Mountain Equality create safe and accessible spaces for people to be themselves.
CHI has partnered with Rocky Mountain Equality in previous work to understand how local public health agencies across Colorado engage with and serve LGBTQ+ people, as well as gaps in their understanding of the community in their areas. Last year, we did a webinar on LGBTQ+ data for public health.
Rocky Mountain Equality is just one of many groups working to make sure LGBTQ+ people have a safe place to call home, and that they can be healthy and thrive in our state.
[1] Bouton, L and Redfield, E. (2026). University of California Los Angeles Williams Institute. Removal of Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity from Federal Data Collections. https://williamsinstitute.law.ucla.edu/publications/sogi-data-collectio…
[2] American Civil Liberties Union. (2026). Mapping Attacks on LGBTQ Rights in U.S. State Legislatures in 2026. https://www.aclu.org/legislative-attacks-on-lgbtq-rights-2026