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Sexuality


Some people are certain about their sexuality. Others are a little less sure. No matter what your orientation, or who you choose to sleep with, rest assured that there are probably lots of other people in the med-school and the rest of the uni who share similar desires.

Again, for some ‘coming-out’ seems like the right move while others would prefer to keep their preferences more private. This is all down to you, but don’t feel that it’s a decision you must wrestle with alone. You might like to discuss your concerns with your family. If this doesn’t appeal, you could consider confiding in one or two close friends. However, there are many more people who can give you advice and support of a more impartial and confidential nature. Don’t forget that being gay, lesbian or bisexual shouldn’t necessarily force an identity on you. Sexuality is just one facet of your character, and you can go on playing rugby, being in the orchestra or whatever your hobby as you.

Bristol doesn’t have the powerful gay presence of other large cities, but there is a small scene for students and young people if you look. There are gay pubs like the pineapple and the elephant; clubs like Q/- (the queen shilling) and Vibes; there’s also the LGBT society in the union. The weekly listings magazine, Venue, is a good place to look for details of things going on.

Bristol medical school may not seem like the most friendly environment in which to be gay. This doesn’t mean that your medic friends won’t be accepting of, or happy with who you are. However, flagging up the presence of innate homophobia in the med-school and hospital environments is something that Galenicals is taking seriously this year.

The website http://www.gayyouthuk.org.uk is a good source of info for all things from sexual health to coming-out. It also has a discussion board and chat room to help with individual matters. If you need advice on matters of sexual health, there is a clinic at the BRI, the Milne Centre, which offers a full range of services. There are also genito-urinary medicine (GUM) clinics in Cardiff and Bath that you could attend.

There is a national association for doctors and dentists called GLADD (the Gay and Lesbian Association of Doctors and Dentists) and they hold meetings in London. There is a chance that some local events will be organised through GLADD, so they might be worth contacting (the address is at the end of the section).

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