LGBTQ+ Secondary Question

[Holland]

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I'm bisexual, but I haven't written about it in secondaries because it hasn't really played a central role in my path to medicine in the same way that some other aspects of my life story have. I'm entirely open to talking about it in interviews, reflecting on how it's shaped my perspective, etc., it's just that I've never really thought of sexuality in general as being pertinent to my life story (other than in the context of personal relationships, of course).

However, I'm working on a secondary now that explicitly asks if I identify as LGBTQ+. While I plan on answering yes, I'm wondering if it's unusual that I've otherwise made no mention of it. I don't want to give the impression that I'm being inconsistent or haven't done any introspection on the topic. Has anybody else done something similar? Is this a common situation to be in or should I have been reflecting on it in my responses up to this point?

 

[rocketene]

LGBT+ student here.

Just answer the question honestly, it's likely a demographics thing if it's a yes/no, so it won't make a difference either way.

I think you approached the essays correctly: if being LGBT+ has not significantly shaped your reasons for medicine, then don't force it into essays. Honesty is generally the best policy.

Conversely, if being LGBT+ significantly shaped your decision to pursue medicine, then talk about that. I wrote extensively about my experiences as an LGBT+ patient and person because those experiences are why I chose to enter this profession.

 

[LizzyM]

I do think that it is merely an attempt to take many different aspects of "diversity" into account when admitting a diverse subset of applic;ants. There is no expectation that you'd have written about it in a secondary any more than a cis-gender or gay applicant might do so.

 

[LeaveNoTrace]

Hmm.

For the record: I'm bisexual. Things might have changed since 2018, when I applied to medical school, but I considered writing about this in my secondaries. I decided against it after significant deliberation as I had had no service to the LGBTQ+ community, and feared being seen as a cynical opportunist who may simply have been slinging...organic, cattle-derived fertilizer in order to appear more diverse. I never got that question in a secondary application; if I did, I probably would have answered honestly although I might not have. I'd again be concerned that people thought that I was just faking it for attention or "diversity points" given a lack of LGBTQ+ community service.

I would lean towards telling the truth, but I would also approach this carefully if it is more than just a simple box to check. Good luck.