“People Who Get You”: A Qualitative Study of LGBTQ+-Affirming Eating Disorder Treatment

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and other sexual and gender diverse (LGBTQ+) individuals are under-represented in eating disorder (ED) research despite being an at-risk group. They also face additional barriers to accurate diagnosis, treatment access, and affirming care. This qualitative study used reflexive thematic analysis to explore the experiences of sixteen adults who attended a virtual ED treatment program designed specifically to treat LGBTQ+ individuals. Findings show how LGBTQ+-affirming ED care compares and contrasts with participants’ previous healthcare experiences. Analyses identified two major themes around (a) the important benefits of LGBTQ+ community within a treatment setting and (b) the effective ways the ED treatment program was structured to uniquely meet the needs of LGBTQ+ clients. This study provides important insights into the need for more LGBTQ+-affirming ED treatment settings and ways that providers can increase their cultural responsiveness to work with LGBTQ+ clients.