Hospital comes under fire for sign listing 'LGBTQ' as a 'mental health disorder' alongside conditions including psychosis and schizophrenia
- The Princess Alexandra Hospital, in Essex, blasted for their mental health poster
- Posted listed being LGBTQ with disorders such as bi-polar and schizophrenia
- Twitter user Ellen Gibson shared her anger at the poster sparking online outrage
- Hospital apologised for offence caused by a poster and have since taken it down
A hospital has been blasted for a poster listing being a member of the LGBTQ community as a 'mental health disorder'.
The Princess Alexandra Hospital, in Essex, has come under fire after putting up a notice which listed being LGBTQ alongside disorders such as bi-polar, schizophrenia and psychosis.
The poster has since been taken down and the hospital issued an apology for 'any offence' caused, saying they will be 'taking action' to find out 'how this was displayed.'
After noticing the poster, Ellen Gibson, from London, took to Twitter to share the poster, sparking outrage from other users, who told they were 'genuinely shocked' , with one saying it made them feel 'unsafe' as a queer person.
The Princess Alexandra Hospital, in Essex, has come under fire on Twitter after putting up a notice which listed being LGBTQ alongside disorders such as bi-polar, schizophrenia and psychosis
She penned: 'Where to even start with this poster, on the wall of an actual hospital @NHSHarlow ... Being part of the LGBTQ (or LGBTG)community isn't a mental health disorder and I can't believe I'm having to say this to an NHS institution?!'
'Woah is this for real?, asked one angry user, 'Folks you really need to get a grip!' Another said: 'Genuinely shocked how this appeared in a hospital. It doesn’t look professionally done but it is poorly thought out with all the best will in the world. Glad swift action is being taken by said hospital.
A third agreed: 'Gross. This was my nearest hospital growing up and would 100% have made me feel unsafe as a young queer person.'
The poster sparked outrage from other users, who told they were 'genuinely shocked' , with one saying it made them feel 'unsafe' as a queer person
Trevor Smith, deputy chief executive, at The Princess Alexandra Hospital NHS Trust, told FEMAIL: 'We apologise for the offence caused by a poster displayed in our hospital. The poster was removed immediately and action is being taken to understand how this was displayed.
'We regret the concern this situation has caused and we assure all our patients that the view implied by the poster is not the view of the trust.'
In the US, homosexuality was listed as a mental disorder in the American classification of mental disorders (DSM) until 1973.
The poster has since been taken down and the hospital issued an apology for 'any offence' caused, saying they will be 'taking action' to find out 'how this was displayed. Pictured, general view of the Alexandra Hospital in Harlow
In May last year is was announced that transgender health issues will no longer be classified as a mental and behavioral disorder by the World Health Organization.
Instead transgender is now listed under a chapter on sexual health.
Ellen continued to rage about the poster, and while many pointed out the meaning behind poster was most likely the result of a grammatical error, argued that the hospital needed to be more circumspect when it comes to mental health issues.
'Most likely typed up and laminated by a service user and not checked for errors, or correct wording', one wrote.
Ellen continued to rage and argued that the hospital needed to be more circumspect when it comes to mental health issues
Ellen replied: 'Yeah not trying to lay the blame on any individual and the intention could be good, just think there should be someone checking since many LGBTQ+ people are often told they're mentally ill and that experience will be painful to be reminded of.
'If you wanna highlight support available to communities at greater risk of mental health problems then idk maybe just say that?, said Ellen.
'Don't just smack a list of stuff on the wall of a hospital reception area and say they're 'disorders'.
Ellen added: 'This is particularly bad language to use given that being LGBTQ *was* designated as a mental health disorder until shockingly recently (1990 for LGB and *2019* for trans people) and that has caused irreparable damage to so many lives over the years'.
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