Transvestites in the Family Health Program of Lapa

Abstract

This text reports the experience of sheltering transvestites in the Family Health Program of Lapa (PSF-Lapa), a health center that provides basic care, situated in the neighborhood of Lapa, in the downtown area of the city of Rio de Janeiro. PSF-Lapa is an integral part of the Medicine program of UNESA (Estácio de Sá University), in partnership with the Municipal Health Department of Rio de Janeiro. It serves as a teaching-learning scenario for students of the Medicine program and of other health areas of the university. Supported by the fact that the transvestites' access to public health services has been characterized by prejudice on the part of professionals and users, this paper discusses the humanization of the relationship student-health professionals-users, concerning the right to health. It reports the strategies used to promote the sheltering of the transvestites by the health team, users and students involved, based on the logic of respect for diversity.