“Language matters,” and other insights from equity academic and campaigner Professor Chloe Orkin

As part of Pride 2025, distinguished British physician and health equity campaigner Professor Chloe Orkin shares ten action-provoking insights.

Since 2003, Orkin has been a consultant in HIV medicine at Barts Health NHS Trust, contributing to the licensing of over 20 therapies for HIV, Hepatitis C, and COVID-19. She is Dean for Healthcare Transformation at Queen Mary University of London and Professor of Infection and Inequities

1. Visibility is a form of activism

My career was shaped by my willingness to be visible, not just as a clinician, but as a gay, disabled woman in medicine. Constant visibility can take its toll; it’s a tax on both time and emotions. But I also understand its power. When people see someone like them in leadership, it helps them believe they belong too.

“You have to see it to be it.” — Billie Jean King

2. Structural barriers are real (and personal)

My journey has been marked by structural inequities. Visa restrictions limited my academic opportunities, and I’ve worked in countries where my sexuality was criminalised. These experiences have shown me how gender, disability, and sexual identity intersect to create unique challenges, and how much resilience is required to navigate them.

3. Language matters in public health

As Chair of the British HIV Association, I led the UK medical society’s adoption of the U=U (Undetectable = Untransmittable) campaign. We challenged the medical establishment’s use of terms like “negligible risk” when the evidence clearly showed “no risk.” That shift in language helped reduce stigma and changed lives. Words can either reinforce shame or dismantle it.

4. Trust is the foundation of equity

Whether in clinical care or the workplace, trust is everything. For those of us with hidden disabilities, being believed is essential. I once lost a job opportunity because someone didn’t trust that my non-visible disability was real, despite having the same skills and drive that allowed me to thrive elsewhere.

5. Intersectionality is dynamic

Overlapping identities, like gender, race, disability and sexuality, shape how you experience discrimination. Depending on the situation, some aspects feel more relevant than others. These intersections can compound disadvantages but also inform more inclusive leadership.

6. Equity work must be shared

Too often, equity, diversity, and inclusion roles are filled by those most affected by inequity. Equity is everyone’s responsibility, and institutions must recognise that.

7. Role modelling is costly yet powerful

I often describe role modelling as a form of “constant exhibitionism.” It can be deeply uncomfortable and I would prefer to be known for my academic contributions, but I continue to do it because I know it helps others feel seen. The emotional labour is real, and representation comes at a cost.

8. Clinical activism drives change

My activism is not separate from my clinical academic work, it’s embedded. From leading the first study of two-monthly injectable HIV treatment to challenging discriminatory public health messaging, I’ve shown that clinicians can be powerful agents of change.

9…but we can’t do it alone

While systems must change to deliver real change, real change often begins outside of institutions, driven by those who are most directly affected. Community activism was essential to accelerating the development of HIV medicines and pushing campaigns like U=U.

10. Pride is political and personal

For me, Pride is not just a celebration, it’s a call to action. It’s about challenging systems, amplifying marginalised voices, and creating space for everyone to thrive.

I’ve been told many times that my visible existence helps people to feel like there is a place for people like them in medicine, leadership, and academia.

More from our EDI champions blog series

This is part of our EDI Champions blog series, which amplifies the voices of the community and provides a place for those advocating for equality in healthcare to share their insights.