A new milestone for Inclusive Healthcare: The opening of the Maison Arc-En-Ciel de la Santé

Healthcare is an important part of the life of a person. Yet, many LGBTQIA+ people still struggle to find medical spaces where they feel cared for, supported, respected and most importantly understood. While not the very first initiative of its kind, the opening of the Maison Arc-En-Ciel de la Santé on Monday, February 3rd, 2025, marked an important step forward as one of the few spaces dedicated to such an inclusive approach.

Located in the heart of Brussels, at 20 Rue des Grands Carmes / Lievevrouwbroerstraat 20, the MACS (which is short for Maison Arc-En-Ciel de la Santé), is more than just a health center, in fact, it is a space specifically designed for the LGBTQIA+ community, where they can finally get each of their specific needs met — without having to fear being judged or even being victim of discrimination.

The importance of the MACS

The creation of the MACS marks an important shift in the field of healthcare. For far too long, LGBTQIA+ people have encountered issues finding competent medical staff that weren’t either too uninformed or just discriminatory. 

The new center was created thanks to three organizations: Ex Aequo, Tels Quels and Genre Pluriels. 

Ex Æquo, founded in 1994, focuses on HIV prevention and health promotion for men who have sex with men.

Tels Quels is a Belgian LGBT association founded in 1979 by socialist activists and gay volunteers. 

Genres Pluriels is a nonprofit promoting visibility for gender-fluid, transgender, and intersex people. 

The MACS tackles the lack of healthcare for the LGBTQIA+ community by providing inclusive, safe and accessible healthcare for the members of the community. You might ask yourself what the goal is here – It is to make sure that everyone no matter what their sexual orientation or gender identity has access to the care they need in a place that truly understands them and their specificities. Furthermore, the two general practitioners working at the MACS speak three different languages: French, English and Spanish.

The MACS is one of the key pillars of the philosophy behind les Grands Carmes, which aims to be a place of holistic well-being for all members of the LGBTQIA+ community. 

The services of the MACS 

• Psycho and sexual therapy

• Screening

• Chemsex support

• Social support services

• A LGBTQIA+ friendly network of professionals 

• Training of professionals

The wide array of services that the MACS offers shows how versatile the center is, and that it is not solely focused on treating illnesses but on providing help and support that people from the community need.

The medical team

The medical team is composed of three: Olivier DUPRAY, Gaelle RODTS and Carole JIRES.

Olivier and Gaelle are medical practitioners with experience in family planning, have worked in intercultural environments.

Moreover, Olivier also has experience in sports medicine and Gaelle has training in hormonal treatment for transgender people and has a background in addictology after a training on drugs and dependency.

Carole has been working as an emergency nurse for 13 years, caring for both adults and children. She has training on domestic and intimate partner violence, as well as on gender diversity and trans identity.

What’s next?

With your help, we can ensure that healthcare becomes accessible to those who need it the most.

By spreading the word, volunteering or even just believing in the importance of the MACS, you can help us make a greater impact on the world and make inclusive, safe(r) spaces the norm, rather than something “particular” or “unique”.

Need more information?

Do not hesitate to contact the MACS on +32 372 01 22 from Monday to Friday (8 AM to 6 PM) or come visit during office hours from Monday to Thursday (9 AM to 6 PM from Monday. to Thursday).

To book an appointment, please send an email at: info@macs.brussels