\u201cIt has levelled the playing field,\u201d Dixon told Queer & Now<\/a>, explaining that while the first funding for this program was allocated in 2015, it created a \u201cbottleneck\u201d issue for people trying to access the funding.<\/p>\n \u201cIt brought people to care, but it also created this bottleneck of people getting on a waitlist,\u201d she explained, and for those experiencing infertility driven by medical issues, time matters.\u00a0<\/p>\n But thanks to this new funding, Anova went from having a wait list of two years to not having a waitlist at all. This means that those walking through the clinic doors can begin their journey almost immediately.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cI saw a patient yesterday, and they\u2019re like, \u2018Well, so how long is my wait?\u2019 I said, \u2018What waitlist? Welcome, there\u2019s funding now, and you can come immediately to care.\u2019 And if I die tomorrow, I will have done my contribution in my specialty to create a place where we got rid of barriers.\u201d<\/p>\n Inclusive fertility care<\/p>\n Dixon, who has practiced fertility medicine since the early 2000s, said 2SLGBTQ+ people often face major barriers accessing care due to bias, systemic issues and other factors.<\/p>\n \u201cWe were the equity, diversity, inclusivity people before it was a thing,\u201d she said of her work dating back to 2008.<\/p>\n At the time, Dixon said some clinics would not allow her to bring in Queer male patients, prompting her to work with lawyers to create systems that protected patients while remaining within medical regulations.<\/p>\n \u201cWe toiled away to develop a system that would protect the patients, and that would actually not allow for us to be outside of the guidelines of what the law and regulations said,\u201d she explained. \u201cYou can function in that without disclosing, and you don\u2019t have a right to deny people care. We have a fiduciary responsibility to all of our patients.\u201d<\/p>\n Dixon says that in her practice, she sees many Queer and BIPOC people, with communities drawn to the clinic because it is known as an inclusive practice.<\/p>\n \u201cSensitivity training and cultural sensitivity are important. People need to see themselves in their care providers; they also need to feel comfortable with their care providers,\u201d Dixon explained. \u201cI\u2019m proud to say that our very diverse staff is well versed.\u201d<\/p>\n This is particularly important to her, as Dixon is both Black and Lesbian.<\/p>\n \u201cLeadership comes from the top, and they know that their boss is Queer and that this matters,\u201d she shared.\u00a0<\/p>\n Dixon said culturally informed fertility care is essential to improving both access and health outcomes for marginalized patients.<\/p>\n \u201cIf we don\u2019t have data about our patients, how can we produce the best-in-class care for them?\u201d she said, noting that Black patients often face longer timelines accessing fertility care.<\/p>\n \u201cWe need research, we need data, and we need centres to track it,\u201d she added.<\/p>\n Dixon said Anova has prioritized inclusivity from the beginning, including representing different races, genders and family structures throughout the clinic\u2019s branding and patient experience.<\/p>\n \u201cBeing a Black, Lesbian woman gives me a perspective that\u2019s different from most, and being someone who\u2019s had IVF also gives me perspective, so I am patient-centred,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n Read More<\/p>\n![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/LA2_3220-1800x1200.jpg\")
Dr. Marjorie Dixon, founder, CEO and medical director of Anova Fertility. (Courtesy: Anova Fertility)<\/p>\n
![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/LA2_3690-1800x1200.jpg\")
Dr. Dixon with Benson. (Courtesy: Anova Fertility)<\/p>\n