TEN THINGS LESBIANS SHOULD DISCUSS WITH THEIR DOCTORS

Most commonly of concern for lesbians. While not all of these items apply to everyone, it’s wise to be aware of these issues.
1. Breast Cancer
Lesbians have the richest concentration of risk factors for breast cancer than any subset of women in the world. Combine this with the fact that many lesbians over 40 do not get routine mammograms, do breast self-exams, or have a clinical breast exam, and this cancer may elude early diagnosis, when it is most curable.

2. Depression/Anxiety
Lesbians have been shown to experience chronic stress from homophobic discrimination. This stress is compounded by the need that some still have to hide their orientation from family and colleagues at work, and by the fact that many lesbians have lost the important emotional support most others get from their families due to alienation stemming from their sexual orientation.

3. Heart Health
Smoking and obesity are the most prevalent risk factors for heart disease among lesbians; but all lesbians need to also get an annual clinical exam because this is when blood pressure is checked, cholesterol is measured, diabetes is diagnosed, and exercise is discussed. Preventing heart disease, which kills 45 percent of women, should be paramount to every clinical visit.

4. Gynecological Cancer
Lesbians have higher risks for many of the gynecologic cancers. What they may not know is that having a yearly exam by a gynecologist can significantly facilitate early diagnosis and a better chance of cure.

5. Fitness
Research confirms that lesbians have higher body mass than heterosexual women. Obesity is associated with higher rates of heart disease, cancers, and premature death. What lesbians need is competent and supportive advice about healthy living and healthy eating, as well as healthy exercise.

6. Tobacco
Research also indicates that lesbians may use tobacco and smoking products more often than heterosexual women use them. Whether smoking is used as a tension reducer or for social interactions, addiction frequently follows and is associated with higher rates of cancers, heart disease, and emphysema — the three major causes of death among all women.

7. Alcohol
Alcohol use and abuse may be higher among lesbians. While one drink daily may be good for the heart, more than that can be a risk factor for cancer or osteoporosis.

8. Substance Use
Research indicates that lesbians may use illicit drugs more often than heterosexual women. This may be due to added stressors in lesbian lives from discrimination. Lesbians need support from each other and from health care providers to find healthy releases, quality recreation, stress reduction, and coping techniques.

9. Domestic Violence
Domestic violence is reported to occur in about 11 percent of lesbian homes, about half the rate of 20 percent reported by heterosexual women. But the question is where do lesbians go when they are battered? Shelters need to welcome and include battered lesbians, and offer counseling to the offending partners.

10. Osteoporosis
The rates and risks of osteoporosis among lesbians have not been well characterized yet. Calcium and weight-bearing exercise as well as the avoidance of tobacco and alcohol are the mainstays of prevention. It is also important to get bone density tests every few years to see if medication is needed to prevent fracture.

HOW TO HAVE SAFER GAY SEX

SAFE SEX & AIDS: AIDS is caused by the HIV virus. HIV can be spread by four body fluids: blood, semen, vaginal fluid and breast milk. You cannot get infected unless the virus in one of these fluids reaches your bloodstream. Saliva alone cannot spread HIV.

Safe sex, as it applies to HIV, is any type of sex which does not let one person's blood, semen, vaginal fluid, or breast milk get inside another person's body. Below is a useful set of guidelines produced by the San Francisco AIDS Foundation. These guidelines are useful in preventing transmission of other STDs as well.

Wet Kissing: is safe unless either of you has a cut or sore in your mouth, or bleeding gums. (After you brush or floss your teeth, wait at least 1/2 hour before kissing.) Blood, not saliva, contains the virus.

Touching your lover's breasts is safe. You can lick, suck, kiss and bite them too-as long as there's no blood or breast milk. Massage, dry kissing, masturbation (touching yourself), and body-to-body rubbing are all safe.

Putting your fingers inside her can be risky. To be safe, wear latex gloves. If you use a lubricant, be sure it is water-based. (Oil-based lubricants like Vaseline and hand lotion will damage the latex.)

Sores or cuts on your fingers, mouth or vagina, or on her's, increase the risk. Sores and cuts can provide a way for the virus to get inside you. If you touch her vagina and then touch your own (or vice-versa), you could spread the virus. Be sure to use gloves in between!

Contact with menstrual blood is very risky. If she is infected, her menstrual blood (like other blood) will have a lot of virus in it.

Oral sex on a woman is risky, especially when she has her period. To make it safe, cover her vulva (genital area) with a piece of plastic wrap. This will keep her fluids out of your mouth. Latex dams-also called "dental dams" - are safe to use for oral sex too.

Sex toys are safe by themselves, but it is risky to share them. If you share dildos or vibrators, cover them with a condom and put on a fresh one every time it is used by a different person.

Getting pregnant can be risky. If you have sex with a man or have a man donate sperm to you, make sure he tests HIV negative at least 6 months after his last possible risk. (All licensed sperm banks test their donors carefully.)

SM activities are safe if there is no blood involved. If you are piercing each other, clean the needle with bleach between users. Use different razors if you shave each other. Don't let urine or feces of another person get inside your body.

HOW TO HAVE SAFER GAY SEX

SAFE SEX & AIDS: AIDS is caused by the HIV virus. HIV can be spread by four body fluids: blood, semen, vaginal fluid and breast milk. You cannot get infected unless the virus in one of these fluids reaches your bloodstream. Saliva alone cannot spread HIV.

Safe sex, as it applies to HIV, is any type of sex which does not let one person's blood, semen, vaginal fluid, or breast milk get inside another person's body. Below is a useful set of guidelines produced by the San Francisco AIDS Foundation. These guidelines are useful in preventing transmission of other STDs as well.

Wet Kissing: is safe unless either of you has a cut or sore in your mouth, or bleeding gums. (After you brush or floss your teeth, wait at least 1/2 hour before kissing.) Blood, not saliva, contains the virus.

Touching your lover's breasts is safe. You can lick, suck, kiss and bite them too-as long as there's no blood or breast milk. Massage, dry kissing, masturbation (touching yourself), and body-to-body rubbing are all safe.

Putting your fingers inside her can be risky. To be safe, wear latex gloves. If you use a lubricant, be sure it is water-based. (Oil-based lubricants like Vaseline and hand lotion will damage the latex.)

Sores or cuts on your fingers, mouth or vagina, or on her's, increase the risk. Sores and cuts can provide a way for the virus to get inside you. If you touch her vagina and then touch your own (or vice-versa), you could spread the virus. Be sure to use gloves in between!

Contact with menstrual blood is very risky. If she is infected, her menstrual blood (like other blood) will have a lot of virus in it.

Oral sex on a woman is risky, especially when she has her period. To make it safe, cover her vulva (genital area) with a piece of plastic wrap. This will keep her fluids out of your mouth. Latex dams-also called "dental dams" - are safe to use for oral sex too.

Sex toys are safe by themselves, but it is risky to share them. If you share dildos or vibrators, cover them with a condom and put on a fresh one every time it is used by a different person.

Getting pregnant can be risky. If you have sex with a man or have a man donate sperm to you, make sure he tests HIV negative at least 6 months after his last possible risk. (All licensed sperm banks test their donors carefully.)

SM activities are safe if there is no blood involved. If you are piercing each other, clean the needle with bleach between users. Use different razors if you shave each other. Don't let urine or feces of another person get inside your body.

Health information for lesbian and bisexual women

Your health and safety are extremely important. Lesbian and bisexual women are as diverse as the entire community. Like the general population, lesbian and bisexual women vary in terms of age, income, cultural background, affiliation with the lesbian community, and education. Also like the general population, lesbian and bisexual women are varied in their physical activity levels, sexual behaviors, diet, health history, genetics and other factors that affect overall health.

The following general health recommendations for lesbian and bisexual women (and all women) help promote health and prevent disease:

Not smoking and avoiding smoky places.
Eating a healthy and varied diet that is low in fat and high in fiber.
Drinking only in moderation.
Regular health exams and screening for STDs.
Regular Pap tests and STD exams.
Regular breast exams and mammograms after age 40
Tetanus immunization booster every 10 years.
30 minutes of aerobic activity 3-4 times per week.

Some lesbian and bisexual women also have particular health concerns, such as increased risk of hate crimes and breast cancer.

Are lesbian and bisexual women at greater risk for breast cancer?


Being a lesbian does not increase your risk for breast cancer, but having one or more of the risk factors below might. A lesbian or bisexual woman without these risk factors is at no greater risk than a heterosexual woman.

Lesbians are less likely to seek routine health care because of the discomfort of coming out to health care providers and less access to health insurance. With fewer doctor visits, lesbian and bisexual women are less likely to have mammograms and professional breast exams. Studies also show that lesbian and bisexual women are less likely to perform breast self-exam regularly. For these reasons, lesbians and bisexual women may be less likely to have cancers detected at earlier, more treatable, stages.


Lesbians are less likely to give birth by age 30 if at all, which increases risk.


Some studies indicate that lesbians may use alcohol more and have higher body weight, both of which may increase a woman's risk for breast cancer.