Friday June 8, 2007 SGN.org |
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Volume 35 Issue 23 |
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Saturday, Aug 30, 2008
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Lecture on Lesbian, Trans health concerns sheds light on topic |
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| Lecture on Lesbian, Trans health concerns sheds light on topic | |
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Verbena event at Seattle First Baptist featured Dr. Elizabeth Lorde-Rollins by Devin Glaser - SGN Contributing Writer Dr. Elizabeth Lorde-Rollins, a obstetrician and gynecologist, gave a powerful lecture Thursday, May 31st on the varying health concerns affecting women in the Queer community at an event hosted by Verbena. The lecture, entitled "What's Really Killing Dykes?" was put together to address health issues that affect the Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender female community, and to draw attention to the deficiencies in the current health system when it comes to treating Queer women. Dr. Lorde-Rollins began her speech with her own personal poetry, and then told the story of her painful and, eventually, successful battle with breast cancer. After divulging her story, she then went on to tell a powerful story about a young Lesbian who had come to her complaining of irregular periods. The woman, who was in a committed Lesbian relationship but was unable to come out to her family, had cervical cancer and no health insurance. This woman's partner had health benefits, but lacking any domestic partnership rights, was unable to share them. While anecdotal, Lorde-Rollins' story highlighted some of the crucial concerns regarding the health of Queer women; female members of the Queer community have statistically higher risks for heart disease and cancer, and are less able or likely to seek medical assistance. The first malady Lorde-Rollins touched upon was the increased likelihood of being overweight. Studies of the Lesbian community have consistently found that Queer women have higher rates of obesity and are more likely to be overweight than their heterosexual counterparts. While the causality is unclear, higher rates of obesity correlate directly to heart disease, and also increase women's risk of breast cancer. "I am of the mind that caloric restriction is more important than what we actually eat," Lorde-Rollins told her audience. "Cancer is essentially a copying mistake. The less copying our cells do, the less cancer." In addition, women in the Queer community have higher incidences of drug and alcohol usage than heterosexual women. Queer women on average smoke more cigarettes than heterosexual women and, even, Gay males. Tobacco usage, in combination with a higher body-mass index, puts women at a much higher risk of cardiovascular issues. These same women are more likely to do drugs; studies have found that Lesbians are twice as likely to have tried cocaine and three times as likely to have tried crystal meth than heterosexual women. Women in the Queer community have many barriers preventing them from seeking medical care. Economically, Lesbians are less likely to have health insurance. Transgender women are even more likely to go uninsured. Even among women with health insurance, many Lesbians feel uncomfortable visiting a doctor. Fear of stigmatization prevents many Queer women from seeing doctors. For those that do, Lesbians are less likely to disclose their sexual history to their gynecologist for fear of reprisal or judgement. This fear may not be misplaced. According to Dr. Lorde-Rollins' presentation, of 185 medical students, 65 percent reported hearing anti-Gay comments from their instructors. Women who have sex with women are also much less likely to get regular pap smears or mammograms. The Human Papilloma Virus (HPV), the virus that causes genital warts and cervical cancer, can be spread through touch, and is transmissible via woman-on-woman sex. Unfortunately, many women either believe or have been told by a health care professional that if they do not have sex with men, they do not need regular pap smears. This confusion can be lethal if cervical cancer goes unchecked. Dr. Lorde-Rollins concluded her presentation by describing positive changes Queer women can make to maintain their health and wellness. Lesbians concerned with their health should attempt to eat healthier, and less, manage their stress and get regular exercise, and reduce their drug and alcohol intake. Women who have sex with women should also find a doctor that they feel comfortable talking with and go in for routine examinations to prevent treatable conditions from escalating into lethal conditions. |
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copyright Seattle Gay News - DigitalTeamWorks 2007