Cancer screening rates are low among lesbian, gay, bisexual, and queer women.
Did you know that we have higher risk factors for colon and breast cancer, and studies show that we are less likely to go to the doctor because of actual or feared mistreatment due to homophobia? And that some health care providers believe that we don’t need to get checked out for cervical cancer, even though we do? Screening is important for us!
While there can be many barriers to taking care of your health, it’s important to get screened (i.e.: get checked out) for colon, breast and cervical cancers because it can save your life! Screening means checking for cancer before you have any symptoms. Screening can stop cancer before it starts or if found, treat it early so that intervention works best.
If you’re a non-trans woman, you can learn more about colon, breast and cervical cancers, risk factors and information on how to get screened by selecting from the menu above. If you’re trans, please visit our page on colon cancer for trans women and people on the spectrum. Screening saves lives!
For information on Get Screened and our focus on these three cancers, click here.