Lesbian, bisexual & queer women and breast cancer

As lesbian, gay, bisexual and queer women, we work hard to keep our friends, families and communities safe and healthy. Isn’t it time to make sure that we're healthy too?

It can be hard to make breast* screening a priority. Maybe you don’t identify with your breasts. Maybe you’re concerned that you may experience homophobia or biphobia at the screening facility. Perhaps you’re worried that a mammogram could be uncomfortable or upsetting. Or, maybe you just don’t want to think about cancer.

But if you’re a woman age 50 and over, it’s important to get screened for breast cancer. This means finding cancer before there are any symptoms by getting a mammogram every two years. Regular screening is the best way of finding breast cancer early, when treatment is most effective.

So, is it worth the hassle and discomfort? The answer is yes. Because your health is worth it. Because your body is worth it. Because cancer doesn’t discriminate. Because screening saves lives.

*A note on terminology: In this section of the website, we refer to cancer in breast tissue as breast cancer, and to the tissue itself as breasts. That said, we recognize that some lesbian, gay, bisexual and queer women do not identify as having breasts, feel ambivalent about having breasts or perhaps prefer the term “chest.” See information about transmasculine communities and breast/chest cancer.