Health & health care for lesbian, bisexual and same sex attracted women |
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Lesbian, bisexual
and SSA womens' health |
Health Issues |
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This section is for women
who are same-sex attracted, have a female partner, identify as lesbian,
gay or bisexual. It covers a range of health issues and information,
drawn from Australian and international research on lesbian and
bisexual women’s health. Some of these issues apply to all
women, and others are specific to the lesbian lifestyle or result
from living in a world that can still be homophobic or assume that
every woman is heterosexual.
Sexual healthSexual practices between women are diverse. Two women together tend to place a high value on intimacy and emotional closeness, as well as whole body sexual experiences. Non-genital sexual contact such as holding, massage, kissing, licking and sucking are activities that are integrated within sexual activities rather than solely regarded as foreplay. A reduced emphasis on orgasm as the end-point of sexual activity is also a point of difference for women having sex together compared with heterosexual couples. Most women enjoy oral sex with their partner. Many enjoy penetration, either with fingers, hand (fisting) or sex toys such as dildos. Some women also anal sexual contact including oral stimulation (rimming) or anal penetration with fingers or sex toys. Communicating with your sexual partner about your preferred sexual practices is very important to understand each other and give and receive the most pleasure. Women and health care providers alike can have difficulty finding information about woman to woman sex. Unlike heterosexual sex, it is rarely represented in mainstream film or television, and there are few books dedicated to this subject. Helpful books: Booth C. Woman to woman: a guide to lesbian sexuality. Sydney: Simon and Schuster; 2002. Newman F. The whole lesbian sex book. San Francisco: Cleis Press, 1999.  top
of page Pap smears and preventing sexually transmissible infections (STIs)Women who have sex with women are no different from other women in needing to have Pap tests every two years. The cause of most abnormal Pap test results is human papilloma virus (HPV) and HPV can be transmitted from one woman to another during penetrative sex. It is a myth that lesbians don’t need Pap tests, however in Australia, young lesbians have less regular pap tests than their peers. Women who have sex with women can be infected with STIs and can infect their partner during sex. Infections include those of the cervix or pelvis such as chlamydia, of the vagina such as bacterial vaginosis (BV) or thrush, and of the vulva such as herpes. Undetected STIs can lead to reduced fertility and abnormalities of the cervix including cancers, so preventing STIs is important. Safe sex includes preventing sharing of vaginal and cervix fluids between women, and/or using different fingers or hands for different areas during sex. Using condoms on sex toys, and using dams or avoiding oral sex when a cold sore (oral herpes) is prevent can also prevent STIs. More information: Papscreen Victoria Girl2Girl Fitness, exercise and weightWe know that in general, more lesbians and same sex attracted women have a healthy body image than heterosexual women, regardless of their weight. More lesbians are involved in sport and other physical activity, and more Australian lesbians are interested in complementary therapies for health and well-being. However, research in the USA shows that more lesbians are overweight than heterosexual women. We don’t yet know how Australian lesbians compare. Resources: Association of Women’s Fitness and Health
Nutrition Australia Mental healthMaintaining mental health for lesbians and bisexual women relies on being able to find supportive friends and effective ways of dealing with negative community attitudes and homophobic discrimination. These include finding like-minded women to talk with, and talking with sensitive health care providers. Some women live with high levels of stress due to needing to hide their sexual orientation from work colleagues, friends or family; or feeling isolated; or being out but abused due to their sexual orientation. As a result of this stress, more lesbians and particularly bisexual women suffer from depression or anxiety than heterosexual women. The earlier you can find professional support from someone who is able to understand how your sexual orientation may be connected with your mental health, the better. Resources: Depression resources: www.beyondblue.org.au Anxiety resources: www.adavic.org Victorian Aids Council Abuse: physical, emotional and sexualMore than twice as many lesbian and bisexual women have experienced physical, emotional or sexual abuse than heterosexual women. The reason for this is not known, although contributing factors may include homophobia and increased levels of reporting of abuse by lesbian and bisexual women. These experiences do not ‘cause’ women to be lesbian, which is a common myth in the general community. Another common myth is that two women in a relationship could not be aggressive or violent towards each other. Intimate partner abuse (domestic violence) can happen and there are some specific resources available to support women through this. It is important to find a health care provider to talk with about these experiences if they continue to affect your mental or physical health.
Women’s Circus Contact: Footscray Community Arts Centre Centre Against Sexual Assault (CASA) http://www.thewomens.org.au/SexualAssault Rainbow Hope Domestic Violence Incest and Resource Centre, Victoria
Australia Domestic Violence in Gay, Lesbian, and Bisexual Relationships Substance use including smoking, drugs and alcoholMore lesbian and bisexual women than heterosexual women use illicit drugs, smoke and drink harmful amounts of alcohol. One reason for this is that some women are using these substances to help overcome the stress of living with homophobia. Another reason is that substance use at lesbian and bisexual social events and venues is very common. Lesbians can access support from each other and from health care providers to find healthier methods for reducing stress and finding substance-free recreation. Resources and information: AIDS Council of NSW Quit Smoking Brochure AIDS Council of NSW Alcohol and Lesbians Brochure Australian Drug Foundation Quit smoking information Direct Line Turning Point Victorian Alcohol and Drug Association Breast healthAll women need to be familiar with their own breasts and check regularly for any changes. Women with same sex partners often work together to check each other’s breasts and remind each other to do so. Unfortunately, more lesbians than heterosexual women are likely to have risks for breast cancer including smoking, being overweight and not having had a pregnancy. This makes it even more important to have mammograms every two years from the age of 50. Resources: Breast screen program Polycystic ovariesThere is some evidence that lesbians who attend a fertility clinic are more likely than heterosexual women attending a fertility clinic to have polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS). This condition can create increased hair growth (hirsuitism), weight gain, irregular periods, and reduced fertility. In the longer term it can increase the risk of developing diabetes. If you have any of these symptoms it is worth having tests for PCOS, which include a blood test for hormone levels and an ultrasound to look at your ovaries. Resources: Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome Association of Australia Information: CancerLesbian, bisexual and same sex attracted women may be at increased risk for developing certain cancers. This may be due to lifestyle factors that are more common within these groups including smoking (breast, ovarian, bowel, lung), being overweight (breast, uterine), being less likely to have had children (breast). This may also be due to reduced levels of screening (pap smears, mammograms) and reduced access to health care for some women that can be the result of an inability to find sensitive health care providers or past negative experiences. Some women with cancer have difficulty in receiving support that openly includes their lifestyle and partner. Helpful books: Taylor, Jean. The C-Word: A story about the effects of cancer. Spinifex Press, Melbourne, 2000. Horsley, Philomena (editor). Cancer – an incredible journey. Stories of lesbians living with cancer. Lesbian Cancer Support Group, South Yarra, 2002. Resources: Cancer Council of Victoria Mautner project, USA MenopauseWomen who have female partners and/or who identify as lesbian, gay or bisexual may experience menopause very differently to heterosexual women. There has been little research in this area, however recently Jenny Kelly has published a book related to her PhD study of Australian lesbians’ experiences of menopause. Her study revealed that many women gained support from their female partner during this period of their life. Many women were also committed to using lifestyle and complementary therapies to manage their menopause. A helpful book: Kelly, J. (2005). Zest for life: lesbians' experiences of menopause. Melbourne: Spinifex Press. Resources: Jean Hailes Foundation website:http://www.jeanhailes.org.au/issues/menopause.htm Older women’s healthOlder same sex attracted women can be fearful of a time when they might need more health care support, and particularly of whether their partnership will be recognised and respected. Many health care providers and aged care facilities are found to be ignorant of older lesbians’ needs and to ignore the importance of sexuality. Legal vulnerability of same sex relationships is particularly important when partners become unwell, require residential aged care or die. Resources: The Matrix Guild, Victoria Linx ALSO Foundation Seniors Project Council on the Ageing Classic Dykes Rainbow Visions |
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