What in my post was so darned-condemning anyway? I spoke the truth. Go to a lesbian site (not porn) and you will find a slew of health problems related to lesbianism. Our life choices do have ramifications.
From diabetes to emphesyma to cancer, we all face challenges.
I am in the media and there have been stories about how many in the medical field do not know how to treat or talk to their lesbian patients about some health issues. That's reality, not politics or morals.
Gay men have certain health issues that relate to their lifestyles. That's reality.
Obese, smokers, junk food junkies and blacks and Jews all have particular health issues. What's your problem?
The *problem* is ignorant propaganda concerning womens health issues being applicable to their sexual orientation.
I am not aware of a single health issue that lesbian women have that their heterosexual counterparts do not incur as well.
Unfortunatly STD`s are an equal opportunity infection.... they are generally aquired when indulging in promiscuous, unprotected sex.....regardless of your gender or preference.
Unwanted pregnancy, abortions and the health risks incurred in those situations, now that isn`t an issue that lesbians generally have to face....this is a problem generally to be associated with heterosexaul behavior.
1Ti 3:2 A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach;
Tit 1:7 For a bishop must be blameless, as the steward of God; not selfwilled, not soon angry, not given to wine, no striker, not given to filthy lucre;
Interesting.. I thought an overseer in the church had to fit these descriptions. Notice that "not a homo" is anywhere in the list.. may disqualify them, may not..
"Striker":
1) bruiser, ready for a blow
2) A PUGNACIOUS, CONTENTIOUS, QUARRELSOME PERSON
A lot of people here probably are disqualified on these points. I suppose I would be also.. at least on three counts.
Well.. If homo's are disqualified, I guess we are in the same company.. :)
Like it or not - Consider it sin or not - Many, many famous and influential people in history are/were gay and the world (AND CHRISTIANITY) would be very different (and I think, worse) without their influence.
President Gerald Ford might have died in 1975 because a gay ex-marine Oliver
"Bill" Sipple would not have been alive to push away the gun of an assassin in San
Francisco.
The United States, Britain, and the other Allies might have lost World War 2
because Alan Turing, a gay British mathematician, would never have been born. Turing broke one of the Nazis' most important codes (German Enigma Code) to help shorten the war.
African-Americans might have struggled longer before receiving civil rights because there would have been no Bayard Rustin, the gay man who organized the 1963 March on Washington. This the march where Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., made his famous "I Have a Dream" speech.
Religious life would have been lessened without the Christian voices of Malcolm Boyd, Troy Perry, Jane Spahr or John McNeil.
Christians would also have a difficult time conceiving the New Testament without the scholarship skills of Desiderius Erasmus (the basis for the Tyndale and King James Versions).
Our musical world would have been impoverished because gay American composer Aaron Copeland would have never been born. Russian composer Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky would not have existed, neither would have Leonard Bernstein, English composer Benjamin Britten, or singers Bessie Smith, Melissa Etheridge, or Elton John.
Katherine Lee Bates would have never written: America the Beautiful
O beautiful for spacious skys, for amber waves of grain, for purple mountains majesty above the fruited plain... America, America, ...God shed his grace on thee, and crowned thy Good with brotherhood, from sea to shining sea.
(yes, Katherine Lee Bates wrote the patriotic song America the Beautiful, and she was a lesbian and she had a domestic partner)
We would have also missed the folk songs of Stephen Foster or the clever compositions of Cole Porter. We would never have listened to the "Sweetheart of Sigma Chi" or "I Left My Heart in San Francisco" -- both were written by gay men to their lovers (in both cases, publishers demanded that gender pronouns be switched).
Western art would look very different because neither Michelangelo or Leonardo da Vinci would have been around. And of course, we would have missed Plato and a woman Plato honored with respect as the "tenth muse" -- Sappho.
The Disney movie hits "The Little Mermaid" and "Beauty and the Beast" would have been much duller because Howard Ashman would not have been live to write their Academy Award winning songs. Or imagine "Star Wars" or "E.T." or "Schindler's List" without the scores of John Williams.
Literature would have been lessened because many authors would never have been born, including Pulitzer Prize winning poet W.H. Auden, Nobel Prize winning author Patrick White of Australia, E.M. Forster, Virginia Woolf, Willa Cather, Gertrude Stein, and Walt Whitman.
Movie theatres would have been duller: no Rock Hudson or Marlene Dietrich or Montgomery Clift. Actually, many of the most important plays of the American stage would never have been written because gay playwright Tennessee Williams would not have existed. We would have also missed the plays of Edward Albee or the brilliant acting of Sir Laurence Olivier.
Who else would have been missing? Sports stars like Martina Navritalova or Greg Louganis or Brian Orser would be gone.
The list of people who have had significant same-gender relationships is very long and includes Socrates, King Richard the Lion Hearted, Queen Christina of Sweden, Eleanor Roosevelt and so many more.
More famous gay and lesbian people. Note how many are in political positions. I deleted most of the actors/actresses/authors, etc. - especially those most people are familiar with. This information comes from Wikipedia.
Alan, I'd say you might want to focus more on problems at home instead of harrassing people here given how many elected gay and lesbian people you have down there. ;)
Persons of confirmed homosexual or bisexual orientation
The following list includes those people who have confirmed their homosexual or bisexual orientation or whose homosexual or bisexual orientation is not debated.
A
* Jane Addams, American social reformer
* Edward Albee, American Playwright (Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?)
* Alexander the Great, Macedonian King and conquerer of Eurasia, bisexual
* W. H. Auden, British poet
B
* Francis Bacon, British painter
* Francis Bacon, British philosopher and scientist
* Tammy Baldwin - member of the U.S. House of Representatives (D - Wisconsin)
* Alan Ball, writer (American Beauty, "Six Feet Under")
* Samuel Barber, U.S. composer
* Clive Barker, Author, director, artist, known primarily for his work in the horror genre
* Terry Baum, American playwright and congressional candidate
* Simone de Beauvoir, French philosopher and novelist
* Leonard Bernstein, U.S. composer and conductor, bisexual, Aldrich, Robert and Wotherspoon, Gary (Eds.) (2001).
* Ole von Beust, mayor of Hamburg
* Elizabeth Birch, former head of Human Rights Campaign, longtime partner of Hillary Rosen (see below)
* Anthony Blunt, British art-historian and traitor
* Josep Borrell Fontelles, Europarlamentary from the PSOE (an Spanish marxist party)
* Ben Bradshaw, British politician
* Scott Brison, Canadian member of Parliament and Minister of Public Works and Government Services
* Bob Brown, Australian senator
C
* Julius Caesar, Roman dictator
* Caligula, Roman emperor
* Jean Jacques R�gis de Cambac�r�s, French lawyer and statesman, author of the Code Napoleon
* Chris Carter, New Zealand Minister of Conservation, Minister of Local Government and Minister for Ethnic Affairs
* Roger Casement, Irish patriot
* Michael Cashman, British actor and politician
* Ralph Chubb, British poet, artist, printer, and prophet
* James Clark, British ambassador to Luxembourg
* Roy Cohn, associate of U.S. Senator Joseph McCarthy
* Aaron Copland, American composer, documented in Howard Pollack's biography, Aaron Copland: The Life and Work of an Uncommon Man
* Henry Cowell, highly influential American composer
* Aleister Crowley, occultist
D
* Libby Davies, Canadian member of parliament
* Jeanine Deckers, Belgian nun and singer-songwriter
* Bertrand Delano�, mayor of Paris
* Samuel Delany, science fiction author
* Elio Di Rupo, Belgian politician
* Roman Dmowski, Polish politician, black mailed by the Okhranka, Imperial Russia's secret police
* Joseph Douc�, psychologist and Baptist minister, founder of the International Lesbian and Gay Association
* Alfred Douglas, son of John Sholto Douglas and partner of Oscar Wilde
* Marcel Duchamp, artist, inventor of the found object
E
* Brian Epstein, British, manager of The Beatles
* Ernst Ludwig, Grand Duke of Hesse and The Rhine
* Uzi Even, first openly gay member of the Israeli Knesset
F
* Per-Kristian Foss, Finance Minister of Norway
* Michel Foucault, French scholar, partnered with Daniel Defert from 1963 till his death, Aldrich, Robert and Wotherspoon, Gary (Eds.) (2001). Also dated Jean Barraque.
* Pim Fortuyn, right wing dutch politician
* Barney Frank (D, MA), US Representative
G
* Greta Garbo, actress
* Federico Garc�a Lorca, Spanish poet and playwright, martyred in the Spanish Civil War
* David Gerrold, science fiction writer, inventor of Tribbles
* Andre Gide, French novelist and Nobel Laureate
* Neil Giuliano, Tempe, Arizona mayor, declared himself homosexual in public
* Brian Greig, Australian senator
* Gorgidas, Theban military leader of the Sacred band of elite troops of paired gay lovers.
H
* Han Aidi(BC27-BC1), Chinese Emperor in Han Dynasty.
* G. H. Hardy, British mathematician
* Michael Huffington, American politician, bisexual
J
* Michael Jeter, American actor, "Mr. Noodle's brother Mr. Noodle" of Sesame Street
* Jeffrey John, Church of England priest
* Mychal F. Judge, Franciscan priest, WTC terrorism victim
K
* John Maynard Keynes, British economist
* The Hon. Justice Michael Kirby, Justice of the High Court of Australia
* Jim Kolbe, member of the U.S. House of Representatives (R-Arizona)
L
* Laurier L. LaPierre, Canadian broadcaster and Senator
M
* Ashley MacIsaac, Canadian fiddler from Cape Breton
* Daniel O'Donnell, American politician, brother of Rosie O'Donnell
* Eoin O'Duffy, Irish police commissioner, leader of the 'Blueshirts' and aide to Michael Collins (Irish leader)
P
* Brian Paddick, UK Police Commander and nephew of Hugh Paddick
* Hugh Paddick, British actor
* Paetz, Archbishop of Poznan
* Matthew Parris, British journalist and former politician
* Harry Partch, American composer and just intonation instrument inventor
* Patrick Pearse, Irish patriot and leader of the 1916 Easter Rising, whose poetry is littered with homoerotic imagery
* Plato
* Michael Portillo, former UK Defence Secretary and defeated leadership candidate
* Francis Poulenc, French composer, openly gay from his first serious relationship, that with painter Richard Chanelaire to whom he wrote, "You have changed my life, you are the sunshine of my thirty years, a reason for living and working." He also said, "You know that I am as sincere in my faith, without any messianic screamings, as I am in my Parisian sexuality." (Who's Who, 2001)
R
* Gene Robinson, American Episcopal bishop of New Hampshire
* Svend Robinson, former Canadian member of parliament
* Ernst R�hm, leader of the Nazi SA
* Bayard Rustin, civil rights activist, organizer of the 1963 March on Washington, introduced Martin Luther King Jr. to the writings of Mahatma Gandhi and non-violence, fired for being gay
S
* Marquis de Sade, 18th century author and philosopher
Just a little bit more on Gay History and the Church......
GAY SAINTS?
The Catholic church knowingly canonized gay saints. Paired saints Serge and Bacchus, and saints Polyeuct and Nearchos were canonized and the church wrote of their love for each other as a part of their holiness. Serge and Bacchus were Roman soldiers who refused to sacrifice to the idols of the Emperor and sentenced to death. Bacchus was executed first, Serge was tortured in an attempt to get him to worship the idols. Serge had visions of Bacchus, in which he would comfort him and urge him not to give in so that they might be together for eternity. Finally Serge was executed, and the couple was canonized as martyrs.
Polyeuct and Nearchos were similar, they were also Roman soldiers, martyred because of their Christian faith, and in love with each other. Metaphrastes described them as one soul in two bodies, joined by boundless love. Polyeuct converted to Christianity because Nearchos was going to be executed for being Christian. Polyeuct wanted to be executed with him so that their souls would be united forever in the kingdom of heaven.
GAY MARRIAGE?
Just one example. Basil I, founder of the Macedonian dynasty, was married to two men, both ceremonies were conducted by ordained clergymen in a church. The second marriage is the most interesting. While visiting Greece Basil was approached by a woman who offered him a dowry if he would marry her son, John. There is also evidence that there was a legal family connection, as well as a spiritual one. John's mother was legally recognized as a relative of Basil by marriage.
GAY POPES?
Priests (and therefore Popes) were not required to be celibate until the eleventh century, and some took full advantage.
John XII-a bisexual pope who held orgies in the papal palace.
Benedict IX-a homosexual pope who also enjoyed hosting orgies.
Alexander VI-a bisexual pope who was not going to let his fun be spoiled just because he became pope after celibacy became mandatory. He fathered at least 8 children and had many male lovers.
Julius III-a homosexual pope who respected his vow of celibacy, but had a male lover before taking that vow.
Paul II-Possible transsexual pope? His tendency to wear lavish and feminine clothing earned him the nickname "Our Lady of Pity."
CARTMAN, WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?
Jewish philosopher Philo Judaeus was the first to write that Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed because they accepted homosexuals and that the Levitical verses about homosexual acts did not apply only to religious ceremonies.
He didn't write until the first century a.d., and the interpretations of these stories by the Jewish teachers and philosophers at the time were very different from his. His writings were rejected by Jewish scholars, who ridiculed him for writing such absurd things.
A KING AND QUEEN IN ONE?
King James I, the author of the King James Version of the Bible, was bisexual. He had affairs with many women and men, but the love of his life was George Villiers, who became the Duke of Buckingham. Think they were just good buddies? Read this from one of his letters to Villiers.
"I desire only to live in the world for your sake, and I rather live banished in any part of the world with you than live a sorrowful widow-life without you." He defended their love before the Privy Council, saying "You may be sure that I love the Earl of Buckingham more than anyone else...I wish to speak on my own behalf and not to have it thought to be a defect." James I had the Henry VII Chapel remodeled to include side by side tombs for himself and Villiers so that even in death they would not be parted.
In 1628-George Villiers, lover of King James I of England and Earl of Buckingham, was assassinated by John Felton, a former naval officer, in Portsmouth. His grave is in Westminster Abbey, beside King James.
Quote of the day: I'm a supporter of gay rights. And not a closet supporter either. From the time I was a kid, I have never been able to understand attacks upon the gay community. There are so many qualities that make up a human being, by the time I get through with all the things that I really admire about people, what they do with their private parts is probably so low on the list that it is irrelevant. -Paul Newman
1995-Stats on gay marriage: Denmark began registering same-sex unions in May of 1989. As of this date in 1995, a total of 2,760 couples had registered, 1898 female and 862 male. The total divorce rate was 264, making the divorce rate 9.5%.
Quote of the day: Jesus Christ had the same and cannot be blamed. Christ had his John, and I have my sweet George. -King James I of England, responding to charges of an "unnatural relationship" between him and George Villiers
Why do you feel compelled to 'justify' the perversion Belle ? "Who knowing the judgement of God that those who do such things are worthy of death (Old Testament) not only do the same but have pleasure in them who DO THEM" -Romans 1: 32
Why do you, Allan, feel compelled to insist that superstitions of some Bronze Age people, but not others, should be present-day standards for determining what is "worthy of death?"
King James was not the author of the Bible that bears his name. He authorized it, not authored it.
As for your long lists, what's your point? Who someone has sex with does not make them who they are. Why don't you publish a list of alcoholics, pedophiles or criminals who were famous.
The gay rights people want to say that what you do makes up what you are, but that sells EVERYONE short. We are more than hormones. We are substantive people.
And rascal, for the last time, my point was anything but ignorant. I have read up and found issues that lesbian women deal with, physical, mental and emotional. It is not prejudice to say that people who live a certain way have issues that are not readily apparent.
Lesbians have health issues that Hetero women don't have???
Prove it. Back it up with your wonder link. I don't have to take your Words as gospel truth--you are not my TWI leader.
The sites I googled ( Lesbian Health issues) talked about heart disease (isn't that the leading killer of women?) obesity(not a problem for hetero women?) diabetes yada yada yada. Same health issues other women face.
Lesbians comprise a subgroup of women whose health status and risks have not been widely researched. One reason for the limited research on lesbian health is the methodological problem of defining what constitutes lesbian sexual orientation, since sexual orientation is commonly described as both behavioral, (i.e., desire or attraction), and cognitive (i.e., identity). Lesbians are found among all subpopulations of women, and are represented in all racial and ethnic groups, all socioeconomic strata, and all ages. There is no single type of family, community, culture, or demographic category characteristic of lesbian women. It is important to note that views about sexual identity and sexual behavior can vary significantly across cultures and among racial and ethnic groups, so it should not be assumed that a lesbian sexual orientation or identity is the same for lesbians of different racial, ethnic,or cultural backgrounds.
Fundamentally, lesbians need access to the same high quality health screening and preventive care that
is appropriate for all women throughout the life cycle. Lesbians and their providers often remain
uninformed about important health issues, including the need for: cervical and breast cancer screening,
reducing the risk of sexually transmitted diseases and HIV; caring for mental health issues including
depression; diagnosing and treating substance abuse; pregnancy and parenting assistance; and
understanding domestic/intimate violence.
Differences in health risks for lesbians from women in general could be attributed to a number of
factors. A woman’s health behavior, stress, and the nature of her experiences with the health care
system can all affect her risk for various health conditions.
Health behaviors/characteristics
Pregnancy---
Lesbians appear to be less likely to report having biological children than heterosexual women. However, there are still substantial numbers of lesbian women who are parents, particularly through artificial insemination or adoption. There is little research on how many lesbians are mothers or the number of individuals who have lesbian mothers. In the Women’s Health Initiative sample, lesbians are less likely to ever have been pregnant than were heterosexual women. These differences were particularly pronounced for lifetime lesbians of whom 34.1% had previously been pregnant, compared to 61.2% of the mature lesbians and 89.1% of the heterosexual women. Lesbians are less likely to report having used oral contraceptives between the ages of 25 and 35 (only 16.7%), which may put them at greater risk for breast, endometrial and ovarian cancers.
Smoking---
Although data on lesbians’ unique health risks is limited, certain behaviors that can increase heath risks may be more prevalent in lesbians than in heterosexual women.
Preliminary results from the Women’s Health Initiative suggest that approximately twice as many lesbians are heavy smokers compared to heterosexual women. Almost half of heterosexual women
report never smoking, compared to one-third of lesbians (6.8% of lifetime lesbians and 7.4% of mature
lesbians versus 3.5% of heterosexual women). Smoking can increase a woman’s risk for lung and cervical cancer, as well as cardiovascular disease.
Obesity---
Some studies suggest lesbians are more likely to be overweight than heterosexual women, which can put them at greater risk for cardiovascular disease and some other health conditions. Preliminary information from the Women’s Health Initiative suggests that a greater proportion of lesbians are above the overweight threshold when Body Mass Index (BMI= 27) is calculated (52.3% of lifetime lesbians compared to 45.8% of heterosexual women).
Alcohol Use--
Reviews of lesbian health research suggest a smaller percentage of lesbians (compared to heterosexual women) abstain from alcohol. Even when rates of heavy drinking among lesbians and heterosexual women are comparable, rates of reported alcohol problems are higher in lesbians than in heterosexual women. Similarly, a greater percentage of lesbians describe themselves as being in recovery from alcohol abuse. There is some speculation that lesbians generally have fewer social norms and family responsibilities that limit drinking. However, these theories cannot be fully substantiated without further research.
Substance Abuse--
From the limited data on lesbians’ use of illicit drugs, it appears that lesbians report greater use of marijuana, inhalants and cocaine than do women in general. There is evidence that female injection drug users in urban areas identify themselves as lesbians at a higher rate than women
in general, however, it is possible that injection drug users as a population sub group might be more
willing to disclose their sexual behavior or identity. The IOM Report lists drug abuse among lesbians as
an area in need of further research.
Stress
Physiological responses to stress can have many negative health consequences, especially over a long
period of time. Lesbians may have additional stresses that compound the everyday stress that everyone
experiences.
Identity Issues-- Stress may result from the burden of hiding one’s lesbian identity from family or
coworkers.
Legal Issues-- Stress can come from a feeling of legal isolation and lack of cultural acceptance of living situations. Lesbians do not have many of the same legal rights as married couples, and lesbians who
are parents may face difficulties with parental rights when partners separate.
Discrimination--- Stress effects may be greatest in lesbians who experience multiple forms of
discrimination, such as those who are also members of ethnic or racial minority groups. The
combination of homophobia, racism, and sex-based discrimination puts the health of these women in
"triple jeopardy".
Interactions with the health care system
Misconceptions about health risks--- Assumptions made by health care providers while taking sexual
or social history of lesbian patients can compromise the quality of health care that a lesbian receives, as
can overt discrimination or homophobia. Further, past negative health care experiences can discourage
a lesbian from seeking care in the future, including preventive and screening measures, which further
jeopardizes her health.
Cervical Cancer---Research has shown that lesbians are less likely to receive pap smears than are
heterosexual women. Pap smears are one of the most effective methods of cancer prevention for
women, yet both lesbian women and their health care providers often overlook the need for cervical
cancer screening. Many health care providers and patients share the false assumption that because
lesbians are not currently sexually active with men, they are not at risk for developing dysplasia
(abnormal cells in the cervix). As a result of this misinformation, lesbians may avoid medical services
and health care providers may give incorrect advice and underutilize appropriate health screenings for
these patients. It is also possible that lesbians seek obstetrician-gynecologists less frequently than do
heterosexual women, and may have less exposure to screening services traditionally offered by these
specialists. However, lesbians, like all women, need regular pap smears.
Sexually Transmitted Diseases---Lesbians are at risk for many sexually transmitted diseases. Genital
warts, usually associated with the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV), can be transmitted sexually from
woman to woman, as can the Herpes virus. Hepatitis B can also be transmitted between women. Any
sexually active person should be immunized against Hepatitis B. Similarly, any sexually active person
should be considered at some risk for all sexually transmitted diseases, since it is impossible for a
health care professional to accurately determine the sexual history of same sex partners.
HIV/AIDS --HIV does occur in lesbians, usually due to two factors 1) sharing of needles and 2) when
lesbians have sex with men who have been exposed to HIV. However, because there is also a
theoretical risk of HIV transmission between lesbians, safe sex guidelines are recommended. Small
studies are currently underway to study the risk of HIV infection in lesbians.
Barriers to Quality Health Care
Elements of the health care system itself, such as managed care, legal rights, and the attitudes and
training of health care providers, contribute to negative experiences that can discourage lesbians from
seeking appropriate and necessary health screening and treatment.
Insurance---There is also a general lack of availability of family or
household health insurance coverage for members of lesbian
households. This both restricts lesbians’ access to health insurance
through their partners (access they would have through a heterosexual
marriage), and makes family-focused care difficult. Lesbians without
health insurance are significantly more likely to report heart disease, to
smoke, to have eating disorders (either overeating or undereating), to be
victims of physical and sexual abuse and anti-gay violence, and to be less
likely to have a Pap test. (Bradford et al., 1994).
Legal Issues-- The lack of legal rights for lesbian partners or lesbians as
co-parents, such as hospital visitation, access to information, participation
in treatment decisions, and health care proxy appointment, can be a barrier
to adequate medical care.
Patient-Doctor Communication: Health risks and health-seeking behaviors
have been found to be strongly associated with ease of communication
with the primary care provider and ease of access to care. However,
various studies suggest that few physicians are knowledgeable about or
sensitive to lesbian health risks or health care needs (White and Dull,
1997). There is a need for training of health care professionals in
addressing the experiences and health needs specific to lesbian clients.
Cultural Competency: Health care for lesbians would improve if physicians
could more fully understand why lesbians might be reluctant to seek
medical care and the impact of homophobia on the provision of services to
lesbians. Similarly, there is a need for an increased awareness of the
range of health problems experienced by lesbians as well as their health
care risks. Doctors should avoid making heterosexual assumptions in the
gathering of medical and social health information from patients; and show
a willingness to involve partners of lesbian patients in discussions about
their health care.
Research
More research is needed on lesbian health issues for several reasons:
To gain knowledge and improve the health status and health care of lesbians;
To confirm beliefs and counter myths and misconceptions about the health risks of lesbians;
and,
To identify health conditions for which lesbians are at risk or tend to be at greater risk than
women in general.
Activities on Lesbian Health
The Department of Health and Human Services have held a series of scientific meetings to evaluate
how to most effectively respond to the IOM report. In September 1999, a coalition of offices and institutes
at the National Institutes of Health held a research workshop. New Approaches to Research on Sexual
Orientation, Mental Health and Substance Abuse was co-sponsored by the National Institute of Mental
Health, National Institute on Drug Abuse, Office of Behavioral and Social Sciences Research, and the
Office of Research on Women’s Health as well as the American Psychological Association.
On March 23-24, 2000, the Department of Health and Human Services convened the Scientific
Workshop on Lesbian Health to consider steps that could be undertaken for implementation of the
recommendations from the recent IOM report. The workshop convened ten working groups around
specific content noted in the report, including Life Span Development; Cancer; Cardiovascular Disease
and Obesity; Service Delivery and Access to Services; Mental Health and Substance Abuse; HIV/AIDS
and STDs; Research Methodology; Research Career Development; Health Promotion; and
Resiliency/Health Effects of Homophobia.
The seventeen National Centers of Excellence in Women’s Health, sponsored by the Office on Women’s
Health, are committed to serving diverse groups of women, including lesbians. A booklet, "Lesbian
Health Activities at the National Centers of Excellence in Women’s Health" can be found on the National
Women’s Health Information Center website, www.womenshealth.gov or by calling the toll free phone
number, 1-800-994-WOMAN (TDD: 1-888-220-5446).
Resources
Office on Women’s Health
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
200 Independence Ave, SW Room 712E
Washington, DC 20201
(202) 690-7650
Office of Research on Women’s Health
National Institutes of Health
Building 1, Room 201
Bethesda, MD 20892
IOM Report: Lesbian Health: Current Assessment and Directions for the Future. Andrea L. Solarz, Editor.
Institute of Medicine. Funded by the National Institutes of Health and the Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Um, but being lesbian didn't cause any of those health problems. All women who never bear children, for example, are at a higher risk of breast cancer. Like nuns.
All women who do not regularly receive health care--for what ever reason--are at higher risk for health issues. Like poor women.
Lesbianism does not cause drug abuse, cervical cancer etc. Heteros get that too.
I do suspect that the way some people treat lesbians might cause stress and depression, which could lead to health issues and unhealthy coping issues like alchohal abuse. But isn't that common to all humans under stress?
Nothing in that article is proof that lesbains are ill because lesbianism is evil.
Being a second class citizen/being demonized certainly can cause stress.
I look at the homosexuals are sinners doctrine as being a contributor to that stress and demonization.
The gay rights people want to say that what you do makes up what you are, but that sells EVERYONE short. We are more than hormones. We are substantive people.
I think that is what Belle was trying to say def, very good summarization to her point.
def, except for the risks associated with not having children, most of that list could be attributable to societal stigmatization of lesbianism, rather than lesbianism itself.
Also, the list does not indicate that lesbians have a greater risk in many of those categories, but rather than they have the same risks as other women, but perhaps a lower liklihood of early detection, which the article seems to attribute largely to the first point I mentioned.
Well.. looks like at least 95 percent of the list is preventable..
Why do you feel compelled to 'justify' the perversion Belle ? "Who knowing the judgement of God that those who do such things are worthy of death (Old Testament) not only do the same but have pleasure in them who DO THEM" -Romans 1: 32
sorry (maybe not really 'sorry'), I didn't see any justification.. just a statement of FACT.
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What in my post was so darned-condemning anyway? I spoke the truth. Go to a lesbian site (not porn) and you will find a slew of health problems related to lesbianism. Our life choices do have ramifications.
From diabetes to emphesyma to cancer, we all face challenges.
I am in the media and there have been stories about how many in the medical field do not know how to treat or talk to their lesbian patients about some health issues. That's reality, not politics or morals.
Gay men have certain health issues that relate to their lifestyles. That's reality.
Obese, smokers, junk food junkies and blacks and Jews all have particular health issues. What's your problem?
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rascal
The *problem* is ignorant propaganda concerning womens health issues being applicable to their sexual orientation.
I am not aware of a single health issue that lesbian women have that their heterosexual counterparts do not incur as well.
Unfortunatly STD`s are an equal opportunity infection.... they are generally aquired when indulging in promiscuous, unprotected sex.....regardless of your gender or preference.
Unwanted pregnancy, abortions and the health risks incurred in those situations, now that isn`t an issue that lesbians generally have to face....this is a problem generally to be associated with heterosexaul behavior.
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Ham
Interesting.. I thought an overseer in the church had to fit these descriptions. Notice that "not a homo" is anywhere in the list.. may disqualify them, may not..
"Striker":
1) bruiser, ready for a blow
2) A PUGNACIOUS, CONTENTIOUS, QUARRELSOME PERSON
A lot of people here probably are disqualified on these points. I suppose I would be also.. at least on three counts.
Well.. If homo's are disqualified, I guess we are in the same company.. :)
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Belle
Like it or not - Consider it sin or not - Many, many famous and influential people in history are/were gay and the world (AND CHRISTIANITY) would be very different (and I think, worse) without their influence.
It would be difficult to envision or recognize a civilized world without the contributions of gays and lesbians. The following is from http://community-2.webtv.net/@HH!51.../index.html
President Gerald Ford might have died in 1975 because a gay ex-marine Oliver
"Bill" Sipple would not have been alive to push away the gun of an assassin in San
Francisco.
The United States, Britain, and the other Allies might have lost World War 2
because Alan Turing, a gay British mathematician, would never have been born. Turing broke one of the Nazis' most important codes (German Enigma Code) to help shorten the war.
African-Americans might have struggled longer before receiving civil rights because there would have been no Bayard Rustin, the gay man who organized the 1963 March on Washington. This the march where Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., made his famous "I Have a Dream" speech.
Religious life would have been lessened without the Christian voices of Malcolm Boyd, Troy Perry, Jane Spahr or John McNeil.
Christians would also have a difficult time conceiving the New Testament without the scholarship skills of Desiderius Erasmus (the basis for the Tyndale and King James Versions).
Our musical world would have been impoverished because gay American composer Aaron Copeland would have never been born. Russian composer Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky would not have existed, neither would have Leonard Bernstein, English composer Benjamin Britten, or singers Bessie Smith, Melissa Etheridge, or Elton John.
Katherine Lee Bates would have never written: America the Beautiful
O beautiful for spacious skys, for amber waves of grain, for purple mountains majesty above the fruited plain... America, America, ...God shed his grace on thee, and crowned thy Good with brotherhood, from sea to shining sea.
(yes, Katherine Lee Bates wrote the patriotic song America the Beautiful, and she was a lesbian and she had a domestic partner)
We would have also missed the folk songs of Stephen Foster or the clever compositions of Cole Porter. We would never have listened to the "Sweetheart of Sigma Chi" or "I Left My Heart in San Francisco" -- both were written by gay men to their lovers (in both cases, publishers demanded that gender pronouns be switched).
Western art would look very different because neither Michelangelo or Leonardo da Vinci would have been around. And of course, we would have missed Plato and a woman Plato honored with respect as the "tenth muse" -- Sappho.
The Disney movie hits "The Little Mermaid" and "Beauty and the Beast" would have been much duller because Howard Ashman would not have been live to write their Academy Award winning songs. Or imagine "Star Wars" or "E.T." or "Schindler's List" without the scores of John Williams.
Literature would have been lessened because many authors would never have been born, including Pulitzer Prize winning poet W.H. Auden, Nobel Prize winning author Patrick White of Australia, E.M. Forster, Virginia Woolf, Willa Cather, Gertrude Stein, and Walt Whitman.
Movie theatres would have been duller: no Rock Hudson or Marlene Dietrich or Montgomery Clift. Actually, many of the most important plays of the American stage would never have been written because gay playwright Tennessee Williams would not have existed. We would have also missed the plays of Edward Albee or the brilliant acting of Sir Laurence Olivier.
Who else would have been missing? Sports stars like Martina Navritalova or Greg Louganis or Brian Orser would be gone.
The list of people who have had significant same-gender relationships is very long and includes Socrates, King Richard the Lion Hearted, Queen Christina of Sweden, Eleanor Roosevelt and so many more.
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Belle
More famous gay and lesbian people. Note how many are in political positions. I deleted most of the actors/actresses/authors, etc. - especially those most people are familiar with. This information comes from Wikipedia.
Alan, I'd say you might want to focus more on problems at home instead of harrassing people here given how many elected gay and lesbian people you have down there. ;)
Persons of confirmed homosexual or bisexual orientation
The following list includes those people who have confirmed their homosexual or bisexual orientation or whose homosexual or bisexual orientation is not debated.
A
* Jane Addams, American social reformer
* Edward Albee, American Playwright (Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?)
* Alexander the Great, Macedonian King and conquerer of Eurasia, bisexual
* W. H. Auden, British poet
B
* Francis Bacon, British painter
* Francis Bacon, British philosopher and scientist
* Tammy Baldwin - member of the U.S. House of Representatives (D - Wisconsin)
* Alan Ball, writer (American Beauty, "Six Feet Under")
* Samuel Barber, U.S. composer
* Clive Barker, Author, director, artist, known primarily for his work in the horror genre
* Tim Barnett, New Zealand member of parliament
* Roland Barthes, French literary theorist
* Katharine Lee Bates, writer of "America the Beautiful" [1] (http://www.lesgo.com/articles/america.html)
* Terry Baum, American playwright and congressional candidate
* Simone de Beauvoir, French philosopher and novelist
* Leonard Bernstein, U.S. composer and conductor, bisexual, Aldrich, Robert and Wotherspoon, Gary (Eds.) (2001).
* Ole von Beust, mayor of Hamburg
* Elizabeth Birch, former head of Human Rights Campaign, longtime partner of Hillary Rosen (see below)
* Anthony Blunt, British art-historian and traitor
* Josep Borrell Fontelles, Europarlamentary from the PSOE (an Spanish marxist party)
* Ben Bradshaw, British politician
* Scott Brison, Canadian member of Parliament and Minister of Public Works and Government Services
* Bob Brown, Australian senator
C
* Julius Caesar, Roman dictator
* Caligula, Roman emperor
* Jean Jacques R�gis de Cambac�r�s, French lawyer and statesman, author of the Code Napoleon
* Chris Carter, New Zealand Minister of Conservation, Minister of Local Government and Minister for Ethnic Affairs
* Roger Casement, Irish patriot
* Michael Cashman, British actor and politician
* Ralph Chubb, British poet, artist, printer, and prophet
* James Clark, British ambassador to Luxembourg
* Roy Cohn, associate of U.S. Senator Joseph McCarthy
* Aaron Copland, American composer, documented in Howard Pollack's biography, Aaron Copland: The Life and Work of an Uncommon Man
* Henry Cowell, highly influential American composer
* Aleister Crowley, occultist
D
* Libby Davies, Canadian member of parliament
* Jeanine Deckers, Belgian nun and singer-songwriter
* Bertrand Delano�, mayor of Paris
* Samuel Delany, science fiction author
* Elio Di Rupo, Belgian politician
* Roman Dmowski, Polish politician, black mailed by the Okhranka, Imperial Russia's secret police
* Joseph Douc�, psychologist and Baptist minister, founder of the International Lesbian and Gay Association
* Alfred Douglas, son of John Sholto Douglas and partner of Oscar Wilde
* Marcel Duchamp, artist, inventor of the found object
E
* Brian Epstein, British, manager of The Beatles
* Ernst Ludwig, Grand Duke of Hesse and The Rhine
* Uzi Even, first openly gay member of the Israeli Knesset
F
* Per-Kristian Foss, Finance Minister of Norway
* Michel Foucault, French scholar, partnered with Daniel Defert from 1963 till his death, Aldrich, Robert and Wotherspoon, Gary (Eds.) (2001). Also dated Jean Barraque.
* Pim Fortuyn, right wing dutch politician
* Barney Frank (D, MA), US Representative
G
* Greta Garbo, actress
* Federico Garc�a Lorca, Spanish poet and playwright, martyred in the Spanish Civil War
* David Gerrold, science fiction writer, inventor of Tribbles
* Andre Gide, French novelist and Nobel Laureate
* Neil Giuliano, Tempe, Arizona mayor, declared himself homosexual in public
* Brian Greig, Australian senator
* Gorgidas, Theban military leader of the Sacred band of elite troops of paired gay lovers.
H
* Han Aidi(BC27-BC1), Chinese Emperor in Han Dynasty.
* G. H. Hardy, British mathematician
* Michael Huffington, American politician, bisexual
J
* Michael Jeter, American actor, "Mr. Noodle's brother Mr. Noodle" of Sesame Street
* Jeffrey John, Church of England priest
* Mychal F. Judge, Franciscan priest, WTC terrorism victim
K
* John Maynard Keynes, British economist
* The Hon. Justice Michael Kirby, Justice of the High Court of Australia
* Jim Kolbe, member of the U.S. House of Representatives (R-Arizona)
L
* Laurier L. LaPierre, Canadian broadcaster and Senator
M
* Ashley MacIsaac, Canadian fiddler from Cape Breton
* Peter Mandelson, Britain's EU commissioner
* Joseph McCarthy, U.S. politician, see http://www.rotten.com/library/bio/usa/joseph-mccarthy
* James McGreevey, U.S. politician and governor of New Jersey
* Margaret Mead, anthropologist
* R�al M�nard, Canadian member of parliament
* Michelangelo Buonarroti, Italian Renaissance artist
* Harvey Milk, American politician
* Glen Murray, former mayor of Winnipeg, Manitoba
N
* David Norris, Irish senator, James Joyce scholar [3] (http://www.iol.ie/~atticirl/norris.htm)
O
* Daniel O'Donnell, American politician, brother of Rosie O'Donnell
* Eoin O'Duffy, Irish police commissioner, leader of the 'Blueshirts' and aide to Michael Collins (Irish leader)
P
* Brian Paddick, UK Police Commander and nephew of Hugh Paddick
* Hugh Paddick, British actor
* Paetz, Archbishop of Poznan
* Matthew Parris, British journalist and former politician
* Harry Partch, American composer and just intonation instrument inventor
* Patrick Pearse, Irish patriot and leader of the 1916 Easter Rising, whose poetry is littered with homoerotic imagery
* Plato
* Michael Portillo, former UK Defence Secretary and defeated leadership candidate
* Francis Poulenc, French composer, openly gay from his first serious relationship, that with painter Richard Chanelaire to whom he wrote, "You have changed my life, you are the sunshine of my thirty years, a reason for living and working." He also said, "You know that I am as sincere in my faith, without any messianic screamings, as I am in my Parisian sexuality." (Who's Who, 2001)
R
* Gene Robinson, American Episcopal bishop of New Hampshire
* Svend Robinson, former Canadian member of parliament
* Ernst R�hm, leader of the Nazi SA
* Bayard Rustin, civil rights activist, organizer of the 1963 March on Washington, introduced Martin Luther King Jr. to the writings of Mahatma Gandhi and non-violence, fired for being gay
S
* Marquis de Sade, 18th century author and philosopher
* Bill Siksay, Canadian member of parliament
* Mario Silva, Canadian member of parliament
* Chris Smith, UK Politician
* George Smitherman, Canadian politician (Ontario cabinet minister) [4] (http://www.365gay.com/newscontent/102303smithermanCabinet.htm)
* Solon, Greek statesman
* Jim Stork, US politician
* Gerry Studds, US politician
* Lucius Cornelius Sulla, Roman dictator
T
* Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, Russian composer
* Alan Turing, British mathematician, computer scientist and theorist
* Colin Turnbull, British anthropologist, later American citizen, Buddhist
U
* Karl Heinrich Ulrichs, German activist, author
W
* Horace Walpole, 4th Earl of Orford
* Sumner Welles, U.S. Under Secretary of State 1937-1943
* Guido Westerwelle, Leader of the German liberal party FDP
* Johann Joachim Winckelmann, German classical archaeologist and art historian
* Klaus Wowereit, mayor of Berlin
Y
* Felix Yusupov, Russian prince
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Belle
Just a little bit more on Gay History and the Church......
GAY SAINTS?
The Catholic church knowingly canonized gay saints. Paired saints Serge and Bacchus, and saints Polyeuct and Nearchos were canonized and the church wrote of their love for each other as a part of their holiness. Serge and Bacchus were Roman soldiers who refused to sacrifice to the idols of the Emperor and sentenced to death. Bacchus was executed first, Serge was tortured in an attempt to get him to worship the idols. Serge had visions of Bacchus, in which he would comfort him and urge him not to give in so that they might be together for eternity. Finally Serge was executed, and the couple was canonized as martyrs.
Polyeuct and Nearchos were similar, they were also Roman soldiers, martyred because of their Christian faith, and in love with each other. Metaphrastes described them as one soul in two bodies, joined by boundless love. Polyeuct converted to Christianity because Nearchos was going to be executed for being Christian. Polyeuct wanted to be executed with him so that their souls would be united forever in the kingdom of heaven.
GAY MARRIAGE?
Just one example. Basil I, founder of the Macedonian dynasty, was married to two men, both ceremonies were conducted by ordained clergymen in a church. The second marriage is the most interesting. While visiting Greece Basil was approached by a woman who offered him a dowry if he would marry her son, John. There is also evidence that there was a legal family connection, as well as a spiritual one. John's mother was legally recognized as a relative of Basil by marriage.
GAY POPES?
Priests (and therefore Popes) were not required to be celibate until the eleventh century, and some took full advantage.
John XII-a bisexual pope who held orgies in the papal palace.
Benedict IX-a homosexual pope who also enjoyed hosting orgies.
Alexander VI-a bisexual pope who was not going to let his fun be spoiled just because he became pope after celibacy became mandatory. He fathered at least 8 children and had many male lovers.
Julius III-a homosexual pope who respected his vow of celibacy, but had a male lover before taking that vow.
Paul II-Possible transsexual pope? His tendency to wear lavish and feminine clothing earned him the nickname "Our Lady of Pity."
CARTMAN, WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?
Jewish philosopher Philo Judaeus was the first to write that Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed because they accepted homosexuals and that the Levitical verses about homosexual acts did not apply only to religious ceremonies.
He didn't write until the first century a.d., and the interpretations of these stories by the Jewish teachers and philosophers at the time were very different from his. His writings were rejected by Jewish scholars, who ridiculed him for writing such absurd things.
A KING AND QUEEN IN ONE?
King James I, the author of the King James Version of the Bible, was bisexual. He had affairs with many women and men, but the love of his life was George Villiers, who became the Duke of Buckingham. Think they were just good buddies? Read this from one of his letters to Villiers.
"I desire only to live in the world for your sake, and I rather live banished in any part of the world with you than live a sorrowful widow-life without you." He defended their love before the Privy Council, saying "You may be sure that I love the Earl of Buckingham more than anyone else...I wish to speak on my own behalf and not to have it thought to be a defect." James I had the Henry VII Chapel remodeled to include side by side tombs for himself and Villiers so that even in death they would not be parted.
In 1628-George Villiers, lover of King James I of England and Earl of Buckingham, was assassinated by John Felton, a former naval officer, in Portsmouth. His grave is in Westminster Abbey, beside King James.
Quote of the day: I'm a supporter of gay rights. And not a closet supporter either. From the time I was a kid, I have never been able to understand attacks upon the gay community. There are so many qualities that make up a human being, by the time I get through with all the things that I really admire about people, what they do with their private parts is probably so low on the list that it is irrelevant. -Paul Newman
1995-Stats on gay marriage: Denmark began registering same-sex unions in May of 1989. As of this date in 1995, a total of 2,760 couples had registered, 1898 female and 862 male. The total divorce rate was 264, making the divorce rate 9.5%.
Quote of the day: Jesus Christ had the same and cannot be blamed. Christ had his John, and I have my sweet George. -King James I of England, responding to charges of an "unnatural relationship" between him and George Villiers
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Allan
Why do you feel compelled to 'justify' the perversion Belle ? "Who knowing the judgement of God that those who do such things are worthy of death (Old Testament) not only do the same but have pleasure in them who DO THEM" -Romans 1: 32
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LG
Why do you, Allan, feel compelled to insist that superstitions of some Bronze Age people, but not others, should be present-day standards for determining what is "worthy of death?"
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def59
Belle,
King James was not the author of the Bible that bears his name. He authorized it, not authored it.
As for your long lists, what's your point? Who someone has sex with does not make them who they are. Why don't you publish a list of alcoholics, pedophiles or criminals who were famous.
The gay rights people want to say that what you do makes up what you are, but that sells EVERYONE short. We are more than hormones. We are substantive people.
And rascal, for the last time, my point was anything but ignorant. I have read up and found issues that lesbian women deal with, physical, mental and emotional. It is not prejudice to say that people who live a certain way have issues that are not readily apparent.
To say otherwise, imho, is really ignorant.
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Bramble
Lesbians have health issues that Hetero women don't have???
Prove it. Back it up with your wonder link. I don't have to take your Words as gospel truth--you are not my TWI leader.
The sites I googled ( Lesbian Health issues) talked about heart disease (isn't that the leading killer of women?) obesity(not a problem for hetero women?) diabetes yada yada yada. Same health issues other women face.
Sheesh.
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def59
OK,
for the record, this is what I am talking about.
Health Status and Health Risks of Lesbians
Lesbians comprise a subgroup of women whose health status and risks have not been widely researched. One reason for the limited research on lesbian health is the methodological problem of defining what constitutes lesbian sexual orientation, since sexual orientation is commonly described as both behavioral, (i.e., desire or attraction), and cognitive (i.e., identity). Lesbians are found among all subpopulations of women, and are represented in all racial and ethnic groups, all socioeconomic strata, and all ages. There is no single type of family, community, culture, or demographic category characteristic of lesbian women. It is important to note that views about sexual identity and sexual behavior can vary significantly across cultures and among racial and ethnic groups, so it should not be assumed that a lesbian sexual orientation or identity is the same for lesbians of different racial, ethnic,or cultural backgrounds.
Fundamentally, lesbians need access to the same high quality health screening and preventive care that
is appropriate for all women throughout the life cycle. Lesbians and their providers often remain
uninformed about important health issues, including the need for: cervical and breast cancer screening,
reducing the risk of sexually transmitted diseases and HIV; caring for mental health issues including
depression; diagnosing and treating substance abuse; pregnancy and parenting assistance; and
understanding domestic/intimate violence.
Differences in health risks for lesbians from women in general could be attributed to a number of
factors. A woman’s health behavior, stress, and the nature of her experiences with the health care
system can all affect her risk for various health conditions.
Health behaviors/characteristics
Pregnancy---
Lesbians appear to be less likely to report having biological children than heterosexual women. However, there are still substantial numbers of lesbian women who are parents, particularly through artificial insemination or adoption. There is little research on how many lesbians are mothers or the number of individuals who have lesbian mothers. In the Women’s Health Initiative sample, lesbians are less likely to ever have been pregnant than were heterosexual women. These differences were particularly pronounced for lifetime lesbians of whom 34.1% had previously been pregnant, compared to 61.2% of the mature lesbians and 89.1% of the heterosexual women. Lesbians are less likely to report having used oral contraceptives between the ages of 25 and 35 (only 16.7%), which may put them at greater risk for breast, endometrial and ovarian cancers.
Smoking---
Although data on lesbians’ unique health risks is limited, certain behaviors that can increase heath risks may be more prevalent in lesbians than in heterosexual women.
Preliminary results from the Women’s Health Initiative suggest that approximately twice as many lesbians are heavy smokers compared to heterosexual women. Almost half of heterosexual women
report never smoking, compared to one-third of lesbians (6.8% of lifetime lesbians and 7.4% of mature
lesbians versus 3.5% of heterosexual women). Smoking can increase a woman’s risk for lung and cervical cancer, as well as cardiovascular disease.
Obesity---
Some studies suggest lesbians are more likely to be overweight than heterosexual women, which can put them at greater risk for cardiovascular disease and some other health conditions. Preliminary information from the Women’s Health Initiative suggests that a greater proportion of lesbians are above the overweight threshold when Body Mass Index (BMI= 27) is calculated (52.3% of lifetime lesbians compared to 45.8% of heterosexual women).
Alcohol Use--
Reviews of lesbian health research suggest a smaller percentage of lesbians (compared to heterosexual women) abstain from alcohol. Even when rates of heavy drinking among lesbians and heterosexual women are comparable, rates of reported alcohol problems are higher in lesbians than in heterosexual women. Similarly, a greater percentage of lesbians describe themselves as being in recovery from alcohol abuse. There is some speculation that lesbians generally have fewer social norms and family responsibilities that limit drinking. However, these theories cannot be fully substantiated without further research.
Substance Abuse--
From the limited data on lesbians’ use of illicit drugs, it appears that lesbians report greater use of marijuana, inhalants and cocaine than do women in general. There is evidence that female injection drug users in urban areas identify themselves as lesbians at a higher rate than women
in general, however, it is possible that injection drug users as a population sub group might be more
willing to disclose their sexual behavior or identity. The IOM Report lists drug abuse among lesbians as
an area in need of further research.
Stress
Physiological responses to stress can have many negative health consequences, especially over a long
period of time. Lesbians may have additional stresses that compound the everyday stress that everyone
experiences.
Identity Issues-- Stress may result from the burden of hiding one’s lesbian identity from family or
coworkers.
Legal Issues-- Stress can come from a feeling of legal isolation and lack of cultural acceptance of living situations. Lesbians do not have many of the same legal rights as married couples, and lesbians who
are parents may face difficulties with parental rights when partners separate.
Discrimination--- Stress effects may be greatest in lesbians who experience multiple forms of
discrimination, such as those who are also members of ethnic or racial minority groups. The
combination of homophobia, racism, and sex-based discrimination puts the health of these women in
"triple jeopardy".
Interactions with the health care system
Misconceptions about health risks--- Assumptions made by health care providers while taking sexual
or social history of lesbian patients can compromise the quality of health care that a lesbian receives, as
can overt discrimination or homophobia. Further, past negative health care experiences can discourage
a lesbian from seeking care in the future, including preventive and screening measures, which further
jeopardizes her health.
Cervical Cancer---Research has shown that lesbians are less likely to receive pap smears than are
heterosexual women. Pap smears are one of the most effective methods of cancer prevention for
women, yet both lesbian women and their health care providers often overlook the need for cervical
cancer screening. Many health care providers and patients share the false assumption that because
lesbians are not currently sexually active with men, they are not at risk for developing dysplasia
(abnormal cells in the cervix). As a result of this misinformation, lesbians may avoid medical services
and health care providers may give incorrect advice and underutilize appropriate health screenings for
these patients. It is also possible that lesbians seek obstetrician-gynecologists less frequently than do
heterosexual women, and may have less exposure to screening services traditionally offered by these
specialists. However, lesbians, like all women, need regular pap smears.
Sexually Transmitted Diseases---Lesbians are at risk for many sexually transmitted diseases. Genital
warts, usually associated with the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV), can be transmitted sexually from
woman to woman, as can the Herpes virus. Hepatitis B can also be transmitted between women. Any
sexually active person should be immunized against Hepatitis B. Similarly, any sexually active person
should be considered at some risk for all sexually transmitted diseases, since it is impossible for a
health care professional to accurately determine the sexual history of same sex partners.
HIV/AIDS --HIV does occur in lesbians, usually due to two factors 1) sharing of needles and 2) when
lesbians have sex with men who have been exposed to HIV. However, because there is also a
theoretical risk of HIV transmission between lesbians, safe sex guidelines are recommended. Small
studies are currently underway to study the risk of HIV infection in lesbians.
Barriers to Quality Health Care
Elements of the health care system itself, such as managed care, legal rights, and the attitudes and
training of health care providers, contribute to negative experiences that can discourage lesbians from
seeking appropriate and necessary health screening and treatment.
Insurance---There is also a general lack of availability of family or
household health insurance coverage for members of lesbian
households. This both restricts lesbians’ access to health insurance
through their partners (access they would have through a heterosexual
marriage), and makes family-focused care difficult. Lesbians without
health insurance are significantly more likely to report heart disease, to
smoke, to have eating disorders (either overeating or undereating), to be
victims of physical and sexual abuse and anti-gay violence, and to be less
likely to have a Pap test. (Bradford et al., 1994).
Legal Issues-- The lack of legal rights for lesbian partners or lesbians as
co-parents, such as hospital visitation, access to information, participation
in treatment decisions, and health care proxy appointment, can be a barrier
to adequate medical care.
Patient-Doctor Communication: Health risks and health-seeking behaviors
have been found to be strongly associated with ease of communication
with the primary care provider and ease of access to care. However,
various studies suggest that few physicians are knowledgeable about or
sensitive to lesbian health risks or health care needs (White and Dull,
1997). There is a need for training of health care professionals in
addressing the experiences and health needs specific to lesbian clients.
Cultural Competency: Health care for lesbians would improve if physicians
could more fully understand why lesbians might be reluctant to seek
medical care and the impact of homophobia on the provision of services to
lesbians. Similarly, there is a need for an increased awareness of the
range of health problems experienced by lesbians as well as their health
care risks. Doctors should avoid making heterosexual assumptions in the
gathering of medical and social health information from patients; and show
a willingness to involve partners of lesbian patients in discussions about
their health care.
Research
More research is needed on lesbian health issues for several reasons:
To gain knowledge and improve the health status and health care of lesbians;
To confirm beliefs and counter myths and misconceptions about the health risks of lesbians;
and,
To identify health conditions for which lesbians are at risk or tend to be at greater risk than
women in general.
Activities on Lesbian Health
The Department of Health and Human Services have held a series of scientific meetings to evaluate
how to most effectively respond to the IOM report. In September 1999, a coalition of offices and institutes
at the National Institutes of Health held a research workshop. New Approaches to Research on Sexual
Orientation, Mental Health and Substance Abuse was co-sponsored by the National Institute of Mental
Health, National Institute on Drug Abuse, Office of Behavioral and Social Sciences Research, and the
Office of Research on Women’s Health as well as the American Psychological Association.
On March 23-24, 2000, the Department of Health and Human Services convened the Scientific
Workshop on Lesbian Health to consider steps that could be undertaken for implementation of the
recommendations from the recent IOM report. The workshop convened ten working groups around
specific content noted in the report, including Life Span Development; Cancer; Cardiovascular Disease
and Obesity; Service Delivery and Access to Services; Mental Health and Substance Abuse; HIV/AIDS
and STDs; Research Methodology; Research Career Development; Health Promotion; and
Resiliency/Health Effects of Homophobia.
The seventeen National Centers of Excellence in Women’s Health, sponsored by the Office on Women’s
Health, are committed to serving diverse groups of women, including lesbians. A booklet, "Lesbian
Health Activities at the National Centers of Excellence in Women’s Health" can be found on the National
Women’s Health Information Center website, www.womenshealth.gov or by calling the toll free phone
number, 1-800-994-WOMAN (TDD: 1-888-220-5446).
Resources
Office on Women’s Health
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
200 Independence Ave, SW Room 712E
Washington, DC 20201
(202) 690-7650
Office of Research on Women’s Health
National Institutes of Health
Building 1, Room 201
Bethesda, MD 20892
IOM Report: Lesbian Health: Current Assessment and Directions for the Future. Andrea L. Solarz, Editor.
Institute of Medicine. Funded by the National Institutes of Health and the Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Institute of Medicine Website: http://www.iom.edu
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Bramble
Um, but being lesbian didn't cause any of those health problems. All women who never bear children, for example, are at a higher risk of breast cancer. Like nuns.
All women who do not regularly receive health care--for what ever reason--are at higher risk for health issues. Like poor women.
Lesbianism does not cause drug abuse, cervical cancer etc. Heteros get that too.
I do suspect that the way some people treat lesbians might cause stress and depression, which could lead to health issues and unhealthy coping issues like alchohal abuse. But isn't that common to all humans under stress?
Nothing in that article is proof that lesbains are ill because lesbianism is evil.
Being a second class citizen/being demonized certainly can cause stress.
I look at the homosexuals are sinners doctrine as being a contributor to that stress and demonization.
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Linda Z
Hmmm, does that mean you'd never want to receive a teaching from a woman's mouth that's been the same place? :o
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excathedra
bramble, thank you for your posts on here
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outofdafog
I think that is what Belle was trying to say def, very good summarization to her point.
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wingnut
Generally?
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outofdafog
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LG
def, except for the risks associated with not having children, most of that list could be attributable to societal stigmatization of lesbianism, rather than lesbianism itself.
Also, the list does not indicate that lesbians have a greater risk in many of those categories, but rather than they have the same risks as other women, but perhaps a lower liklihood of early detection, which the article seems to attribute largely to the first point I mentioned.
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Ham
Well.. looks like at least 95 percent of the list is preventable..
sorry (maybe not really 'sorry'), I didn't see any justification.. just a statement of FACT.
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excathedra
starting to read the thread from the start....
second james, are you seeing some good things from all these responses ?
**
satori, you really must write..... you were born to write.....
**
homosexuality is something i was raised to not understand, but lo, after these 49 years, i don't understand anything
what upsets me very much is my kid and middle school thinking toward homosexuality. it's plain horrible and mean
this life can really suck
i don't know how a loving god can allow such hatred and hurt toward people
ps. mucho hugs (not so) invisible dan
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valerie52
There is a group called Exodus, that helps lesbians and male homsexuals with all that.
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mstar1
with all what?
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TheInvisibleDan
You know...this 'n that.
And that other thing.
And everything else
along with it.
:) :blink: :D
{{{Hi Excy!}}}
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def59
It's called Exodus International and its a ministry that helps people who want to get out of homosexualoty.
And there are many who do.
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