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It's important to remember that trans men, intersex people and nonbinary people can also get cervical cancer because otherwise our access to things like pap smears can be incorrectly denied because of our presentation.
So #OnlyFemalesGetCervicalCancer actually puts us at risk.
So #OnlyFemalesGetCervicalCancer actually puts us at risk.
Most healthcare staff are not trained about trans patients.
If a trans man with a beard shows up needing care and the nurse believes #OnlyFemalesGetCervicalCancer then he could be denied despite the fact that he has a cervix.
If a trans man with a beard shows up needing care and the nurse believes #OnlyFemalesGetCervicalCancer then he could be denied despite the fact that he has a cervix.
It's very simple:
"Most people who get cervical cancer are women but trans men and some nonbinary and intersex people can also be at risk."
That's not just more inclusive it's actually more accurate and allows for better healthcare.
"Most people who get cervical cancer are women but trans men and some nonbinary and intersex people can also be at risk."
That's not just more inclusive it's actually more accurate and allows for better healthcare.
And frankly the fact that people want to gatekeep a LITERAL CANCER makes you assholes.
For anyone reading through #OnlyFemalesGetCervicalCancer who actually cares about beating cervical cancer instead of just using it as some kind of "gotcha" against trans people, here is a place you can donate:
https://ukcervicalcancer.org.uk/donate/
https://ukcervicalcancer.org.uk/donate/
The people in the comments complaining about trans women being sent letters about pap smears (despite not having a cervix) should know that this stupid hashtag literally enforces the belief that causes that to happen.
You are causing the exact thing that you are angry about.
You are causing the exact thing that you are angry about.
Trans women have been asking for those letters to stop for YEARS. It shows how GPs are completely underprepared to deal with trans patients.
We need to educate healthcare staff about trans people and what care we might or might not need access to.
We need to educate healthcare staff about trans people and what care we might or might not need access to.
And no, simply stating "I was born female" is not a solution. It's actually incredibly patronising for you to come into a marginalised person's mentions and tell me the 'obvious' solution to discrimination against me... as if we haven't thought of all those things??
Aaaand no, "but it's discrimination they can't do that" is not the answer either. Because yes it is, but that doesn't stop it from happening.
Doctors can make mistakes. Especially when they aren't trained on how to handle trans people. They might completely overlook some conditions or not even check for them out of sheer ignorance - not knowing that that trans person could be at risk.
Sometimes that's more obvious things and we can correct them - "actually I have a cervix."
Sometimes it's conditions we've never heard of - because we aren't the fucking doctors!
Sometimes it's conditions we've never heard of - because we aren't the fucking doctors!
We shouldn't have to educate our own doctors on every possible condition we could be at risk for just to receive healthcare.
Here is an article (warning for dehumanising language folks) about a trans man who died because the doctor (not knowing how to address the patient) didn't tell him about his breast cancer biopsy results. https://abcnews.go.com/Health/transgender-bias-now-banned-federal-law/story?id=16949817
Or there's Robert Ead who was diagnosed with ovarian cancer but was refused treatment by more than a dozen doctors. By the time he got treatment it had metastasized and it was too late.
Twenty years later and stuff like this is still happening.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Eads
Twenty years later and stuff like this is still happening.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Eads
Or there's this trans man, who showed up to the emergency room in labour. The nurse didn't check his records and since she read him as male, he was triaged incorrectly.
The baby died during the birth. https://eu.usatoday.com/story/news/health/2019/05/16/pregnant-transgender-man-births-stillborn-baby-hospital-missed-labor-signs/3692201002/
The baby died during the birth. https://eu.usatoday.com/story/news/health/2019/05/16/pregnant-transgender-man-births-stillborn-baby-hospital-missed-labor-signs/3692201002/
Are you getting it now?
We don't say "trans men can get periods, trans men can get pregnant, trans men need pap smears" for fun. Most of us would rather never think about it because it causes dysphoria.
But we have to raise awareness because the ignorance is killing us.
We don't say "trans men can get periods, trans men can get pregnant, trans men need pap smears" for fun. Most of us would rather never think about it because it causes dysphoria.
But we have to raise awareness because the ignorance is killing us.
Want some stats to show the scale of the problem? Here you go:
1 in 5 trans people have been denied care because of their trans identity.
Over half of trans people have faced barriers because the healthcare provider lacked knowledge. http://blog.lighthouse.lgbt/10-stats-lgbtq-healthcare/
1 in 5 trans people have been denied care because of their trans identity.
Over half of trans people have faced barriers because the healthcare provider lacked knowledge. http://blog.lighthouse.lgbt/10-stats-lgbtq-healthcare/
This report puts it at 62% of trans people who have faced a lack of understanding about their specific needs while trying to access healthcare.
https://www.stonewall.org.uk/about-us/media-releases/stonewall-report-reveals-impact-discrimination-health-lgbt-people#:~:text=Of%20those%20who%20do%20seek,per%20cent%20for%20trans%20patients.
https://www.stonewall.org.uk/about-us/media-releases/stonewall-report-reveals-impact-discrimination-health-lgbt-people#:~:text=Of%20those%20who%20do%20seek,per%20cent%20for%20trans%20patients.
This happens EVERYWHERE.
Every trans man I've ever met has talked about how difficult it is to get a pap smear, about not receiving the letters about it, or about how the doctor treated him like a freak when he did get one.
Every trans man I've ever met has talked about how difficult it is to get a pap smear, about not receiving the letters about it, or about how the doctor treated him like a freak when he did get one.
Because even if you do manage to get access, that's no guarantee that the doctor (who has probably never seen a patient like you before) won't treat you like a medical curiosity instead of a patient and a human being.
And all of this is before we even take into account how many trans people have died or got ill because they put off going to the doctor out of fear of discrimination.
This is a pattern which can lead to chronic health conditions later in life.
This is a pattern which can lead to chronic health conditions later in life.
Let's not forget, this also hugely impacts lesbians, especially butch lesbians, because transphobia and homophobia go hand in hand.
75% of lesbians report delaying healthcare because of fear. Their top reason? They've experienced discrimination in the past.
75% of lesbians report delaying healthcare because of fear. Their top reason? They've experienced discrimination in the past.
So yes. Your stupid hashtag is dangerous. The idea that it gives out directly harms people. It has killed people.
What's the solution to all this?
Train doctors, nurses and other healthcare providers on trans patients. How to talk to them, what their needs are etc.
What's the solution to all this?
Train doctors, nurses and other healthcare providers on trans patients. How to talk to them, what their needs are etc.
We need to build better, more inclusive healthcare systems so that EVERYONE can get the care that is right for them and their body.
