Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs/STDs) in the Lesbian Community

There appears to be a misconception among the lesbian community and their health care providers that lesbians have little or no risk for sexually transmitted diseases (STD) or what they are now calling Sexually Transmitted Infections (STI). But your sexual orientation does not make you immune to sexually transmitted infections. In fact, in a recent survey of 504 lesbian and bisexual respondents, 26% of women reported having been previously diagnosed with an STI (Reuters Health, 1/26). That's one in four women. The truth is, the risk of STI transmission between lesbians is very real. STI's such as Genital Herpes , Genital Herpes and Bacterial Vaginosis are easily transmitted between women during sex. HIV , Hepatitis B, Gonorrhea , and Chlamydia are less likely to be transmitted, although still possible.

An additional risk that tends to get overlooked is that many lesbians have had sex with men at some point in their lives. And since all STIs are easily transmitted from men to women during sex, the risks are higher then some may realize. Many STIs do not have symptoms, so it is possible that a woman could have been infected years ago and still carry the infection in their body without knowing it.

It is extremely important to share your sexual history with your health care provider who can advise you of the appropriate STI screening tests for you. All women, including lesbian, should be receiving Pap tests on a regular basis.

Safer Sex Safer sex and STI prevention are important practices for anyone who is sexually active. It is essential for partners to discuss their sexual and STI history prior to having sex. Safer sex means learning and practicing behaviors that decrease the chance of contracting or transmitting an STI. The best means for avoiding STIs is a barrier. Latex gloves and condoms can be used for genital and anal stimulation with the fingers or with sex toys (dildos, vibrators, etc.). A dental dam (flat, latex barrier), non microwavable plastic wrap, or a condom cut lengthwise and placed over the vagina is advisable for oral-genital sex. It is advisable to avoid sex when genital herpes or genital warts are active until all lesions have cleared up.


The following STIs can be transmitted during sex between women:

Bacterial Vaginosis
Researchers are especially interested in bacterial vaginosis (BV) in women who have sex with women both because it occurs frequently among lesbians and because the cause and transmission of BV is not clearly understood. In one study over half of the lesbians had BV and BV was diagnosed even in the absence of sexual activity with a man in the previous year. Additionally, there was a high likelihood that if one partner in a monogamous couple had BV her partner would as well

Candida vaginitis
Yeast infections cause vaginal itching, burning, and pain. A genital yeast infection generally is not considered to be a sexually transmitted disease, however transmission through sex is very common, especially between women.

Chlamydia
Chlamydia is caused by bacteria that is transmitted to the vagina or rectum by contact with infected genital fluids. Chlamydia can infect the cervix, rectum or urethra (the passage through which urine exits the body) in women.

Genital Herpes
Genital herpes is transmitted when an active herpes lesion or its secretion comes into direct contact with a break in the skin or the moist membranes of the mouth, penis, vagina, urethra, anus, or cervix Genital herpes is highly contagious when sores are present. Patients can re-infect themselves by touching an active herpes sore and scratching or rubbing another area of broken skin on the body.

Genital Warts & HPV
Genital HPV infection is a sexually transmitted Infection that is caused by human papillomavirus (HPV). Human papillomavirus is the name of a group of viruses that includes more than 100 different strains or types and is transmitted through vaginal, oral, and anal sex. More than 30 of these viruses are sexually transmitted, and they can infect the genital area women including the skin of the vulva (area outside the vagina), or anus, and the linings of the vagina, cervix, or rectum. Most people who become infected with HPV will not have any symptoms and will clear the infection on their own.

Gonorrhea
Gonorrhea, also known as "the clap", is caused by bacteria transmitted to the vagina, throat or rectum by exchanging infected genital fluids during sex. It is possible to spread this sexually transmitted infection from one part of the body to another via touch. Symptoms for women may include abnormal bleeding, irritability in outer portions of vagina, vaginal discharge, and burring during urination.

Hepatitis
An inflammation of the liver with various causes, and symptoms including yellow skin and eyes, nausea, loss of appetite, tiredness and stomach pain. Hepatitis is considered a STI because it can be contracted and spread through intercourse, contact with genitals and the anus, semen, vaginal fluids, and saliva. It is over 100 times more infectious than HIV.

There are three main hepatitis viruses. Hepatitis A is found in fecal matter, such as contaminated food and oral-anal contact. Transmission between women has been known.

Hepatitis B is spread by an exchange of blood and other body fluids. This includes touching an open cut if you have broken skin and sharing toothbrushes, nail clippers or razors. It takes very little blood or fluid to transmit, but cannot be contracted through food, drink or casual contact.

Hepatitis C is spread mainly through contact with infected blood, and sexual transmission is relatively rare.

HIV
HIV is the virus that causes AIDS and is found in the blood, breast milk, vaginal fluid or semen of someone with HIV, so you are at risk if you get any of these fluids in your bloodstream.

Although the risk of sexually transmitting HIV between women is low, if one or more of your past partners have slept with men, then you can be at risk.

Syphilis
Syphilis is transmitted through direct contact with a sore. Syphilis is found in areas of the anus, genitals, rectum, vagina, cervix, and mouth. It is sometimes hard to detect because the sores that appear seem to clear up on their own; however it stays in the body damaging internal organs

Trichomoniasis “Trich”
Trichomoniasis is caused by a parasite that can be passed from one person to another during sexual contact. It can also be picked up from contact with damp, moist objects such as towels or wet clothing. Trich is spread through sexual contact with an infected person. Signs include yellow, green, or gray vaginal discharge (often foamy) with a strong odor; discomfort during sex and when urinating; irritation and itching of the genital area; and lower abdominal pain in rare cases. To tell if you have trich, your doctor or nurse will do a pelvic exam and lab test. A pelvic exam can show small red sores, or ulcerations, on the wall of the vagina or on the cervix. Trich is treated with antibiotics.

RESOURCES:

Center for Disease Control
Sexual Health Channel
Lesbian STD website

Buffy's Romp: Marketing Ploy or Part of the Plot?

By Emily Friedman, ABC News

Buffy Summers has now done it all.

After spending nearly a decade slaying vampires and demons and carefully juggling her schoolwork with her budding teen romances, Buffy of "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" now also knows what it's like to have a one-night stand -- with a woman.

In the latest installment of the comic book series "Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season Eight" -- which continues the saga that began in a 1993 film and then continued during seven seasons of a hit television series -- Buffy takes a break from her vampire duties to jump into bed with Satsu, a fellow slayer.

"Wow," says Buffy in the comic, hand on sweaty brow, naked body wrapped in tangled bed sheets. "That was ... that was ... Wow."

"'That was wow' pretty much covers it," responds Satsu, who, also dripping with sweat, clutches Buffy's 20-something body.

The comic's illustrators -- seemingly inspired by the sexy narrative -- litter the bedside with discarded bras and panties.

While the scene, which was first reported by The New York Times, may initially come across as a little too sexy and a little too soft porn, Joss Whedon, executive producer of the strip, told ABCNEWS.com that the story line flowed naturally and is nothing to gape at.

"We had already established that there was this character, Satsu, was in love with Buffy and that Buffy was kind of lonesome," said Whedon. "[We decided] it would be fun if they just went ahead and did it, rather than have it be a 'will they won't they' situation."

Despite Whedon's assertion that Buffy's adventurous sexuality is nothing new -- after all, her best friend on the show, Willow, came out in Season 4 -- industry insiders still aren't convinced that the latest plot twist isn't anything more than a marketing ploy.

Buffy's Lesbian Encounter: Groundbreaking or Marketing Ploy?
Having gay characters in comic books is not a new concept, according to comic guru Matthew McAllister, but central characters who stray from heterosexuality may be.

"We've definitely seen gay characters in mainstream comics over the past 10 to 15 years," said McAllister, who co-edited the book "Film and Comics." "But usually those tend to be secondary characters, not leads."

Dark Horse Comics, the publisher of Buffy's comic strip, estimates that since the comic's inception in March 2007, more than 1 million issues have been sold, approximately 120,000 each month.

While according to the publisher the audience includes "lovers of television and comics of all ages," McAllister says that Dark Horse is known for aiming its material more toward older teens and readers in their mid-20s.

Because the comic was the spawn of a popular movie and television series, McAllister bears on the side of Whedon, who asserts that Buffy's gay romp was more about character development than revenue.

"It's not like Buffy hasn't explored these issues before, so in a way it goes with the basic sensibility of the characters and the universe of Buffy," McAllister said. "'Buffy' is a metaphor for teenage life, and one of the issues teenagers face is the questioning of sexuality. Now [Dark Horse] is trying to explore it a little bit more."

A representative from The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation familiar with the comic welcomed the plot twist, lauding it as yet another example of the "Buffy" enterprise including "multidimensional lesbian characters in the Buffy universe."

"'Buffy the Vampire Slayer' has always been an inclusive series, both on screen and now on the page," said Damon Romine, the entertainment media director for GLAAD, in a statement e-mailed to ABCNEWS.com. "We look forward to seeing how Buffy's emotional and physical connection with Satsu plays out, since the creators always take us in surprising and compelling directions."

"It made logical, emotional sense and it was an opportunity for drama and character exploration," said Whedon, who told ABCNEWS.com that while Buffy has not "all of a sudden turned gay" she is not "completely cut off from that particular enjoyment."

But for Stephen Krensky, author of "Comic Book Century: The History of American Comic Books," it's not so clear that Buffy's gay romp was a true advancement of her character and not just a way to freshen up the comic and keep it from its demise.

"Comic books are competing now with video games, DVDs and 'Guitar Hero' for the attention of the audience that, let's face it, they had [during the 1960s]," said Krensky. "Now it's, 'how do we get attention' and 'how do we find a niche?'"

Buffy is not the first comic to stray from its original form, Krensky said, and he added that sometimes he wishes comic writers would let the story "run its course" rather than go off on endless tangents.

"Superman" writers, said Krensky, went as far as developing "Superpets" to extend the comic's story line.

"This is just the latest installment of [a comic] pushing the envelope," said Krensky, who was once a fan of the "Buffy" television show. "It disappoints me if the only reason they do it is because they're looking for new wrinkles to just have something to write about."

Whedon says that's just not the case -- and that he wouldn't continue writing storyboards for "Buffy" if he didn't think it was truly advancing the story.

"I don't need to push the envelope. The reason I'm [still writing it] is that we love it and we couldn't stop telling these stories," Whedon said.

He said he's confident fans won't stray from the comic and will understand Buffy's desire to experiment.

"We have a glut of ideas, but that doesn't mean everyone is going to like them," Whedon said. "But eventually, if the comic doesn't feel like it's artistically valid or if it's not selling, then we'll stop making it."

Oregon Senator Gary George tells gays to Shut Up!

In Oregon, two lawmakers are planning a statewide ballot initiative to repeal the gay-rights law passed by the 2007 Legislature prohibiting discrimination in housing and employment based on sexual orientation.

Senator Gary George is one of the co-sponsor of this ballot initiative and was recently interviewed by Oregon's Gay Newspaper, Just Out. I was so blown away by the Senators statements in this interview that I had to share them.

Just Out: Why are you sponsoring this repeal initiative?

State senator Gary George: I’ve had people approach me for special rights for homosexuals and I don’t believe anyone should have special rights. I’ve had members of the gay community come in and ask and I’ll say I’m sorry I don’t give anyone special rights.


Just Out: What sort of special rights do you feel that the Oregon Equality Act offers?

George: First off, I thought that was a fabrication of definition, in the sense that you gave special rights, it picks out another group, a lifestyle group, and says hmm, you have all these protections. The main thing that bothered us with the whole bill was the fact that here we go again, adding one more class of people that need to have special rights.


Just Out: Can you give an example?

George: If I discriminate in favor of you it automatically requires I discriminate against someone else. I was hoping with your generation we can stop calling each other ‘asian-american,' or 'latino-american...' There’s one talk show host, and he has really severe hard feelings against affirmative action. Because of the race that he is, I believe he’s Italian, he was discriminated against because he’s not black. I have dear dear friends in the legislature who are black but sometimes I really get tired of hearing about their color.


Just Out: What if an employee is fired because of his/her sexual orientation or gender identity? Isn't the Oregon Equality Act in place to guard against such discrimination?

George: As an employer, I don’t wanna hear about it. This workplace is for work purposes. My advice to the gay community is SHUT UP, just don’t talk about it. If you walk around talking about what you do in the bedroom, you should be on the pervert channel.


Just Out: What is your reaction to the recent murders of out gay youth in Florida and California?

George: Obviously murder is murder, there’s no excuse for that. Here’s what I’m saying, I think we’re seeing a backlash, in other words if you push me too hard don’t be surprised if I react. Gays will tend to react violently if people are oppressive toward them. If gays are oppressive toward straights, then you’ll see a violent backlash. You’re going to have a point where these groups develop and say I’m tired of these special privileges.


Just Out: Are you suggesting that gays, by virtue of being out and open, are inciting these types of violent reactions?

George: You have to recognize for every action there’s a reaction…we’re obviously not gonna tolerate anyone who beats up any other person.

If you do feel like you’ve been discriminated against as a gay, you have hard feelings. I remember when I was heavy and wore glasses as a child and I was picked on. We all know the gay person that nobody notices – I think that is where we need to head. Everybody knows where the line is, so when I see I’m offending someone, I have to back away from that. We have to adjust our behavior so as to not be offensive. If you push anyone too hard, they will react.

My plea to the gay community would be, hey, mature. We have brilliant, brilliant people within the gay community.


Just Out: Who are some of those brilliant gay people?

George: [Senator George laughs] We know a bunch of them, they’re some of the brightest and wealthiest people in the country.

But wait, there's more...


In an audio recording of Oregon State Senator Gary George (R - McMinnville) February 21, 2008 gathering of the Constitution Party of Oregon has emerged online in which the state senator vigorously agrees with an audience member that, with the state's new anti-discrimination law for sexual minorities in place, Oregon may be headed in the ideological direction of Nazi Germany.

About six minutes into the nearly hour-long speech, state senator Gary George says this:

"Do they [the legislature] have the ability to write a bill dealing with special rights for homosexuals? To say that if I should stand at a pulpit and reach back here and grab a bible and tell you that homosexuality is an abomination to God, and if you're a homosexual you need to stop doing that, okay. You need to stop that.

If I were to do that, under this bill, and we had the right people in the room, I could be brought up on charges - sound a little bit like Canada? Sound a little bit like Europe?"

Then a voice from the crowd yells out "Nazi Germany! Sieg Heil!"

"Nazi Germany, yeah that's right. And so, what happens is, what happens was, is they were able to get passed, and right now there's an effort out there by Marylin Shannon and a bunch of us that are actually going to challenge that. We're gonna say 'No, I'm sorry, you cannot provide special rights, you know, for homosexuals...' with the ability to sue you, and with the requirement that your children and your grandchildren be taught affirmatively that homosexuality is a great idea.

So that's the kind of thing that we're battling down there."

Wanda Sykes on Gay Marriage

I found this clip on YOUTUBE this morning and thought everyone could use a good laugh.

Ellen DeGeneres Responds to Senator Kern

I am sure by now you have all heard about the leaked audio of a speech given by Oklahoma State Rep. Sally Kern to what she thought was a private group of Republicans...but did you actually hear the recording?



Well, Ellen DeGeneres heard it and in response, she decided to call Kern during a taping of her March 12th show. Kerns automated voice mail system indicated that her inbox was full. "I bet!" Ellen responds out loud, before deciding to leave a message for the legislator via television broadcast.

"Hi! It's Ellen DeGeneres," she opens. "The gay one." To hear the whole message, check out the clip below:

Drug & Alcohol Abuse in the Gay and Lesbian Community

Alcoholism is a fatal chronic illness affecting the lives of 20-30% of the homosexual population. Studies have found that 35% of lesbians had a history of excessive drinking, compared to only 5% of the heterosexual women. In addition, further studies have shown that 30% of lesbians and gay men are addicted to drugs, suggesting that the gay and lesbian community constitutes a high-risk population with regard to alcoholism and drug abuse.

Why is Addiction Such a Problem?
It is important not to assume that homosexuality causes drug or alcohol abuse. When gay men and lesbians internalize society's homophobic attitudes and beliefs, the results can be devastating. Society’s hatred becomes self-hatred. As a minority group, gay men and lesbians are victims of systemic and ongoing oppression. It can lead to feelings of alienation, despair, low self-esteem, self-destructive behavior and substance abuse. Some gay men and resort to substance abuse as a means to numb the feelings of being different, to relieve emotional pain or to reduce inhibitions about their sexual feelings.

Substance abuse often begins in early adolescence when youth first begin to struggle with their sexual orientation. When surrounded by messages telling you that you are wrong and sick for who you are, eventually you may begin to believe it. Having to hide your identity and deal with homophobic comments and attitudes — often made by unknowing family and friends — can have a profound effect on you. Lesbians and gay men are also 7 times more likely to be the victims of crimes than the average citizen. In response to this overwhelming oppression and homophobia, many lesbian, gays and bisexuals use and alcohol and drugs to cope.

There is also a lack of alternative alcohol-free places and occasions to
socialize within the gay and lesbian community. This only intensifies the implied connection between drinking and socializing in gay and lesbian social circles.

The first step toward getting help is recognizing that your substance abuse is a problem. This is rarely easy.

The following is a list of questions, though not inclusive, that you should ask yourself:

1. Do you feel irritated when other people comment on how much you drink/use drugs?


2. Do you ever think or use drugs when you are alone?


3. Have you had periods of time while you were drinking or using drugs that you could not remember later?


4. Have you ever had problems with friends, school or work, or arrested as a result of drinking or using drugs?


5. Have you ever wondered whether you have a drinking or drug problem?

The process of recovery allows you to heal by working through those
feelings you have pushed down with alcohol and/or drugs. It is often said that when you have a substance abuse problem, your emotional development stops when you start abuse.

When you medicate your feelings, you numb yourself from conflicts and reality. Once you decide to no longer abuse, those feelings and emotions will surface and may be overwhelming.

Alcohol abuse is a serious, chronic disease that gradually gets in the way of your daily life activities. It can tear apart relationships, deplete finances and seriously affect your physical and mental well being.

If you or someone you know is in need of help, The National Drug and Alcohol Treatment Referral Routing Service provides a toll-free telephone number, 1-800-662-HELP (4357), offering various resources and information.

Psychoanalysts' Organization Backs Same-Sex Marriage

NEW YORK, March 12 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ --
The American Psychoanalytic Association (APsaA) has issued a position statement supporting the legal recognition of same-sex civil marriage while opposing discrimination against same-sex couples. In recognition that gay and lesbian couples are raising children and possess the same potential and desire for life-long relationships as their heterosexual counterparts, the APsaA seeks to assist in ending the government-sanctioned discrimination against homosexual couples that denies them over 1,000 federal rights and benefits. For full text of the APsaA Marriage Resolution, please visit:

We want people to think about the broad impact the denial of same-sex marriage has on Americans today, says Ethan Grumbach, Ph.D., chair of APsaA's Committee on Gay and Lesbian Issues. Families exist in many different ways and it is important for same-sex couples to have legal and societal recognition of their unions for themselves, their children, and their extended families.

APsaAs Committee on Gay and Lesbian Issues reviewed extensive research on homosexual relationships and gay and lesbian parents and their children prior to issuing this statement in January 2008. Some relevant statistics and research results are:

-- The Kaiser Family Foundation Survey of 2001 found that 68 percent of lesbians and gays considered lesbian and gay marriage to be very important and 25 percent considered it to be somewhat important.

-- According to the 2000 U.S. Census, 34 percent of cohabitating female couples and 22 percent of male couples were raising children under the age of 18.

-- In a 2006 paper, Charlotte Patterson concluded, Results of the research (of various population samples of lesbian and gay families) suggest that qualities of family relationships are more tightly linked with child (development) outcomes than is parental sexual orientation.

Gay and lesbian couples are being denied the right to marry in this country on the basis of false scientific testimony, says Gary Grossman, Ph.D., member and former chair of APsaAs Committee on Gay and Lesbian Issues. As experts on emotional experience, the membership of the American Psychoanalytic Association has an obligation to clarify its position that same-sex marriage offers substantial mental health benefits for the nations gays and lesbians and their loved ones, and the denial of marriage has psychologically detrimental consequences.

In addition, APsaAs Committee on Gay and Lesbian Issues is currently developing a proposed position statement on the United States military policy of Dont Ask, Dont Tell.

The American Psychoanalytic Association is a professional organization of psychoanalysts throughout the United States and is comprised of approximately 3,500 members. Visit http://www.apsa.org for more information.

SOURCE American Psychoanalytic Association