BY JACQUETTA BROOKS, MSW, LGSW
Tagg Magazine
We’ve all been there; that awkward moment at the doctor’s office when the white lab coat asks, “Are you sexually active?” For some of us it’s a resounding “Yes.” For others, it’s a string of umms and uhs.
Some might assume their provider is only concerned about heterosexual relationships. This is not the case. As women who partner with women, we may or may not also have male sexual partners at some time in our lives. When doctors ask questions about sexual activity they are mainly concerned about your risk of sexually transmitted infections and other related health issues, such as genital herpes, yeast, bacterial vaginosis, or human papillomavirus (HPV), which if left untreated can lead to certain types of cervical cancer.
Contrary to common misconceptions, women who have sex with women are considered sexually active and they are also at risk for STIs – transmitting STIs to each other through skin-to-skin contact, contact with moist tissues (mucosa) such as in oral sex, vaginal fluids and (a big no-no) sharing sex toys. BYOT ladies, please.
Read more at TaggMagazine.com
Tagg Magazine is a print and online resource for LBT women in the DC Metropolitan and Rehoboth, DE areas.
