Brody's Notes... Are You Ready For Your Screen Test?

Put Your Cervix in the Spotlight!

By Joanne Dunning (Manchester, England) APR 7 | Many lesbian and bisexual (LB) women don't realise that they need a cervical screening test.

The Lesbian & Gay Foundation's Are You Ready for Your Screen Test? campaign, aims to dispel the myths around lesbian and bisexual women and cervical screening, and raise awareness that lesbian and bisexual women do need regular cervical screening tests.

All women between the ages of 25 and 64 who have a cervix - including lesbian and bisexual women - need to go for regular cervical screening. The Human Papilloma Virus (HPV), which causes cervical cancer, can be passed on during sex. This includes sexual activity between two women.

The charity's latest awareness raiser - following a successful viral video campaign - is the Put Your Cervix in the Spotlight game. See how many women you can find, and dig up some interesting facts about LB women and cervical screening along the way.

To play the game click here: http://www.lgf.org.uk/screeninggame/

Annie Emery, Programmes Manager at The Lesbian & Gay Foundation says: 

“Over the years, some lesbian and bisexual women accessing screening have experienced homophobia, assumptions that they are heterosexual, inappropriate treatment and, most damaging of all, misinformation about their health when it comes to cervical screening.”

“Therefore it is crucial that LB women know that they do need cervical screening, and that they have the confidence to access services and get the kind of test that works for them.

“We need to get this message out by every means necessary, and the game is a great way of highlighting a very important issue, but in a very engaging way.”

Making an appointment for a cervical screening test takes hardly any time at all, and the test itself takes just a few minutes - not long for something that could save your life.

Ring or visit your GP to book a cervical screening, or to check when your next one is due. For more information on cervical screening contact The LGF on 0845 3 30 30 30, or visit www.lgf.org.uk/screening