Right im gonna be fairly bluntly honest here - which is rare for me! I started getting the delightful sexual health check letters when i was around 18 and have ignored them ever since (im now 29!), looking back ive used a whole varitey of excuses (eww its a smear, oh god what if they find something etc etc) but i think looking back i was avoiding them as another reason to hate myself, it made me feel filthy (some of my exs were cheating on me) which to me justified my hatred. Its weird the stuff you do to cling onto the negativity. So having been re-analysing myself and my sexuality has brought me into a delightfully brighter way of thinking, that i don't need to feel ashamed of myself anymore, i don't need to look for reasons to hate myself, theres nothing wrong with me. So i bit the bullet last week, got off my butt and went to my local sexual health clinic. No more sitting around avoiding things for me, no siree! My results came back just 5 minutes ago and im clean! I almost did a dance around the room. I made this post for two reasons, one in case anyone out there is feeling the same. Two is because i have a question: Does anyone know if/what STIs lesbians should be aware of? If so what measures should be taken to avoid such things? Ive seen STI threads for guys but not any for just women. I need to know, because i am not gonna fall back into that lil negative circle!
I think there is a place on EC to look up information like that. But congrats on getting out of that neggativity! I'm glad you are happy with yourself now. ---------- Post added 4th Jul 2012 at 01:27 PM ---------- Empty Closets - STDs If you go to resources, here on EC, you can find the information you need. Congrats on getting out of that neggativity and learning to be happy with, and accepting of yourself! That's a great place to be ---------- Post added 4th Jul 2012 at 01:31 PM ---------- Empty Closets - STDs If you go to resources, on EC, you can find all the information you are looking for. Congrats on your results. Congrats on getting out of that neggativity as well! :icon_bigg:eusa_clap I'm glad that you are happy with yourself now. Self-love is really important, and acceptance is the first biggest step, so you are in a great place! I'm sorry about your EXs. That really sucks. I wish they had been loyal to you. You deserve better than that. A lot better. Good luck with everything! ---------- Post added 4th Jul 2012 at 01:32 PM ---------- Sorry about posting the last thing 2x. I thought it wasn't posting...
Mej7 pretty much sumed it up there. Realistically you should be on the lookout for any disease a guy might, because most bacterial or viral infections do not discriminate on gender. A few can be more severe or noticable in one gender, but pretty much anyone can be symptomatic or be a carrier, which in my opinion is the same as actually having it, or slightly worse, since you might infect many more others because you/they couldn't see/didn't know, themselves. I am happy you turned your darkness into light. I hope you continue on this path, although the choice is fully yours. Love.
lesbians can get the same stis as anyone else, its a myth they cant get them.... who invented that rumor anyway lol :s glad you got out of the negativity dams and any other protection you feel like you might need (i say might need as everyone is different... if you catch my drift) to use then use it, never share anything with anyone without protection either..... trying to keep this as vague as possible.... but i think you get what i mean and im pretty sure you knew this anyway seen as youre way older than me but still
Dams? Heh and no i dont really know, which is why im asking Older doesnt always mean wiser, hell i only realised i wasnt straight a couple of months back lol :lol:
It's probably pretty common for lesbians to avoid sexual health clinics or GYNs. I'm glad you're no longer ashamed of yourself and you got checked. Congrats on your results!! It's hard to go to a doctor where they'll ask you questions that you don't want to answer but you made a good step. Lesbians are susceptible to STDs just like anyone else so it's important for us to get checked. The rates are lower among lesbians for HIV but still we need to go to health clinics. We still have rates of STDs but I'm not sure what they are. It is very important for lesbians to get checked and take care of ourselves even if there isn't a chance we'll be pregnant. We should be checked for cervical cancer, STDs, and the works just like anyone else for safety and health reasons. Here's an article on EC specifically about sex between women and how to be safe. Empty Closets - Lesbian Sex ---------- Post added 5th Jul 2012 at 03:43 PM ---------- I'm really not that aware of how to have safe lesbian sex other than dams but I don't know much about them lol. Dental dams can be used during oral sex.
idk if its classed as safe sex, or well it probably would help someone im sure. erm... again trying to keep it... vague, but depending on how long your nails are erm, certain things are harder to do with long nails.... so a condom or glove and a cotton wool ball in the end of the finger it then put it over your finger ... should... help... that wasnt vague at all D: apparently you should refrain or be careful if you have a cut on your finger if you do that to a girl aswell apparently.... (someone told me, dunno if they were pulling my leg though) something to do with infection or something. idk if its std related though, so again if that happens above ^ would come in handy. and yeah a dam (for oral) is a plastic sheet thing that you put over her..., but you can cut a condom longways and flatten it out and use that instead as they are easier to get hold of. oh god i could go on and on and on..... but i feel wrong to haha :|
@Midwestgirl - thank you very much for the link I must admit i quite openly told the nurse who administered the test that id had a realisation about my sexuality, she just chuckled. Think id quite happily tell anyone at the mo lol. @flyinhernikes - Dont feel wrong to talk about it. Hah i mean i know the safe sex stuff for guys, but when it comes to women im so far gone beyond clueless its rather silly! More info is all good and appreciated, i don't want to get myself in that negative circle again! I must admit when you said dam in the first post i went 'eh?' and just typed dam into google, i got a lot of pics of world famous dams! Made me chuckle, was tempted to try and make a joke about the hoover dam but couldn't think up anything good
