This is a
PUBLIC CERVIX ANNOUNCEMENT!
During Women’s Health Week we started a new joint campaign (Meridian and Women’s Centre for Health Matters) promoting the need for cervical screening to everyone with a cervix. It is National Cervical Cancer Awareness Week and we would like to share the campaign again! We cannot highlight enough that
EVERYONE with a cervix between the ages of 25 and 74, regardless of their gender or who they have sex, needs to have cervical screening to reduce their risk of cervical cancer!
This campaign aims to educate and encourage cervical screening amongst everyone who has a cervix regardless of gender or sexuality. This campaign is specific to people who are often missed in cervical screening programs and campaigns such as lesbian, bisexual and queer women, trans men, non-binary and gender queer people with a cervix.
Under screening in LGBTIQ people, can be a result of not knowing that they need to be screened, feelings of embarrassment or shame, or worry about homophobia or transphobia.
It is important that health professionals promote cervical screening to those who require it in a non-judgmental and sensitive way. Health professionals need to recognise that many LGBTIQ people have past experiences of discrimination and homophobia which can directly impact their engagement with health services.
Thorne Harbour Health and Cancer Council of Victoria developed this campaign due to similar research in Victoria, and have allowed us to use their material.
