January is cervical health awareness month, and NCTE wants to
remind everyone that cervical health is a critical issue for
trans men and genderqueer/gender nonconforming folks. Anyone
with a cervix can contract cervical cancer, so this means that
lots of trans men and genderqueer/gender nonconforming people
are at risk. But because trans people face widespread
discrimination from health care providers and insurance plans,
they often avoid seeking or cannot access preventive care.
According to the National Transgender Discrimination Survey,
nearly half (48%) of trans men reported postponing or avoiding
preventive care out to fear of discrimination and disrespect.
One in five trans men also reported being refused health care
because of their gender identity. Cervical cancer is preventable
through regular screening and treatment where necessary, which
means that trans men who aren’t getting preventive care are
likely at greater risk of developing the disease. Trans men and
genderqueer/gender nonconforming people