A toast to bisexual health
I've been to several doctors in Chicago for sexual health-related purposes, one of which was at
Chicago Women's Health Center. I feel I should preface this story with the fact that I love and support CWHC and encourage women to go there. But, I had a rather interesting experience a few years back. I went because they have sliding-scale fees and didn't balk at my ghetto AmeriCorps insurance card, which I had to cut out myself. When I handed it to the pharmacist at Dominicks, she said, "I..I don't know what to do with this." But anyway. The woman at the Health Center walked me through the usual questions about my medical, emotional and sexual history while I sat completely topless (They have a 'no gown' policy) and tried to feign nonchalance.
"Are you sexually active?" she asked.
I said yes tentatively, because I was only sleeping with one woman at the time and did not want to argue my way out of a pap smear/pregnancy test, when she said, "with men, women or both?" Or both? Or both! Never have I had a doctor even pretend that bisexuality, let alone full-on lesbianism, existed in the sexual realm. It made me oh so happy. The bad part was that, after documenting my life story, she looked me over in about 2 seconds, said she couldn't help me, and sent a bill to my insurance company. Then she said she wasn't really a doctor. I put my shirt back on. Before she left the room, she asked me if I needed help with my orgasms. "No, just the eczema," I said, "but thank you."
This is my roundabout way of introducing the
2009 Bisexual Health
Summit that kicks off
tomorrow, August 13th from 6:30-9:30pm at MiniBar (3341 N. Halsted Street). After you
toast to your health and spread visi-BI-lity, stick around for the rest
of the
LGBTI Health Summit,
which runs from August 14th through the 18th.
I can personally attest that bisexual health is often dismissed or
misunderstood by many health practitioners, which is why it's so cool
that this all-day conference exists, and that it will focus on the
critical issues and most up to date research on bisexual health.
Topics include:
• Clinical care - who serves the bisexual community and how is it best served?
• Community initiatives - what are the latest strategies?
• Research - what have we learned and what do we still need to explore?
• Education and training - what models are being used and are they working?
• Publications - learn the latest about resources on this topic
• Advocacy and policy work - what next steps should the movement for bisexual health take?
If you can't attend the conference, then come to the kick-off party. If
you can't come to the party, then consider
buying a bi shirt to support
the cause. See you
on the fence!
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