Each week HuffPost Gay Voices, in a partnership with bloggers Liz Margolies and Scout, brings you a round up of some of the biggest LGBT wellness stories from the past seven days. For more LGBT Wellness, visit our page dedicated to the topic here. The weekly LGBT Wellness Roundup can also now be experienced as a video -- check it out above.
1
Just A Little Prick
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The HPV vaccine, used to prevent HPV-related cancers, is not being utilized as much as public health professionals would like. LGBT health advocates in the UK are hoping to get the recommendations changed to include young gay and bisexual men in order to reduce rates of cancer.
2
Not So Minty Fresh
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Menthol flavoring, which can “mask the harshness” of cigarettes and has come under criticism for not being banned by the FDA like all other flavorings, is preferred by about ⅓ of smokers. In a first ever study, we find evidence that LGBT smokers also prefer menthol cigarettes more than others: LGBT smokers were found to smoke menthol flavored cigarettes a quarter more than others, while female LGBT smokers were found to smoke menthols 45% more than all current smokers.
3
What Did You Just Ask Me?
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The Williams Institute has released a report on the “Best Practices for Asking Questions to Identify Transgender and Other Gender Minority Respondents on Population-Based Surveys.” This report fills a critical gap so advocates have best questions to recommend for LGB and T inclusion in health surveys.
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4
Come Out Come Out Wherever You Are. Please!
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Kaiser Family Foundation came out with a new report showing over half of gay and bisexual men had never been advised to take an HIV test by their doctors, this could be because 47% of the men never came out to their providers. It just shows us how critical coming out can be for your health.
5
Bisexual Awareness
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This week, Bisexual Visibility Day, sought to increase knowledge and reduce stigma against bisexuals, who suffer high rates of violence and discrimination from both inside and outside the LGBT communities. Huffington Post reporter does a great job at looking at how bisexual research has perpetuated stigma and Charles Blow writes a compelling piece about the issue in New York Times.
6
Tending To Teens for Healthier Young Adults?
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One new study that LGBT young adults have higher risk of physical and mental health disparities, at the same time another study reports doctors don’t know how to communicate with LGBT teens. How much would increasing doctors abilities to talk to LGBT youth reduce health disparities?
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7
Queer Ethics
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In a special issue focused on LGBT health and bioethics, the Hastings Center Report contains essays on topics including reducing health disparities and improving research conduct with LGBT youth, “reparative” therapies, LGBT veterans and the VA, LGBT access to health care and LGBT elder health disparities, just to name a few!
8
Free PrEP?
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If all goes as one local politician hopes, San Francisco may become the first U.S. city to offer PrEP for free. In a city with high HIV transmission rates, this program seeks to remove the barrier of the high cost of PrEP which may prevent many from accessing the medication.
9
Oh, Daddy!
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A new article which reviews studies of gay men’s parenting issues, including surrogacy, adoption and a host of other topics, highlights both discrimination faced by gay fathers, as well as positive relationships of gay fathers and adopted children.
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