#Pap Smears

[justinspoliticalcorner]

Tom Wray at Illinois Eagle:

SPRINGFIELD – HB2350, which requires insurance companies to cover transgender healthcare, went into effect on Jan. 1.  The bill amended the Accident and Health Article of the Illinois Insurance Code to require companies to cover pap smears and prostrate screenings for all people and not limit it to gender. It was passed in 2023 and signed into law in June 2023 by Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker (D). 

It passed on a mostly party-line vote with the Democratic supermajority carrying it through. The bill had been very unpopular with the GOP, especially on the far-right. That seems to have raised its head as the law went into effect.  Illinois Review, a far-right online publication that has gotten retweeted by President-elect Donald Trump, has been criticizing Illinois House Minority Leader Toni McCombie (R-Savanna) for her vote two years ago. She was one of just three Republicans to cross the aisle and vote for the bill. 

According to the Review, McCombie has claimed her vote was just about cancer screening and prevention, which it is. The bill expanded access to cancer screening for all people. The Review also accurately reported that the bill expanded coverage for trans and non-binary people. They also reported that expansion was why the vast majority of the Illinois House Republicans voted against it. 

#HB2350, a law that requires insurance companies to cover gender-affirming care in Illinois, has now taken effect as of January 1st.

Far-right outrage peddlers such as the Illinois Review, Awake Illinois, and Darren Bailey responded to this news with unhinged anti-trans hate. #Twill

See Also:

Capitol Fax: Bill to rein in health insurance companies falsely mocked by far right

[sunshineandlyrics]

Every woman has a funny Pap smear story x

[kay-elle-cee]

Really can’t stress #8 enough!!! I had a really traumatizing Pap smear (like…bleeding and cramping and just…the doctor was apparently newly licensed and not comfortable performing it and it showed). When I found my new gyno I explained what happened and EVERY YEAR (I get them every year since my insurance pays for it), she’s overly communicative, talks to distract me, and regularly asks how it was. She’s an angel and even though I hate them, having a doctor meet you where you are is SO important.

Attn: People With Cervixes!

When was your last Pap smear?

Because I am tired of seeing young people (think 40 year olds!) die horribly of an almost completely preventable disease, and I haven't seen the obligatory Tumblr PSA about it, so I'm making my own.

1. CERVICAL CANCER IS REALLY BAD

Cancers that have a good prognosis are usually cancers that can be caught early--like skin cancer, which is easily seen, and therefore usually treated very early. Cervical cancer does not give you symptoms until you have very advanced disease, which means unless someone is regularly testing your cervix, you will likely not be diagnosed early. More than half of people diagnosed with cervical cancer present with advanced disease. 75% of them will be dead within 5 years. For comparison, when caught in the earliest stage, there is a 90% 5 year survival rate. Treatment for those diagnosed is chemo and radiation, and believe me, those are not fun. If you do happen to be in the lucky 25% of survivors, if your cancer comes back, you have an 85% chance of dying within a year. Also! We think of cancer as something that happens to old people, but the average age of diagnosis for cervical cancer is 50.

2. WHO GETS CERVICAL CANCER?

Cervical cancer used to be the most common cause of cancer-related death in women in America, but at this point it's basically a disease of People Without Pap Smears--developing countries, immigrants, low socioeconomic status, BIPOC, rural communities, LGBTQ, etc.

3. HOW DO PAP SMEARS SAVE YOUR LIFE?

A Pap smear is a screening test for two things: HPV, and your cervical cells. HPV is the most common sexually transmitted disease in the world. Literally half of the people in America have some strain of HPV on their body. Most HPV infections go away on their own (in people with healthy immune systems), but some strains are Very Bad, and some people are just Very Unlucky, and the HPV starts causing your cervical cells to turn cancerous. 91% of all cervical cancers are caused by HPV. So a Pap smear looks to see if your have HPV, and if so, is it one of the bad ones? And also, do you have any cancerous cells hanging about in your cervix? And! It takes 10-30 years for HPV to turn those cells into cancer, which means you have a really really long time to catch it before it becomes cancer and cut those pre-cancer cells out!

4. WHAT ABOUT THAT VACCINE?

The thing my dad said I shouldn't get because it might make me a slut. Yes! There is an HPV vaccine! You should get it! It protects you against the nine most common cancer-causing types of HPV. It's recommended starting at age 11, and you can get it up to age 45 now! (It used to be 26, but as of 2020, it's now extended.)You can get it from most primary care doctors, or from Planned Parenthood, CVS, Walgreens, etc. If you get the vaccine you still need Pap smears.

5. I HEARD YOU CAN ONLY GET THE VACCINE IF YOU'RE A VIRGIN

Fake news. While the vaccine does not treat old infections of HPV, it does prevent new ones, so while the benefits are theoretically decreased in those who have already been sexually active, it does not mean you will not benefit from having it!

6. WHO GETS PAP SMEARS?

Everyone with a cervix starting at age 21, until you lose your cervix or until you're 65. You should get them every 3-5 years (depending on your exact age and what test your doctor does).

7. BUT I GOT THE VACCINE

Nice! You still need Pap smears.

8. I HAD ONE AND IT WAS HORRIBLE/I'M SCARED OF THE EXAM

Talk to your doctor about this in advance! Good gynecologists (and other providers) will work with you to minimize discomfort as much as possible. They can use a small speculum and lots of gel, prescribe anti-anxiety medications to take in advance, and some people will even use numbing creams and/or laughing gas.

9. BUT I DON'T HAVE/CAN'T SEE A GYN

Most primary care physicians can do them! So do a lot of urgent care centers!

10. BUT I'M A LESBIAN

HPV can be transmitted through oral/genital contact, hand/genital, and even hand-to-hand-then-genital, so you still need Pap smears.

11. BUT I'M A VIRGIN/ASEXUAL

You still need Pap smears. HPV can be transmitted not just through penetrative sex, but also through oral/genital, hand/genital, and hand-to-hand-then-genital, and also 9% of cervical cancers are not caused by HPV.

12. BUT I'M A TRANSGENDER MAN

If your cervix was removed, then congrats! You do not need Pap smears. Otherwise, unfortunately, you are still at risk for cervical cancer and need to be screened.

13. BUT I'M A TRANSGENDER WOMAN

Neovaginas do not need Pap smears! Congrats! Consider getting the vaccine, though, to prevent spreading HPV to others.

14. BUT I'M A CIS-GENDERED MAN

Congrats! You do not need Pap smears! You should still consider the vaccine though, not only to prevent the spread of HPV to others, but also because HPV causes 50% of all penile cancers as well.

In summary: please please please go get your pap smear. Go get vaccinated. The spread of HPV can be prevented, and cervical cancer can be caught and treated before it even becomes cancer.

DON'T FEAR THE SMEAR

[garnishwithnightshade]

[warning: tmi but also no cursing and not explicit at all]

read below the cut for things i said during my first pap smear (happened very recently):

"Woah" [said at least once, not sure exact number]

"Christ have mercy that hurts"

[hissing/shushing noises]

"Stop" [said at least once, not sure exact number]

[to technician, through tears] "Could you hold my hand?" [she did]

so. yeah. not painless for me. but it took less than a minute! and i recovered extremely quickly! :D

honestly it was a little comedic how quickly i recovered. anyway. it's over now 🥳

[see my tags]

[discoverybody]

From Pap Smears to Periods: The Gynecologist Visit

Regular visits to a gynecologist are an essential component of an individual's reproductive health care, which is why many women place a high importance on maintaining their reproductive health. In this piece, we will attempt to dispel some of the myths surrounding trips to gynecologists, as well as provide some insights into the role that they play. In addition to providing surgeries, diagnoses, and treatments for a variety of

gynecological diseases, a gynecologist is a physician who specializes in the reproductive health of women.

It is also possible to obtain information regarding menopause, fertility, and contraception from them. There is a significant distinction between a gynecologist and an OB/GYN, with the latter also specializing in obstetrics. It is essential to become aware of this distinction. When it comes to selecting a healthcare expert, specific demands should be taken into consideration. In the course of a visit to the gynecologist, you may anticipate a confidential discussion regarding your medical history, which will be followed by a physical examination that may involve breast and pelvic examinations.

One of the most widespread misunderstandings regarding gynecologist examinations is the notion that they are only required for persons who are experiencing symptoms or who are expecting a child. In actuality, routine exams are essential for the purpose of providing preventative care and identifying gynecological diseases at an earlier stage. Despite the fact that gynecologists place a high priority on patient comfort and take a caring approach, there is a common misconception that examinations are always challenging or painful.

In order to improve the experience as a whole, it is essential to be truthful about any issues or discomforts that may arise. The maintenance of reproductive health, the identification of risk factors, the monitoring of changes over time, and the timely administration of medication are all essential reasons to visit a gynecologist on a regular basis.

As a woman, I have always placed a high focus on taking care of my reproductive health with the utmost importance. Go-to appointments with a gynecologist on a frequent basis are an essential component of this care. On the other hand, I am aware that the idea of going to a gynecologist might be intimidating and strange for a great number of women. The purpose of this essay is to dispel some of the more frequent myths about going to the gynecologist, provide some insights into what to anticipate, and demystify the experience. My goal is to enable women to take responsibility for their own gynecological health by providing them with an awareness of the function of a gynecologist and the significance of maintaining frequent appointments

[reasonsforhope]

"The Food and Drug administration has approved the U.S.'s first at-home alternative to the Pap smear, a procedure generations of women [and nonbinary and trans people with uteruses] have dreaded and often found painful.

The new device by Teal Health will offer a "much preferred experience," the company said in its announcement, and also aims to increase screening rates by making the procedure more convenient.

Traditionally, gynecologists have inserted a cold metal speculum deep into a woman's vagina to scrape cells from the cervix.

The Teal Wand — "built with empathy," the company said — uses a swab to collect a vaginal sample. Women will then mail the sample to a lab that will screen for HPV (human papillomavirus), the virus that causes nearly all cervical cancers. A growing body of research has found HPV testing to be highly accurate.

The FDA approval Friday [May 9, 2025] follows a U.S.-based study that found at-home screening was just as effective as that done in a doctor's office. The study also found women overwhelmingly preferred self–screening at home, and said they'd be more likely to stay up to date with cervical cancer screenings that way.

Every year, about 13,000 cases of cervical cancer are diagnosed, and more than 4,000 women die from the disease. Rates are down dramatically since Dr. Georgios Papanicolaou published a 1943 paper on how to use the Pap smear for screening, and it then became common.

But about a quarter of women in the U.S. are behind on such screenings, and medical experts say reducing that is key to the ultimate goal of eliminating cervical cancer. There's also a racial gap, with Black and Native American women far more likely to die from cervical cancer than white women. The HPV vaccine for teen and preteen girls, introduced in 2007, has also led to a global push to tackle the disease that way.

At-home cervical cancer screenings are already available in several other countries, including Australia and Sweden.

Teal Health says its self-testing device will be available starting next month [June 2025], in California first and then expanding. It will be by prescription, through a telehealth service, for women 25-65 years old who are "at average risk." The company says it's working with insurance companies to provide coverage."

-via NPR, May 10, 2025

[shouyuus]

here's a thought:

bartender!vi x flower shop!reader

where bartender!vi is always closing shop when you're setting up right across the street from the last drop and she always sees you, pushing open your old fashioned french windows, an apron gathered around your waist as you set up the outdoor arrangements.

one of these days, she thinks she'll go over to ask for a flower (or your number), or just to buy you a drink. one of these days, she's gonna gather up the courage to do it. but today... she thinks she'll just content herself with watching (yet again), with wondering what your name might be, dreaming about if you'd smell like flowers, if your smile would look just as beautiful.

she doesn't know that every evening, when you're closing shop and the last drop is turning on it's lights and she's busy helping vander carry in the stock for the night, you're watching her through those vast french windows, wondering if her laughter is just as intoxicating as a shot of whiskey, if her eyes might be bourbon-bright beneath the haze of a busy bar.

one of these days, you think, you'll go over there and... say hi. ask for her to make you her favorite drink (or just her number). one of these days. but --

not today.

[certifiedsexed]

WAIT THEY SCRAPE GENTLY?? IVE BEEN AVPIDING GETTING A PAP SMEAR BECAUSE EVERYTHING IVE HEARD FROM FAMILY WAS THEM TAKING A GIANT ASS CHUNK OUT OF UR UTERUS WITH A METAL CHOMPY LOOKIN THING AND IT HURT THEM LIKE HELL WHEN DID THIS CHANGE

Well, they're supposed to.

Sometimes doctors mess up, sometimes people have very sensitive cervixes and sometimes, pain is either a sign the doctor has fucked up or there's something else going on [like a vaginal infection].

But they're not taking a chunk of your uterus or cervix, they're just trying to get a tiny collection of cells.

What they use to get those cells can vary-some use a type of spatula, some use a cytobrush [which is a special plastic tool designed for pap smears], it depends on the doctor.

I think the metal thing you're referring to is actually a speculum, which is a tool only used to hold the vagina open during pap smears. It's not used otherwise during the pap smear. They're often using plastic ones now but if they're not, you can request them.

If you're worried about pain, though, you can take pain reliever beforehand and ask them to use a small speculum to make it a little more comfortable since you've not had one before.

You can even ask them to tell you before they do anything and to narrate as they go along, so you know what they're doing and what to expect the whole time.

And if it hurts like hell, tell them to fucking stop. It doesn't matter what they're doing, it's your body and you have the right to say "stop" whenever you want.

[so-i-did-this-thing]

Hi, so I'm not really sure how to ask this idk, it feels very personal and maybe tmi, and I guess it depends on one's level of bottom dysphoria, but basically, do you (or anyone else who wants to share) have any advice or anything with how to cope with having to go through a physical exam for bottom stuff/ a pap smear for the first time?

I'm asking this as someone who has and always has had severe bottom dysphoria to the point that I've never done anything with those parts and literally never even touched myself. I've just lived painfully aware that I have that stuff but simultaneously pretending as much as possible that I don't. So just the thought of "having to" get that done, being touched there by someone etc, makes me sick and gives me anxiety and I just full on do not want to do that. Ever. But apparently I have to if I'm ever gonna get a hysto, which I really really want.

So now I just feel like it's lose/lose. Either I have to let someone touch me in a way that just thinking about me makes me sick, or I can never get a part of transition that I've been wanting forever since I was kid and learned about my anatomy.

And I just.. mentally, emotionally, physically in every way just really don't know how to deal with that.

I guess it's not that big of a deal for people who don't have bottom dysphoria or not that much of it, and honestly sometimes I feel kinda alone (and almost guilty? Like it's wrong somehow?) in how extremely uncomfortable I am with bottom stuff compared to how I've seen other people be chill with it, but yeah.. idk what to do or how to cope with this.

Don't feel bad about feeling bad -- I may like my dick, but that hole gives me panic attacks and I'm not looking forward to my own exam coming up soon. I worry every time that I am going to kick someone in the face by accident. :/

A pelvic exam/pap is not required to begin HRT, but you will need one for most hystos. Plus, it's just good preventative care. Also, if you are young enough, get your HPV vaccine (a 2 shot series, iirc) to help prevent cervical cancer.

Things that have helped me during gyn exams:

Take the entire day off, if you can. Have a treat set up for after your appointment.

Go with a friend, if possible. They may not be able to be with you in the exam room, but they can at least drive you and wait for you.

Be firm that this is hard for you and anything they can do to make it easier will be helpful.

Put your shirt back on after the breast exam. I don't take "no" for an answer here. Having an extra bit of clothing on makes me feel better.

Ask for the "pediatric" speculum -- it's smaller and won't hurt as bad. Insist on it.

Have something you can grip to take your focus off below.

If they want to do a sonogram, refuse the transvaginal one. Do it the old fashioned way, which will require drinking a lot of water. They can deal.

Don't be embarrassed if your self-care afterwards requires crying, or similar. This is an exhausting thing to do, no matter how brave a face you put on in the exam room. I usually just crawl back into bed to sleep it off.

Above all, never take comments like "just man up" or whatever from the medical team. If that happens, be mean back, or simply get up, get dressed, and leave. Find someone else if you have to.

Scripts I have used. Workshop your own and practice them:

"This is my first time. I'm worried this will be a very uncomfortable exam physically and emotionally for me and I would appreciate anything you can do to make it easier. It helps me if you explain everything as we go."

"I do not have penetrative sex, so would like to try the smallest speculum lubed up best you can."

"I am going to put my shirt back on. It will help me be calmer for the rest of the exam."

If they are rude: "You are being unkind and I will walk out of here and find another provider if this attitude continues."

If they insist on a transvag sonogram: "I will only do an external sonogram. We can schedule it another day for me to prep, or give me time to drink the necessary water." (This is hard, btw -- it is enough water to make you vomit.)

Do whatever mental larping you need to do to get through it all. It's important to psych yourself up so you can control as much as possible. Remember, you can stop things whenever you want. If they are mean, all bets are off.

If you're like me, it will suck, but please try not to put it off. But getting through it means you can tackle anything else related to transition, should you go that route. Seriously, if you can do this, you are fucking golden. Take care. <3

(Additional stories/advice are welcome from folks, being trans masc not required!)

[shotmrmiller]

nahhh please tell me more about Simon fucking me nasty after one glance f the fluff

I’m ill too

half a glance cuz his eye's still swollen shut post fight. you'd been clucking at him like a hen because he's a grown man, pushing forty, what is he doing throwing hands like he's some street urchin but his cock's just getting stiffer and stiffer as your voice gets louder and words start to slur together cuz you're just so heated and he's looking at you like soap does the vintage playboy magazines

when will the guys ever take you seriously???

apparently now, when he says to put your chest flat on the table, hands tight around the edge. he even says please. (although it was so indiscernible it could've just been a figment of your imagination)

now you're getting fucked stupid in the back room of some run down bar with your jeans pooled around your crossed ankles, tips of your shoes scraping against the grimy tile floor with each thrust that makes your upper thighs hit the table painfully but the searing pain on your arse is worse when simon gives it a "love tap" with a calloused open palm because you let go of the table to bite your fist with blunt teeth to keep from caterwauling at the feel of him carving a space in your hole only he can and will ever fit in

(say goodbye to your boyfriend sweetheart you're his now. the cum that's stained a dark spot on your jeans says property of simon)

[borninrot]

he is my pookie bear

[reasonsforhope]

Article

"Every year, over 350,000 women die from cervical cancer and another 660,000 are diagnosed. [Note: Plus trans men and other trans people with a cervix.] As a consequence, children are orphaned, families impoverished and communities diminished by the loss of mothers, wives, daughters and sisters. 

And yet, unlike most other cancers, almost all these cases and deaths can be averted. We have powerful vaccines that can prevent infection with the human papillomavirus (HPV) that causes cervical cancer; we have diagnostics to detect it early; and we have treatments for those it strikes. With these tools, cervical cancer can not only be stopped; it could become the first cancer to be eliminated. Some high-income countries are already close to elimination, meaning fewer than four cases per 100,000 women.

But in many low- and middle-income countries, these tools are still not available, which is why 94% of cervical cancer deaths occur in those countries. 

In 2018, WHO launched a global call to action to eliminate cervical cancer, which was followed in 2020 by the adoption by all 194 WHO Member States of a Global Strategy to Accelerate the Elimination of Cervical Cancer as a Public Health Problem. The strategy calls for countries to achieve three targets by 2030: 90% of girls fully immunised against HPV; 70% of women receiving timely screening; and 90% of those found with precancer or cancer accessing treatment.

These targets are not just aspirational, they are achievable, even in low- and middle-income countries.  Bhutan has already reached the targets, the first to do so in the South-East Asia region. 

Since introducing the HPV vaccine in 2011, Rwanda has reached vaccine coverage of 90%, and today announced its national goal to reach the 90-70-90 targets three years ahead of schedule, by 2027. Already, in two districts – Gicumbi and Karongi – Rwanda is meeting those goals. Nigeria, which introduced the HPV vaccine in October last year [2023], has already vaccinated 12.3 million girls.  

We have the tools and the opportunity to eliminate cervical cancer. 

Since WHO issued the global call to action in 2018, more than 60 countries have introduced the HPV vaccine into their immunisation programmes, bringing the total to 144 countries that are routinely protecting girls from cervical cancer in later life. With scientific advances, we can now prevent cervical cancer with just a single dose, which 60 countries are now doing.  

The largest provider of HPV vaccines to low- and middle-income countries is Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, which plans to vaccinate 120 million children between now and 2030. But this plan requires that investments in health are sustained. We are also counting on manufacturers to confirm and honour their commitments to provide HPV vaccines to low- and middle-income countries in the coming years, to avoid the supply constraints that held back progress in the past.

But we cannot rely on vaccines alone. The impact of the rapid scale-up in vaccinating girls now will not be seen for decades, when they reach the adult years when cervical cancer typically appears. To save lives now, we must match the increase  in vaccination with increases in screening and treatment. 

Decades ago, as more women gained access to pap smears in developed countries, the mortality associated with cervical cancer dropped rapidly. Today, even better tests are available. Over 60 countries now include high-performance HPV tests as part of their screening programs. Women can even collect their own samples for HPV testing, removing more barriers to life-saving services. In Australia – which is on track to become one of the first countries in the world to achieve elimination – more than a quarter of all screening tests are now done this way...

Several countries are also investigating the use of artificial intelligence to enhance the accuracy of screening in resource-limited settings. When women are found with precancerous lesions, many are now treated with portable battery-powered devices, which can be operated in remote locations."

-via The Telegraph, November 18, 2024. Article written by Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO).

[comatosebunny09]

But, a fic where Zayne is your gynecologist, and after he’s done dicking you down at your annual checkup, you go home to be dicked down by your situationship, Sylus.

[certifiedsexed]

what is a pap smear and what is it intended for?

(I did ask this question without anon on on accident... Les just ignore that pls sorry hehe 🙃)

Well, a pap smear is typically used as a test for cervical cancer! They scrap some cells from your cervix and test it for any abnormalities.

They have you lie on your back with your legs up and they use a speculum [which holds the vagina open]! Then they collect the cells [gently scraping them off] from your cervix!

For some people, this is slightly uncomfortable and for others, specifically people who experience painful vaginal penetration, it can be painful! It shouldn't be but it can be, especially if you have sexual trauma or things like vulvodynia or vaginismus.

Hope this helps! Lemme know if you have any other questions. <3

[running-in-the-dark]

I've got a doctors appointment tomorrow in the hospital and I'm super scared and nervous, so it feels like I've got a fever. Yay.

[fourforyouodo]

The dilemma of living on a starfleet ship