Health Resources

The Lesbian Health Book : Caring for Ourselves by Marissa C. Martinez (Editor), Jocelyn C. White (Editor)

Many women's health books include chapters for lesbians, but this is the only book dedicated in its entirety to lesbian healthcare. With its insight, breadth of knowledge and resource listings, The Lesbian Health Book is destined to become the health and wellness manual for lesbians and their healthcare providers.

"The Lesbian Health Book is a collection of personal stories by lesbians who seek health and face the challenges of illness. This book is a testimony to our belief that lesbians deserve competent, compassionate health care and that homophobia, which prevents access to that care, must be overcome. These stories not only record the challenges we must face, they also show us how to meet and surpass those challenges. In reading these stories, we learn the skills we need to cope with illness and the health care system."

"The stories are placed in a context of the history of the lesbian health movement and forecasts for its future and include personal perspectives on breast cancer, HIV, breast reduction and butch identity, sexuality and chronic illness, having children, menopause, aging, grief, depression, abuse, and lesbian health research. Contributors include young and old, lesbians of color, health care consumers and avoiders, researchers, providers, community health advocates and policy makers. We want readers to absorb these stories and then sit next to them at the doctor's office, lie with them on the exam table, struggle with them in their embarrassment and laugh with them as they discover humor in the midst of pain."

"This is an uplifting book, sure to enrich your search for health and wellness whether you are a lesbian or a health care provider seeking to better understand those you care for." -- The author, Jocelyn White, M.D. , January 9, 1998

Lesbian Health: Current Assessment and Directions for the Future

By Andrea L. Solarz, Editor, Committee on Lesbian Health Research Priorities, Neuroscience and Behavioral Health Program, Health Sciences Policy Program, Health Sciences Section, Institute of Medicine

Excerpt from the Preface:

Women's health is a relatively new focus of research study. Theories about human health in general have traditionally been developed from studies of men. In recent years, research has expanded to include an explicit focus on women's health, as well as the inclusion of women in gender-neutral studies to ensure that findings may be applied broadly and appropriately. During the past two decades the unique health needs of a subgroup of women lesbians have been identified for study. Until this time, avoidance and silence dominated both professional and societal attitudes toward lesbian health needs...

Lesbian Health Foundation

The mission of the Lesbian Health Foundation is to increase awareness and understanding of the special health needs of lesbian, bisexual, and transgendered women among policy makers, health care professionals, researchers, and the public.

Lesbian Health Guidelines

This is a PDF file describing guidelines for Lesbian Health from SOGC.  It is an educational and policy document for physicans.

Lesbian Health Resource Center  

The Lesbian Health Resource Center works to visibly and actively promote the health and well- being of the diverse community of lesbians and women who partner with women and improve our health care through education, advocacy, resources and referrals in the North Carolina Triangle area. 

Lesbian Safer Sex

This is from Safersex.org.  Are Lesbians At Risk for Contracting HIV from Each Other? Yes!! There have cases reported since the mid 1980's which indicate that women are transmitting HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus) to each other.

Download a Lesbian Safer Sex Guidelines cut-and-fold display to stand up on your nightstand!

The Mautner Project for Lesbians with Cancer

Founded in 1990, The Mautner Project is the only national organization dedicated to lesbians with cancer, their partners and caregivers.  Our mission is to provide: 

Pathfinder:  Lesbians and Health Care

Created by Jacqueline Leskovec at Dominican University

Excerpt:

The purpose of this pathfinder is to provide an annotated bibliography of paper and electronic resources for health professionals as well as lay persons on lesbian health care. The dictionary definition of "lesbian" is "female homosexual."  In terms of health care, this definition is inadequate. Sexual behavior and sexual orientation may not correlate and each may vary over time.  Some women who have sex with other women choose not to identify themselves as lesbian. Even self-identified lesbians may or may not have/had sexual intercourse with men or may have "survival sex," that is, exchange of sex for money or drugs. For purposes of this project, "[l]esbians are women whose primary emotional and sexual relationships are with other women." 

S.P.O.T.

This is a web site all about tampons and women's health.  Explore the site, read articles written by others, look at the alternatives and then make up your own mind. If you feel inspired, stop buying tampons from corporate giants and buy organically made products instead.  Alternative products are provided, plus an archive of articles and more.

Women Alive

Women Alive is a coalition of, by and for women living with HIV/AIDS. We understand the pain and fear, how easy it is to hide, how difficult it can be to come to terms with this disease and reach out. Women Alive is the means we have created to help us connect with each other, bring others like us out of isolation, exchange information about HIV treatments, and take charge of our lives, our care, and our destiny.