“I know I personally was so scared about going to the doctor because I was scared of being misgendered and invalidated. I was afraid of being put into dysphoria-inducing situations. And I was especially afraid of outing myself and being treated improperly by transphobic providers. This led to many instances in which I denied myself care. For so many of us who identify with a different gender than what we were assigned at birth, this nervousness can lead us to missing out on life-saving care. We cannot let that happen. I am actually right now at the age and experience of someone who should be getting their first Pap test. It is vital that for the health of everyone with a cervix that the Pap test should be a part of their routine wellness screening. We need to make our care a priority. I believe it is important for everyone to have access to the Pap test because it can genuinely save lives. It has been critical to early detection of cervical cancer for decades, which has in turn lowered the rate at which it kills.”
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The Importance of the PAP Test for Anyone with a Cervix
Chandler knows how nerve-wracking and triggering doctors appointments and health screenings can be for trans individuals. However, the PAP test can potentially save your life by detecting cervical cancer in its earliest stages which is why it is critical to the safety of any individual with a cervix.