October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month!

  There is just something extra special about this time of year... the air is cool & crisp, leaves are turning beautiful colors, the delightful aroma of pumkin spice coffee and hot apple cider are wafting from Equal Grounds... this cozy, cuddly, touchy-feely season is the perfect time to celebrate the health of our breasts (and chests!) & to remind ourselves and our loved ones to take the best possible care of our whole bodies as we can.

  Breast cancer is an issue that everyone should be aware of. It's the most common cancer in women in the United States, next to skin cancer, and it's the second leading cause of cancer death in women in the United States, next to lung cancer. Statistics show that one in EIGHT women will develop breast cancer during their lifetime. That's an alarming number.

  This statistic is even more significant, arguably, for lesbian, bisexual and queer women, as well as transmen, who may be at greater risk. This is not because our communities inherently have any kind of predisposition for breast cancer, but instead because folks in these communities often share a number of significant risk factors for developing breast cancer, that may put them at higher risk.

  For example, statistics show that queer people drink alcohol in problematic amounts and smoke tobacco at much higher rates than their straight peers. And smoking and drinking increase a person's risk for developing breast cancer, as well as many other kinds of cancer.

  Lesbian, bisexual and queer women, as well as transmen and transmasculine individuals, may be less likely to have children (or will not have children) before the age of 30 or at all, (and therefore will not typically be breastfeeding, either) and the absence of both of these has shown to increase the risk for breast cancer in female-bodied people as well.

  Another significant piece of the puzzle is that many queer and trans folks do not receive regular, adequate routine care or preventive screenings for a variety of reasons: many are under- or uninsured, many avoid care settings because of bad experiences with homophobic &/or transphobic providers, and in other cases, if people don't perceive that they are at risk for certain conditions or cancers, they aren't getting screenings that might be necessary for them.

  The bottom line is, if you have the parts - you need to be screened. This is particularly important for transmen and transmasculine folks. If insurance or access to healthcare are an issue, there are resources that can help you get the care you need at no or low cost. If finding an affirming provider has been a challenge for you, please refer to our Resource Directory, or contact us.

  There are ways to decrease our risk, even if some risk factors seem to be out of our control. Some of the best protection against breast cancer comes from being informed and keeping up on important preventive screenings... it's still true that early detection is the best protection.

  Performing breast self-exams on our own bodies is an important part of an effective prevention plan - it helps us determine what our bodies feel and look like normally, so that if significant changes do occur, we are more likely to notice. A good place to do this is in the shower, and the timeframe typically recommended is right after your period... however, doing a quick self-exam as often as you remember is better than not doing it at all!

  Keeping up with the recommended routine exams for your age is really critical: getting mammograms at the appropriate times and intervals, and getting clinical breast exams at your annual exam are important. Determine with your healthcare provider what your risks are. Look into your family health history. Of course, doing things typically associated with good health can help to lower your risk for breast cancer, other cancers and lots of other health issues as well, like eating well, sleeping well, staying hydrated, reducing stress, not smoking or drinking heavily, etc. And many of these are aspects of our health that we can control, so they are good places to start.

  As individuals, and as a part of the larger communities we belong to, we have to take care of ourselves... and each other. Be proactive. Be an advocate for your own health, and encourage those you care about to do the same.

  This month (and every month) remind your wives, partners, sisters, mothers, aunts, daughters and friends... that we are largely responsible for our own health and well-being.

  And loving our bodies, and ourselves, and each other's bodies, and each other... is an act of resilience, solidarity and good health.