Health Ministry launches lesbian and bisexual awareness campaign
Secretary for Women's Policies of the Presidency. Eleonora Menicucci, Health Minister Arthur Chioro, and Secretary of Human Rights of the Presidency, Pepe Vargas, 
The Ministry of Health launched Wednesday (Sep. 2) a campaign to raise awareness about lesbian and bisexual women. The initiative is designed to instruct gynecologists and stop them from assuming all women are heterosexual or need medical care related to reproduction.
According to the ministry, challenges to be addressed include the misconception that lesbians have no risk of having breast or colon cancer. As part of the program, posters and brochures will be handed out in a bid to keep health professionals informed about the real needs of this population.
Health Minister Arthur Chioro mentioned the importance of discussing the topic in training programs aimed at both future professionals and those already working in the field. He says there is evidence that the assistance offered to lesbian women in the prevention and treatment of breast and colon cancer does not compare to that provided to other women. “We cannot tolerate any sort of exclusion,” Chioro declared.
In the view of nurse and activist Carmem Lúcia, lesbian women struggle under a cloak of invisibility.
“People think everyone's heterosexual. If you don't come out as a lesbian, or as someone occupying a different space, you have no rights, and get no specific care,” she said.
With the motto “Taking care of everyone's health. It's good for the health of lesbian and bisexual women. It's good for Brazil,” the campaign is a joint effort by the Ministry of Health, the Human Rights Secretariat of the Presidency, and the Secretariat for Women's Policies of the Presidency.
Translated by Fabrício Ferreira
Fonte: Health Ministry launches lesbian and bisexual awareness campaign
