Each week HuffPost Queer Voices, in a partnership with blogger Scout, LGBT HealthLink and researcher Susana Fajardo, brings you a round up of some of the biggest LGBT wellness stories from the past seven days. For more LGBT Wellness, visit our page dedicated to the topic here.
Want to Help End HIV? Tell Your Story!
Want to be internet famous? Do you think it’s important that queer men are central to the HIV prevention discussion? Tell your story!The Global Fund on MSM and HIV is collecting short video testimonials for a high-level meeting and the global AIDS conference. Drop some knowledge on us!
Almost A Quarter of Chicago’s Queer Women Have Had Unintended Pregnancies
A new study found that 24 percent of Chicago’s sexual minority women (lesbian, bisexual, and mostly heterosexual) reported having had at least one unintended pregnancy. What’s more, of those who reported having at least one unintended pregnancy, over 44% identified as mostly or exclusively lesbian. This research is also the first to establish a strong relationship among unintended pregnancies in sexual minority women and negative health outcomes such as depression and hazardous drinking habits.
Does Lesbianism Protect You From Eating Disorders? No.
Researchers had thought that same-sex attraction among females was protective against eating disorders. A new study reports it’s not protective after all. Further, bisexual women had much higher rates of eating disorders that either lesbians or straight women. Interestingly, women who were unsure who they were attracted to had the highest rates of all.
Do We Get More Secondhand Smoke Exposure? Yes.
A new study dug past our high smoking rates and looked at levels of smoking and secondhand smoke exposure in the LGB (no T) population. The authors found there were notable differences in light or heavy smoking among LGB subpopulations. Plus, sexual minority women were 1.72 times as likely and sexual minority men were 2.35 times as likely (versus non LGB people) to be exposed to secondhand smoke at home.
Domestic Violence, Substance Use is a Big Problem for Young Gay and Bi Men
A new study reports that out of a cohort of young gay and bi men, 44.3% report experience with intimate partner violence. And those who experienced it were at increased risk for using alcohol, stimulants, and marijuana plus they had over four times the odds of other substance use.