Trans rights supporters -can we please unite on the cervical cancer issue

[speakingwoman]

I’m very worried about the cervical cancer issue.
If you are an advocate of trans rights but believe that cancer research should address its screening calls to “women” please do say so here.

To everyone else, if this is going to fail can we just let it fail quietly please?

There are some things just as important as conflicts of rights, people not dying of undetected cervical cancer is one of these.

If I get any support I will write to Cancer Research.

Thanks homefromthehills

Lass I get a reminder through the post when my next smear is due.

I found out about smear tests when I went to University Lass.

I knew because my grandmother died from Cervical Cancer at 50 years old.

Had that not happened perhaps I wouldn't have had it on my radar, and my mum wouldn't have drummed it onto me to get a smear.

And I wouldn't have had severe cells removed from my cervix.

If I had seen that ad, would I, in my early twenties have twigged? Who knows..

Rufustheyawningreindeer

Us lesbian Feminists , rarely engage on anything anymore on here, we only lurk these days , as we get attacked by the same old people

as you know I am a solicitor , so see many transwomen and Transmen in my day to day work

most transwomen are usually recorded as having had a hysterectomy when they transition so I am told (so they don't get sent for screening )
most transmen have hysterectomys

to the original poster , I doubt many Trans people would get involved with any campaigns especially on MN , not many folks from The LGBT community would either

especially when we are all constantly attacked by the same old same old
you cant attack people, personally and then expect us to support you when it suits you,
we haven't forgotten clause 28 , and suspect many posters if they got rid of Transpeople, they would turn on us lesbians and gay men

I have read all the threads on opposition to IVF for lesbians

if I had seen that ad, would I, in my early twenties have twigged? Who knows..

But that ad can't be the only source of information? I assume I must have read about it in a women's magazine/ been told about it when getting contraceptive advice/ been told about it as part of maternity care.

My GP sends letters chasing me to make an appointment. That started from when I registered and continues relentlessly despite the fact I don't go for a test and asked them to stop sending reminders. I have opted out of the system for mammogram testing.

It isn't just about CRUK.

I posted this information on another thread but seems relevant here.

These are main Gyny Cancer charities in the UK.
Having personally benefited from the work that they do despite chronic under funding, I think any sane person would object to them having to 're-brand' due to being 'transphobic'.

" Information on Cervical Cancer and Support for Women, Family and Friends Affected by Cervical Cancer. Jo's Trust Cervical Cancer Trust."

"We were set up to save women’s lives by funding ground-breaking research focused on developing effective methods of risk prediction, earlier detection and developing screening for these women-only cancers" The Eve Appeal

The national ovarian cancer charity working to save lives and help women diagnosed live their lives to the full, wherever they live in the UK." Target Ovarian Cancer

"We’re Ovarian Cancer Action – a UK charity dedicated to beating the sixth most common cancer in women. We want to empower women, to give them a voice, and to create a better future for the thousands of mothers, partners, sisters, daughters and friends affected by this disease."

"Action on Womb Cancer (AWC) is a UK charity dedicated to raising awareness of womb cancer, also known as endometrial or uterine cancer.
Womb cancer is a gynaecological cancer. It is the fourth most common cancer in women, yet very little is known about it. Action on Womb Cancer is changing this."

"We were founded by women with ovarian cancer themselves and are therefore especially sensitive to the needs of women with this devastating diagnosis. We have been supporting women affected by ovarian cancer and their families since 1996." Ovacome

& it doesn't work with charities to talk about 'everyone with a cervix / womb/ ovaries etc, since as well as raising awareness, they also support women diagnosed with these gyny cancers. The treatment for which often involves the removal of the affected parts.

They are great charities, so I am delighted to be able to give them a name check and outline of the work they do!

Exactly Rowan. The others will. E in the firing line. Only TRA can stop this

But doesn't the very fact you are asking tell you something Lass?

I'm just saying I will never know because it came mainly from my mum for me. Had there not been that case in my family, would it be on my radar?

However, I think things have changed in terms of publicity and urging people to go for smears in recent years. I think it is more widely discussed in the media now than it used to be. I think we just got a letter and may have seen the odd article but that's about it.

Rowan - all of which supports the argument that this wording is coming from some woke , right on employee within CRUK rather than the trans community itself.

as you know I am a solicitor , so see many transwomen and Transmen in my day to day work

Completely irrelevant but I'm not seeing the logical follow on from the first part of that sentence to the second.

Kettle, I talked to Debbie. I would happily write myself, though it might be better as a letter with as many signatures on it as possible to express the level of concern

Adding a section at the end after many names of men and women that specifies the names of transsexual or transgender people who have agreed to join with the call might add a little emphasis.

Or two separate letters if you prefer.

But yes either way.

Kettle, so sorry to hear your news. I am more determined than ever to do what I can. Thank you for asking.

But doesn't the very fact you are asking tell you something Lass?

Er no.

My point was this one tweet is presumably not the only source of information. I have been thinking about it and the sources I mentioned (magazines, Family Planning, post maternity care, doctors' reminders) all presumably still exist?

That's fantastic homefromthehills

Thank you.

Not trans, just one of those traditional women, coming bit late to this.

Health messages need to be clear and unambiguous. That's why stating sex and an age range works well - pretty much all of us know, or used to know, where we fit in that scheme of things. You don't need to be too clever to work it out.

Now things have become complicated by the trans issues. Having worked in the NHS I can tell you loads of people have very little idea about their anatomy, sexual and otherwise. So limiting leaflet language to things like 'if you have or have ever had a cervix ...' will be pointless. By all means include the word cervix but other criteria need to be there too if you want to catch as many relevant people as possible in the campaign.

Health trumps everything. So yes, we need to have the word woman as well as trans man. I'm also a bit surprised, reading between some of the lines above, that post op trans patients don't seem to be given much information about what their ongoing medical screenings or needs are likely to be. That would surely be a constructive thing for trans people to campaign about.

How do women usually find out about smear tests?

The majority of women will receive reminders by post, but you have to be registered with a gp and they would have to have an up to date address.

That's why these campaigns are important, they try to reach the people who aren't in the system.

Pratchet
Those who have been affected by these gyny cancers will resist this.

They shouldn't have to because they already have more than enough to deal with, but many spend a great deal of precious energy trying to improve things for those other women (& their families) who will inevitably follow them.
I know a number of women, GPs and charities who have been persistantly trying to have a small amount of information printed onto smear test letters, advising women that a smear test does not identify Ovarian Cancer. They have also tried to include mention of the common symtoms. Only 1 in 4 women in the UK (I think) can identify that bloating is the most common symptom.

This is still an ongoing attempt to lobby the NHS in order to possibly save lives though earlier diagnosis.

*But doesn't the very fact you are asking tell you something Lass?

Er no.*

That didn't translate as intended. Apologies.

I simply meant that if we have to ask, perhaps there wasn't as much publicity around.

Placemats, seems like you and your friend are exercising your rights to make decisions based on informed consent, which is the ideal for all, I reckon!

I hope we can get to a place where transfolk feel able to attend biologically indicated screening knowing they will be treated with dignity and respect. These appointments can be horrific enough without the additional labour of explanation/fear of being outed.

Perhaps occasional clinics exclusively for the use of trans people would be something to aim for? Ie, a day of cervical screening appointments just for transmen/ a day of prostate screening appointments just for transwomen? With staff who have special training in understanding dysphoria?

While my passion on this subject comes from my experience as a woman, and my desire to keep single sex provision in place for women, that doesn’t mean I don’t also wish for the best possible outcome for transfolk.

In this particular instance, blurring meanings and not acknowledging our differences has the potential to make everyone less safe and more miserable, in the long term.

foxyliz, I would hope some trans people would put lives and what is right over name calling any day.

This is not a trans v Mumsnet argument. It is saving lives.

Hopefully no decent person would play victim politics with that at stake.

& to be clear, they will resist this not because they are 'anti-trans' but because they understand how bloody important it is to talk about women's gyny cancer!

When I was at school the girls above me in sixth form used to talk about getting their first invitation letter from the doctor to come for their first smear test; us younger girls were both terrified and excited at the thought of getting ours, come our 18th birthday. It was a right of passage!

Then they went and bloody changed the age to 21 I think, then 25. Gutted.

I still get letters, so I assume you still get your first once you reach the required age?

Reading you posts again Lass I think I misunderstood your point.

Sorry, I'm a bit passionate about this and I think I reacted too quickly.

I need to calm the fuck down.

most transwomen are usually recorded....

You use "transwomen" and "transmen". I thought the polite and preferred usage was trans women and trans men.

we haven't forgotten clause 28

Neither have I. Possibly because I still have clipping of the letter I had published in The Scotsman newspaper campaigning against it. A real letter with my real and fairly unusual name and a reference to the city I live in.

This is about health and results, it needs to say women so people it is targeting

Then if needed a sensitive trans-focused advertising campaign highlighting the bio-specific cancers they should ensure they are checked for despite transition.