Studies indicate that about 4 percent of women in the United States label themselves as being lesbian. This statistic probably significantly underestimates the number of women who have sex with other women; one study showed that up to 18 percent of women experienced attraction to other women or were in sexual relationships with other women. When labels are assigned to a minority group, and especially when those labels have certain negative connotations, people may be hesitant to claim membership in that group.
Many women who have sex with female partners do not believe that they are at risk for sexually transmitted infections, and health care providers may also believe that these women are not at risk. This is partly because there have not been many studies of the rates of STDs among lesbians, but it may also be because of bias against those in same-sex relationships. Even if lesbian women do turn to traditional health care providers for care, they may experience the homophobia of a health care provider or receive incorrect advice, such as “gay women don’t need Pap smears.” Many lesbian women find a more open approach at clinics that specialize in the health care of women.
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