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April 28, 2008
Birth Control for Lesbian Teens
Mary Duffy

I have to say I am disappointed by Todd Henneman's perspective on a LBGT health center's Title X award. I think it is fantastic that youth will have access to family planning services; I don't know any sexually active youth who couldn't benefit from having condoms readily available to them. While I am not familiar with the breadth of services offered at the Callen-Lorde Community Health Center, I am well aware of the benefits of regular Well Woman Exams, STD and HIV screenings. Too, let us not forget the "Q" in LGBT. As a queer identified woman who spent my adolescence questioning (and later lesbian), I believe teen women deserve access to the birth control method of their choice, regardless of their sexual orientation. Perhaps they begin a contraceptive method to prevent pregnancy, perhaps they use birth control to regulate their menstrual cycles. Regardless, I am pleased the younger LBGT community at least has access to these services. Kudos to this health center for expanding their services to foster healthier LGBT youth.