Well, hello again! So glad to be able to check in and say hi! How have you been? Here in north central Florida we are glad to say fall has arrived and, with it, cloudless sunny days with warm, caressing breezes and a dollop of briskness in the evenings.

I’ve recently returned from the road. Fantastic trip I might add. I started off attending the first annual Out and Healthy Conference as well as the NGLCC’s (National Gay and Lesbian’s Chamber of Commerce) Annual Dinner and Award Show in Washington, D.C., and finished up spending a few days in Baltimore catching up with family and friends.

While visiting the Mid-Atlantic, I had the fortune of enjoying some great weather, including getting blown out of Baltimore by a cold wind, just in time to return to the ‘Kingdom of the Sun’ (Ocala, Florida).  And, just in time to catch some chilly nights back here in Florida too! 

Where do I begin to share with you my experiences attending the Out and Healthy Conference?  I think I’ll start by telling you what Out and Healthy is and why I thought it so important to attend.  Out and Healthy is a brand new, national conference, started just this year through a collaboration that includes the NGLCC, the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) and several healthcare organizations such as Aetna and The Mautner Project, which, if you don’t know, is a healthcare organization that focuses solely on the healthcare concerns of  lesbian women.

Out and Healthy was created out of a growing recognition of the ‘disparities in care’ that exist in our current healthcare system, in this case towards sexual and gender minorities.  Hallelujiah you say, isn’t it about time someone noticed doctors and other healthcare professionals treat us differently, if we even feel safe enough to be ourselves with him or her!?! 

There is also a growing understanding of the unique health needs of  ‘woman-who-partner-with-women’ in our society.  Suffice it to say (because information and words are powerful), we face some unique risks and challenges when it comes to staying well, preventing illness, etc.  The takeaway for me was this…

I definitely need to focus more on taking care of my body, so that it continues to take care of me!

And, this attitude is true for everyone, whether you are sick or perfectly healthy right now.  Don’t take that ‘absence of obvious disease’ for granted.  For example, breast self exams are important, but they don’t catch certain cancers that only mammograms can and you may feel great but have diabetes or high blood pressure, both ’silent killers’, at least in their early stages.

The good news for all of us is that there are some very dedicated researchers, policymakers, clinicians, etc., committed to identifying our concerns, helping us address our concerns and advocating for needed changes in the system.  However, there is still alot of work to do!  In fact, this effort is in it’s infancy!  While this is the first truly national collaboration to address GLBT health in such an empowered way, conference leaders shared with me their struggles getting more of those who need to attend such an event involved.

So, why did I attend Out and Healthy?  Because I too am curious about what leaders in the field are focusing on when it comes to healthcare for ‘women-who-love-women’ (that includes lesbians, bisexual women and trans-women).  I am interested in learning which healthcare organizations are on the ‘cutting edge’ in reaching out to our community.

In addition, as a lesbian relationship coach, I wanted to learn more about how I fit in relationship to this issue and to these individuals and organizations.  I learned that coaching is increasingly being seen as a very valuable service for everyone, and, in particular, for health-related concerns.  For example, in today’s world, most of us are too busy to maintain a close enough relationship to our bodies.  As a result, many of us aren’t aware how what we do impacts our bodies in positive and negative ways.  In the same way, I am very interested in how health issues interact with relationship issues, particularly as it impacts single and coupled ‘women-who-partner-with-women’.

It was quite refreshing being surrounded by other healthcare, business and activist professionals with a similar passion and interest in this very important subject.  And, to top it all off, I met some fascinating individuals, not the least of which was Martina Navratilova!  Speaking of a fit body (and mind) that is maximizing it’s potential! 

So, all in all, the conference and national dinner were both amazing experiences!  Justin Nelson, Chance Mitchell and Kate Karasmeighan, thank you, you’ve wowed me again!

Please visit the Out and Healthy site and keep tabs on this effort.  I know this effort will continue to grow in size and influence in the years to come!

Thought I’d post this outstanding article on a health issue every man and woman should learn about.   As far as how this relates to singles and couples?  Obviously, it does so in a myriad of ways. 

If you are single, certainly you need to figure out how you are going to talk about sex and sexual histories with the person or persons you are dating BEFORE you have sex, right?  I strongly recommend that you do have discussions around this issue.  Many find the subject uncomfortable and thus, avoid it.  If you’d like help as to the specifics of this OR support for following through, call or email me for a complimentary, coaching session!  You don’t have to go it alone if that means the all important conversation(s) doesn’t happen!!!

If you are an established couple, learning to talk about issues such as sexually transmitted diseases is a way to get comfortable talking about your physical intimacy in general.  Don’t assume (unless you’ve openly discussed it and come to an agreement) that your partner is monogamous with you.  And, lesbian women, listen up:  we CAN pass on STD’s to other women and you can get STD’s from lesbian sex.  Enough said!

I have one question for Jennifer, however, that is somewhat related to this topic:  how about those of us who no longer have a cervix?  Many women have had their cervix removed via hysterectomy.  If so, does a woman still need a pap smear?  And, can women without a cervix still get HPV?

Hopefully, I’ll get Jennifer to post on the blog her opinion on this matter!  Jennifer it would also be neat if we could talk more on this list about healthy communication about sex in relationships.

Barb Elgin

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New vaccine guards against HPV
By Jennifer Medvin, RN

In June 2006, the FDA announced its approval of Gardasil?, a Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine, manufactured by Merck. HPV is the most common sexually transmitted infection in the United States.  This virus can cause genital warts and abnormal changes on the cervix, vulva, vagina, penis, and anus that can lead to cancer if it is not treated. 

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that about 6.2 million Americans become infected with genital HPV each year and that over half of all sexually active men and women become infected at some time in their lives.

Cervical cancer is the second largest killer of women among cancers worldwide and is much more common than anal or penile cancer in men.  The cervix is the lower, narrow part of the uterus that connects to the vagina.  In the United States approximately 14,000 women are diagnosed with cervical cancer every year.  Globally, there are more than 240,000 deaths each year due to cervical cancer.

Cervical cancers do not form suddenly. There is a slow, gradual change from a normal cervix to precancer to cancer. Although, in most cases, the body’s immune system clears HPV before a person knows he or she has it, some infections may remain and lead to cancer.  Most women with HPV are not aware they are infected until they have had a Pap test. 

The Pap smear (also called Pap test) is an effective method of detecting abnormal cells on the cervix that can lead to cancer.  Medical experts believe that girls or women should begin receiving Pap tests by age 21; sooner if the woman is sexually active. Routine Pap screening remains critically important to detect precancerous changes in the cervix to allow treatment before cervical cancer develops.

HPV is contracted by engaging in oral sex, vaginal sex, anal sex, through intimate genital skin-to-skin contact or by sharing sex toys with a person who already has the virus.  The virus can remain in the body for weeks, years, or even a lifetime, giving no sign of its presence.  Your partner may not have visible warts or symptoms but can still spread the virus. 

Gardasil represents a significant advance in women?s health. This vaccine is effective against HPV types 16 and 18, which cause 70% of cervical cancer and also blocks types 6 and 11, which cause 90% of genital warts. 

Gardasil is not effective against existing HPV infections and will not provide protection against HPV types not included in the vaccine. Also, it ?will not replace other prevention strategies, such as cervical cancer screening for women or protective sexual behaviors.?

The CDC?s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) voted to recommend that Gardasil be routinely given to girls and young women between the ages of 13 and 26 years.  The idea was to begin vaccinations before the onset of sexual activity.

Lesbian women are at risk for many of the same STD?s as heterosexual women and should also have yearly pap screenings.  These recommendations apply equally to lesbians even if they have never had sex with men.  The University of Washington?s Department of Medicine conducted a study with women who acknowledged having had sex with women.  Of the 248 participating women, 31 were found to have HPV from their Pap smear.

Currently, there are no approved tests to detect HPV or HPV-associated cancers in men. The CDC states, ?since anal cancer is more common in gay, bisexual, and HIV-positive men, some experts recommend routine anal Pap tests for those populations.?

Gardasil is not approved for use in men.  Merck plans to seek approval to use Gardasil in boys and young men and is currently searching for, ?sexually active, healthy young men who has sex with men willing to make a 3 year commitment to the study.? 

http://www.hpvvaccinetrials.com/ (Merck?s HPV vaccine clinical research study for men)

http://www.cdc.gov (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)

http://www.gardasil.com/ (Gardasil main website)

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? Jennifer Medvin, All Rights Reserved

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“One of the important principles I live by is the idea that you have to contemplate yourself as surrounded by the conditions you intend to produce. The difference between highly functioning people – the people Maslow called self-actualizers – and people who live with ordinary levels of consciousness is that the self-actualizers never put their intention on what they don’t want. They know that what you think about is what expands.”
- Dr. Wayne Dyer

So, here we are – you and I, coming together today.  Now, technically, we aren’t sitting down in front of each other, or, even speaking live and listening to one another’s voice or even instant messaging.  But, that is not what matters.  What matters, I  know deep in my heart, is that what we are doing here is forming a powerful, positive, connection between us for your greater good.

There is beautiful music that you and I can make together that you can’t create anywhere else.  Our relationship offers you something special that will inspire you to live the life your heart (instead of your ego) desires, because it is my intention to help you connect with the part of you that can give you what you need to create such a life.

My work, my legacy, my passion…is about offering you places…spaces…and faces, that support you for becoming your most magnificent self.  Period.  And, that is why I want to get to know you and why you’ll want to get to know, and hang around with, me.

HINT: This site is a blog.  That means it is a place where we can talk.  I will post lots of entries, sometimes daily.  The point of the posts is simply to create an ongoing dialogue of health, wellness, prosperity and fun.  A dialogue that creates an intimacy that…

• helps us build bridges by identifying the life-affirming and respectful values all of us can agree upon, in spite of our differences
• inspires us to enjoy discussions that help us live, love and work smarter
• reminds us to partake of discussions that follow abundant mottos such as, “givers gain” and “in our diversity lies our strength”

One of the most powerful ways I know to create what I want is by planting myself in the fertile soil of people, ideas and activities that help me be who I most want to be and do what I most want to accomplish.  That is what I sincerely hope this blog will help you do.  All you need to do is water the soil and spread some sunshine by showing up and participating.  Then, watch the quality of your life grow, like a beautiful flower.

So, please get involved by commenting on my posts.  You can do this whenever you want on any post by clicking on the ‘comments’ link at the bottom of each post),  What’s cool about this is that by publicly commenting, others will see your posts and be encouraged to offer wisdom or information that can help you and even the rest of our readers.

Or, if you’d like to keep it private, between you and I, call or email me.  Either way is fine.

So, please, feel free to click on the ‘comments’ link below and post or tell me by emailing me what you want to read and hear about.  I’m all ears (and eyes)!!!

Don’t be shy, send me a line and let me know what you need, I want to help you get it.

Barb Elgin

Well hello!  How have you been?  It’s been busy as usual over here at Coach Sappho.

• Looking on the bright side this week I’d like to congratulate the State of Maine, who became the 16th state to add sexual orientation and gender identity to a Maine law that bars discrimination in employment, housing, credit, public accomodations and education.
• How’s your love life?  If you’ve ever been in a relationship over a year, you know things tend to “cool down.”  But, is it inevitable that they “cool off?”  I’ll never forget what the psychology professor I took a Human Sexuality class with in college said:

Did you know that your biggest sex organ is between your ears!?!

Yes, indeed, is she nuts, now, just what did she mean?  That imagination, mystery and creativity are sexy turn ons!  So, don’t let your brain cells go limp when it comes to sex and intimacy, even if you are not in a relationship (catch my drift!). 

Hate to break it to you but love isn’t all wine, roses and, for some of us, chocolates!  We have to add a dash of brain food in there too once in awhile.

Make time for sensuality in your life, you deserve it (and it’s no doubt great for stress reduction!).  Stimulate your dendrites and they will give you a tingle!

And, if you’re looking for suggestions to jump start your brain, here’s a couple of my favorite books/tapes on the subject:

Hot Monogamy by Pat Love, EdD (book) (audiotape) – excellent ideas delivered in an often humorous manner.  I just love Pat Love!!!

The Whole Lesbian Sex Book by Felice Newman – full of education and information

Or, here’s a simple suggestion that goes the distance:  each of you should make a list of activities you’ve gotten away from doing that you enjoy or that you’ve fantasized about or want to try.  Then, be sure to do one of those activities at least once a week, alternating back and forth.  And, again, if you are a single slinger, make a list and treat yourself.

Champions keep playing until they get it right! – Billie Jean King

And the day came when the risk to remain tight in a bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom. – Anais Nin

For those of us in the northern hemisphere, spring has sprung!  While it may not feel that way yet (hey – it’s even been dark, chilly and rainy here in Central Florida the past couple of days!), you can bet warm, sunny days are just around the bend.

WHAT’S HAPPENING AT COACH SAPPHO:  Look what Coach Sappho has been cookin’ up for you, to keep you warm and toasty till lady spring pokes her head out:

Famous author, Angela Bonavoglia is Coach Sappho’s “Uncommon Courage” guest for March 2005.

Thursday, 3/31/05, from 7-8pm EST

Coach Sappho’s ‘Creating a Life I Love’ Club’s “Uncommon Courage” guest for March 2005 is a fabulous ally by the name of Ms. Angela Bonavoglia.  I met Ms. Bonavoglia about 18 months ago while interviewing Kathy Itzin, the catholic religious education instructor from Minnesota who had a lifetime achievement award taken back by her city’s bishop when he found out she was a lesbian.

Angela Bonavoglia has just published her latest book, Good Catholic Girls:  How Women are Leading the Fight to Change the Church.  Angela Bonavoglia is an award-winning journalist and author who covers social, health, religious and women�s issues. A previous book on abortion, The Choices We Made, was featured on Oprah. Her feature articles, investigative reports, op-eds, personal essays, and profiles have appeared in Ms. (longtime contributing editor), the Chicago Tribune, Redbook, Mirabella, Cosmopolitan, Newsday, and The New York Times, among other publications.

Angela’s article, “The Church�s Tug of War,” about women as an invisible force for reform in the Roman Catholic Church, was the lead article in The Nation in the wake of the clergy sex abuse scandals of 2002.

I can’t wait to talk with her about how and why she chose the career path she is on today.  Aren’t you curious?  I hope you will join her and I via the teleconference bridge on March 31st for an exciting discussion.  If you have specific questions you’d like me to ask her during the interview, email me so I can prepare.

Click here to read more about Ms. Bonavoglia and her latest book.  Or visit her website: http://www.goodcatholicgirls.com.