Our Lesbian Bodies, Our Lesbian Selves
Lesbian Health Initiative celebrates 10 years of lesbian women helping lesbian women get excellent healthcare
by Alyssa Jacqueline Wright

Pat Gandy almost had a radical mastectomy she didn’t need. Her story is a perfect example of why the lesbian women of Houston need an organization like the Lesbian Health Initiative.

"The doctor was uncomfortable when my partner and I walked in–[he looked like he] wanted to back out the door," Gandy recalls. The doctor did find evidence of cancer. Not only did he want to do a mastectomy, but a radical mastectomy, which involves removing the lymph nodes.

"From what I had read I didn’t feel like that was necessary," Gandy said. "He wanted to insist that the operation be just what he wanted and he wouldn’t talk about it.

"I was very uncomfortable. As soon as I got home, I called his office and said, ‘You’re not my doctor anymore.’ I just said, I don’t care if the insurance doesn’t pay for it, I’m not going back to that guy. I’m going to go to somebody I trust."

Gandy then called Dr. Allene King, an oncologist who was one of the founders of Lesbian Health Initiative, and told her she wanted her to be her doctor. She says King told her she was absolutely right that she didn’t need the radical mastectomy. "So she did the operation and, after it was all over with, she said–why don’t you come to LHI?" Gandy said. Gandy has served as president and is currently secretary.

Now celebrating its 10th anniversary, the Lesbian Health Initiative was founded as a lesbian women’s health empowerment project as surveys were beginning to come out to show that lesbian women were underserved in terms of healthcare.

"About five years ago, there were basically no lesbian health movements in this country," said Scottie Scott, who has long been involved with LHI, and currently serves on the board. "But now LHI is one of the growing number of lesbian health groups around the country. We share some information with the group in Washington–the Mautner Project–and in San Francisco."

About 10 years ago, a national survey was published showing lesbians were at greater risk of contracting breast cancer than heterosexual women, because at that time they tended not to have children, as well as being more likely to be heavy smokers and/or drinkers, said Lucy Watson, LHI’s current president. Many women in the community lacked health insurance. And many women were afraid that when they went to see the doctor, they would face homophobia or be asked questions they felt were inappropriate.

The founders of LHI responded with their own survey of roughly 600 women in the community. "The survey showed an overwhelming need for the services LHI has subsequently offered," Watson said. LHI began to apply for grants on the basis of the survey results. Around 700 women have benefited from mammograms provided through LHI over the past decade. Watson says there are several breast cancer survivors whose cancer was first diagnosed via a mammogram at an LHI health fair.

When LHI started a decade ago, breast cancer was the number-one killer of women nationwide. Since then, it has declined to number six on the hit list, Watson said. Number one is heart disease and number two is lung cancer. Asked if the decline in breast cancer was because of efforts such as LHI’s, she said, "I think so. Better diagnostic tools, earlier diagnosis and treatment."

Through the years, LHI has started a lesbian breast cancer support group and an annual health fair with free mammograms and a range of other needed services, from osteoporosis screenings to pap smears to cholesterol checks. They actually held four health fairs in 1998, one targeting Hispanics, another for African-American women, a third for "lesbians of old age," and a fourth for Caucasians, Scott said.

Around three years ago, LHI added bisexuals and transgendered people to its mission statement. Does one have to be a lesbian to receive a free mammogram from LHI?

"We target GLBT women, but we don’t ask questions," Watson said. "If a straight woman wants to have a mammogram we’re not going to refuse her."

Entirely run by volunteers, LHI has a pool of "probably several hundred in all," according to Scott. The bulk of LHI’s funding comes from the Magnolia Ball, held every December, as well as grants from the Hollyfield Foundation, An Uncommon Legacy, Bunnies On the Bayou, the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation, the Houston Black Tie Dinner, and community donations. In the past, Scott said, support has also come from Bad Girls Golf.

Asked about the future, Watson said that while LHI wants to continue providing mammograms, it also wants to do more in the way of education.

"We’re in the process of setting up a website and we want to address heart disease, lung cancer, whatever those diseases are that are targeting women," Watson said.

LHI is also sending out letters to as many physicians as possible, to try to get them to change the wording on their intake forms, such as being inclusive of domestic partners as opposed to spouses.

The LHI Rainbow Health Fair is Saturday, June 8, 8 a.m.—4 p.m., in the gym of Resurrection MCC church, corner West T C Jester Blvd. and W. 11th Street. Anyone needing to schedule a mammogram should call 713/603-0023 and leave a message, or send an e-mail to LHIhouston00@aol.com. Besides wellness discussions for women, the event will feature free mammograms and other health screenings. The M.D. Anderson Mobile Mammogram Unit will be there, as will vendors.