Lesbian woman in east London says she was told she did not need smear test over her sexuality

A woman living in east London has said she was told she did not need to get a smear test because of her sexuality.

Rachelle Cox, who is a lesbian, said her experience demonstrated a lack of understanding about queer sex.

Speaking in a video on Instagram she said: "I went to go get smear test and they were literally like, you don't need to get one because you're a lesbian ... It's just coming out with all of these assumptions and misinformation about queer sex.

"Not only was it uncomfortable to experience, but also, if I hadn't have known better, that could have caused real harm.

"It just makes me worried about how many queer people have been turned away from or, like, discouraged from getting smear tests when they really should get one."

A smear test, also known as a cervical screening, is a test to check the health of the cervix and help prevent cervical cancer.

It is offered it to women and people with a cervix aged 25 to 64 by the NHS.

The test checks for "high risk" types of human papillomavirus (HPV), which can cause abnormal changes in the cells of the cervix. These changes could become cervical cancer if left untreated.

Dr Natalie Rout explains the smear test process and how to prepare yourself for one.

The NHS website states that anyone with a cervix who has had "any kind of sexual contact, with a man or a woman" could get cervical cancer.

It adds: "This is because nearly all cervical cancers are caused by infection with high risk types of HPV ... You can get HPV from any kind of skin-to-skin contact of the genital area, not just from penetrative sex."

The gynaecological cancer charity The Eve Appeal has said Rachelle's experience is not uncommon.

Chief executive Athena Lamnisos told ITV News London: "It's really distressing to hear about Rachelle ... but it doesn't surprise me at all, we know there's a huge information gap out there around screening and eligibility."

"We get a lot of calls about misconceptions around HPV and around screening and around this specific issue we get a lot of questions ... clearing all of that up and putting out really, really clear information is very, very important."

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