Was asked if I was bisexual?!?!?

[caregiver1977]

Yesterday I had an appointment at a sliding scale clinic. I had my yearly pelvic exam/Pap smear. The doctor asked me questions before she got started, one of them being if I was bisexual.

I was so shocked that I couldn't gather my wits enough to ask her why she would ask me that. She saw my surprise and said that it was a question she normally asks. She didn't ask if I was a lesbian or the "have you had sex with a man that had sex with another man" question. She didn't ask if I was married. She only wanted to know if I was bisexual.

I was not offended, but surprised. I can't think why that would be necessary, and I have never been asked that question during such an exam. I have talked to the few nurses I know, and they are stumped too.

Is it normal to ask a patient if they are bisexual before performing a pelvic exam/Pap smear?

[klone, MSN, RN]

BTW, what does "I look very hetero" mean?

Ah, RN/WRiter, you beat me to it. Mea culpa, it was an inappropriate thing to say.

[Conqueror+, BSN, RN]

BTW, what does "I look very hetero" mean?

Ah, RN/WRiter, you beat me to it. Mea culpa, it was an inappropriate thing to say.

It was in response to the poster that said they look like they swing both ways. I know what it looks like to me. Decide for yourself what it looks like to you.

[klone, MSN, RN]

Ah, I missed that first comment. I can't imagine what that looks like, either. Especially in a woman.

[Conqueror+, BSN, RN]

Seriously? Have the PC police gotten to everyone ?

(and yes, this was said in jest)

[Merlyn]

BTW, what does "I look very hetero" mean?

Ready, Willing, Able. It comes from the phase 'Come hither' or Come here. A look that says, I want you for love, but I want you to take the first step. You see the look in alot of James Bond movies. The phase was popular in the 1920's to the 1970's Not in use much now.

[Esme12, ASN, BSN, RN]

That was one thing I was thinking. I am a black female with an afro who lives in the south. I have had people assume all sorts of things just because of that

No......I believe it was an assessment of high risk behaviors and today being World AIDS day was probably in the forefront of their minds......as it should always be.

[caregiver1977]

No......I believe it was an assessment of high risk behaviors and today being World AIDS day was probably in the forefront of their minds......as it should always be.

Then as someone else said she should have asked about my sexual practices rather than my sexual preferances (sp?). She didn't ask me anything about my specfic practices. Nothing.

[Elvish, BSN, DNP, RN, NP]

Yeah, I agree, it sounds like an inappropriately worded question. Someone could be gay but only having sex with their spouse. Now, I used to work in a community health center with a NP who was the go-to person for STIs. She asked her patients: "Do you have sex? Anal, oral, or lady partsl, and is it with men, women, or both?" She used to do anal pap smears as well if someone said they had anal sex.

[Merlyn]

Ah, I missed that first comment. I can't imagine what that looks like, either. Especially in a woman.

You never heard of a temptress?

[klone, MSN, RN]

Yeah, I agree, it sounds like an inappropriately worded question. Someone could be gay but only having sex with their spouse.

Exactly. Or, in the case of my first husband, they couldn't understand how I could be married and not need birth control.

Just because you're married, don't assume you're having sex.

[klone, MSN, RN]

You never heard of a temptress?

Sure. But I don't understand how someone could "look like" a bisexual.

[RNewbie]

I've never been asked in that way, just the usual "do you have sex with men, women, or both?" I do remember reading somewhere that women who have sex with other women are at higher risk for contracting HPV. I dunno, but maybe she was trying to determine if you were at higher risk for that.