Help Improve Trans Healthcare: Share Your Experience with Smear Testing

At Casual Reign, we believe in kindness, community, and creating spaces where everyone feels seen, heard, and respected. That’s why we’re sharing a call for help from Uma, a Trainee Clinical Psychologist, who’s conducting vital research to improve healthcare experiences for trans men.

A Message From Uma

Hi, I’m Uma, a Trainee Clinical Psychologist who studies at the University of East London and works in mental health services in the NHS.

I am conducting a piece of research as a part of my Doctoral studies, and want to use this as an opportunity for activism for trans rights.

I hope that my platform and research can disrupt broken systems from within, but first, I need your help. I am looking to recruit trans men who are over the age of 18, live in the UK and have experience of cervical smear testing in the NHS.

Health inequalities in the transgender community are produced by discriminatory health care practices, leading many to avoid help seeking. This is particularly relevant in cervical smear testing, where non-affirming care in the NHS leads to smear avoidance and contributes to cervical cancer going undetected in trans men.

I believe that change must come from within to make smear testing a more comfortable and safe experience for you. I would love to learn from your experiences so that your voice is heard by those with the power to create change.

If you are interested in sharing your story with me in an online interview, please email me at u2631772@uel.ac.uk