TL;DR
- Our clinicians provide safe, confidential, expert care for LGBTQIA+ folks with sexual or reproductive health needs, problems, or concerns.
- Get STI testing, prevention, and treatment, including PrEP and Doxy-PEP.
- We can help LGBTQIA+ folks select the right birth control or contraception methods with their unique needs in mind (including emergency contraception).
- Your FOLX clinician can help with chronic issues like PCOS (polycystic ovary syndrome) and menopause management.
- FOLX can support pregnancy and pre-conception checkups, fertility lab work and counseling, family planning, and sexual health counseling.
This article was clinically reviewed by Michelle Forcier, MD.
You can get many of your sexual and reproductive health needs met virtually at FOLX Health. We offer comprehensive services for LGBTQ health care, including family building, birth control, sexual function problems, issues related to hormones and aging, safer sex education, STI testing and prevention (for sexually transmitted infections), and PrEP (for HIV prevention).
We know it can be challenging for transgender, gay, bisexual, nonbinary, intersex, and other gender-diverse folks to find affirming providers who understand our unique sexual and reproductive healthcare needs! From dealing with dryness or atrophy from being on testosterone, to managing STI risks with multiple partners, our clinicians are open to any and all questions. At FOLX, we know that sexual and reproductive wellness is vital for all members of the LGBTQIA community.
We value the importance of queer-centered, sex-positive, and kink-friendly sexual health care. Get sexual health care that is welcoming, compassionate, and empowering at FOLX.
Sexual and reproductive health for the LGBTQ community
We get that sexual health can be a tricky subject with non-affirming health care providers. At FOLX Health, all our clinicians are specialized in LGBTQIA+ health care. Our clinicians use gender-inclusive terminology when providing care and ask you about the preferred terms for your body. (For the purpose of this article, we will use anatomical terminology.)
Whether you're seeking preventive screenings, sexual health care for an acute need, or are interested in family building, we can help. One study showed that almost half of queer women delayed contraception or sexual or reproductive health care compared to only a third of straight women during the pandemic. This isn't your fault–standard sexual and reproductive health care doesn't meet the needs of the LGBTQ+ community. At FOLX, we aim to change that.
FOLX clinicians address various issues related to sexual pleasure and health for folks navigating queer and gender diverse identities. What are some sexual and reproductive health issues queer people experience? Our clinicians see folks for erectile dysfunction, bottom growth pain with testosterone, and pain with sex (whether taking estrogen or testosterone). Many LGBTQIA+ folks go through a process of adjusting to new ways of thinking about their bodies, sex, and intimacy. This can be especially true when exploring gender identity and hormone therapy. The best part is that our clinicians are non-judgmental and compassionate towards you. We aim to make you feel included, accepted and empowered exactly where you're at.
FOLX also gives all members unlimited access to the FOLX Community Platform, which offers forums on a range of topics, along with support groups, courses, and online discussions. If you’re feeling lonely on a queer fertility journey, we can help to connect with others on a similar path.
Get sexual health care right from your smartphone
Receive sexual and reproductive health care that centers the trans and queer experience right from your smartphone. Here are some of the topics you can discuss with your FOLX clinician:
- PCOS (polycystic ovary syndrome)
- Painful menstruation
- Menopause and perimenopause
- STI testing and treatment
- Herpes
- Birth control, cycle control, and pregnancy prevention, including emergency contraception, like Ella or Plan B
- PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis for HIV prevention)
- BV (bacterial vaginosis)
- UTIs (urinary tract infections)
- Yeast infections
- ED (erectile dysfunction) and premature ejaculation
- Low testosterone
- Anorgasmia (inability to orgasm)
- Issues with sex, including painful intercourse or pain with sex
FOLX clinicians are familiar with common sexual health issues affecting people of all ages. FOLX has been prescribing gender hormones for transgender and nonbinary persons for years. We now offer gender hormones to our cis-community for such issues as menopause and low testosterone. Low levels of estradiol and testosterone can affect all age groups. And chronically low levels of estradiol and testosterone are not necessarily good for long-term health.
We are here for all your sex issues, whether you can't climax, struggle to get hard, or ejaculate prematurely. These issues are common, and we always take a sex-positive, member-first approach to care. The good news? You can get medical treatments with FOLX to help you have better sex. There are so many ways to enjoy sexual pleasure or find it again.
Other sexual and reproductive health issues are common. We see LGBTQ folks for period issues, PCOS (polycystic ovary syndrome), genital pain, and pelvic pain. We can answer any sex or reproductive health questions you have.
How we do STI testing at FOLX
When it comes to STI testing and treatment, FOLX clinicians are here to support you and get you whatever help you need. We will never assume the type of sex you have, the number of partners you have, or your sexuality. Whether you are solo poly, in a non-monogamous relationship, starting a new relationship, or anything in between, we aim to partner with you so you feel empowered to make the best decisions for your sex life.
During your telehealth visit, you can discuss with your clinician what STI screening tests make sense for you and your partner's (or partners') sex life. Depending on your sexual practices and partners, your STI test might include chlamydia, gonorrhea, HIV, trichomoniasis, and syphilis.
STIs show up in urine or blood tests; or vaginal, anal, or oral swab tests. Your FOLX clinician can order your tests, which you can get at a nearby Quest or with an at-home test via our testing partner. Once we get the results, we will let you know your results and if any further action is needed.
If your STI test comes back positive, FOLX can offer medications or referrals to local providers that can treat acute sexually transmitted infections and more complex STDs. FOLX clinicians can recommend methods and medications to help prevent STIs. While most of us do not want STI exposure, we know that STIs are common and part of being sexual. We aim to help our LGBTQIA+ community experience sexual pleasure and well-being.
HIV and PrEP
FOLX offers HIV testing and PrEP prescribing services. PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis) is medication taken before possible contact with HIV. PrEP is often taken as a once-daily pill but is also available as an injection. At FOLX, we offer PrEP in pill form. PrEP lowers your chances of getting an HIV infection from anal or vaginal sex.
We want our community to know that testing for HIV early and often is important. While testing for HIV may sound scary, HIV is very treatable, and the medication options available today make it possible to live a long, healthy life!
Preventing HIV is an essential goal for many in our community. Current HIV medications lead to so little virus in your body that tests cannot detect it. This is called being "undetectable" and means it is impossible to pass HIV to others (AKA undetectable = untransmittable). If your HIV test is positive after a FOLX screening test, we can refer you to a local LGBTQIA+ expert clinician who can help you manage your HIV.
For more in-depth resources on PrEP, check out these articles:
Get tested regularly, especially if you're having sex with multiple partners. It keeps sex consensual, safe, and fun when you know your status. We think there's nothing sexier than taking care of your sexual health.
Pain, discharge, or problems “down there!”
Pain and discharge when urinating (peeing) or stooling (pooping) can be common for all people with all parts. These symptoms can come from the urinary tract or the vaginal tract. Lots of people use the butt for sex but find it hard to talk about with their clinician. Pain and discharge can be from an STI, but often, symptoms are unrelated to sex. Did you know that BV, or bacterial vaginosis, is the most common type of vaginitis symptom? It is not an STI but accounts for up to 70% of all vaginitis diagnoses. (The remainder is often yeast or trichomoniasis.)
So, if you're feeling some rectal, urinary, or vaginal irritation and are unsure why, our clinicians are experts at helping you figure out what's going on “down there”. If you need to see an in-person clinician for something, we can help! FOLX clinicians can refer you to the nearest LGBTQ-affirming provider in your area. For concerns about bumps, ulcers (sores) or other skin changes we may recommend seeing someone in person for a closer look and exam.
What kind of family planning and fertility services does FOLX offer?
With a FOLX membership, you gain access to LGBTQIA+ reproductive health care, which includes family planning counseling. We know family building is a lot different when you're queer. We'll guide you through pregnancy options and queer-friendly fertility resources, including preconception evaluations, family building consultations, and get you on the path to queer-centered fertility consultations.
Preparing for pregnancy and conception
Thinking about pregnancy or conceiving, either now or in the near future? Entering the world of pregnancy as a queer person can be a mix of excitement, uncertainty, and lots of questions. How do I get sperm? Do I need to freeze my eggs? Can I get pregnant at home, or will I need clinical support?
The first step to embarking on this journey is ensuring you know what's going on with your physical and emotional health. Start with a comprehensive health check-up with one of our queer-affirming clinicians. Pregnancy can be a lot for any body! If you feel you'd benefit from mental health support, consider talking with a therapist or other practitioner familiar with queer conception. We can connect you with a supportive therapist who understands LGBTQ family planning and pregnancy.
Queer fertility, including preservation (egg storage and sperm banking), is a topic our clinicians address. We'll help you decide whether to use a sperm donor or when to freeze sperm or eggs if starting gender-affirming hormone therapy. Our care team can also help you consider surrogacy options or refer you to LGBTQ-friendly adoption agencies. Understanding the legal aspects of queer family building is vital, and we can also help with legal referrals.
For more in-depth resources on family planning, check out these articles:
Referrals to LGBTQ+-affirming providers
We offer access to thousands of referrals nationwide for any care we do not provide, such as services that need to be done in person. Whether seeking pelvic floor PT (physical therapy), in-person gender-affirming reproductive health care (like Pap smears from a provider who understands not everyone who needs a pelvic exam is a woman), IVF services, or therapy, FOLX connects members to a broad range of healthcare professionals with experience working with the LGBTQIA+ community. Our Member Navigators can connect you with a referral.
Why FOLX
With an expert LGBTQIA+ care team that understands your needs, you get care from clinicians with extensive experience caring for our community. Our wait time for an appointment is generally under three days. You get access to a community platform offering forums on specific topics, so you feel the benefits of a connected health care experience that genuinely gets you. FOLX accepts select health insurance, so you can potentially get most of your sexual and reproductive health costs covered.
Honor your whole being and become a member to finally get sexual and reproductive health on your terms.
__
FOLX Health is the first digital healthcare company designed by and for the LGBTQIA+ community. Our services include virtual primary care, gender-affirming hormone therapy including estrogen and testosterone (HRT), mental health care, sexual and reproductive health care, preventive care, and fertility consultations. FOLX memberships give you access to LGBTQIA+ expert clinicians, peer support, thousands of LGBTQIA+ resources, and more. Whether you’re lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, gender non-conforming, or nonbinary, you can find LGBTQIA+-specialized health care that helps you meet your wellness goals. FOLX Health is health care that's queer all year. Get all the benefits of becoming a FOLX member and sign up today!
