Being a woman (over 40) who loves men and everything about them I date. Sometimes I date more than one man at a time (gasp, oh my petticoats), don't worry I am honest about it.  Sometimes I date couples, bi men, straight married men, kinky men. I am in it for the experience, and maybe eventually a partner.

Being a responsible person I use condoms, all the time, but sometimes accidents happen.  So I go to the walk in clinic, tell the doctor I have multiple partners and I would like to be tested.  The doctor being a very gracious, wonderful woman who does not care about my sexual preferences gives me the swab for chlamydia, gonorrhoea and the blood requisition for the rest.

Today I am told by the blood lab that they will not process my swab because I am a woman over 40, apparently women over 40 don't have sex. If I were a man, I would not be receiving this call. WTF. Ohhh, my Irish temper...

In the past I have gotten my testing done at my family doctor and she always had to write "unfaithful husband" on the lab work, which at the time was true, and I honestly thought this "women over 40" need an excuse thing was just her and the blood lab she dealt with. But I hated it because the receptionist, who was my next door neighbour, and the blood lab technician, who has kids that same age as mine always saw this on the paper.  It was embarrassing. So I thought I would try the walk-in, in the city where I didn't know anyone.

Apparently, this is a province-wide requirement at blood labs, they do not process STI testing for women over 40.  Where to start on that one...discriminatory, sexist, violation of privacy, ignorant, downright stupid, everything the Canadian health system should not be. —L