Rumors surrounding pap smears are enough to chill any woman’s bones and make us clench our knees together for days. All it takes is gossip about a scary doctor or the feeling of cold utensils down south, and a whole group of girls are traumatized from going to get a check up for at least 10 years. The really freakin’ scary part is that when women don’t get pap smears, they are unable to get the preventative care that they need.
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recommends women begin getting Pap smears within three years of the first time they have sexual intercourse, or by age 21, whichever comes first. Pap smears are generally painless and usually done during a pelvic exam. The doctor will position you on the exam table and insert a speculum (cute duck lips) into your vagina to swab your cervix for cells to test! YOU ARE A LIVING BREATHING, BEAUTIFUL SCIENCE EXPIREMENT, BE PROUD! Getting a pap smear allows you to rest easy/get treatment for HPV, STDs and Cervical Cancer and that’s all that really matters!
I grew up in a catholic household that condemned birth control and any feminine care/discussion so my first visit to the gynecologist was super sneaky and one huuuge adrenaline rush. I left the office with a million silly question answered, a bucket of birth control and my first pap smear completed. I’m not gonna lie: I made the nurse hold my hand and hummed soothing songs to myself the whole time, but the pap smear really didn’t hurt, and it was over in under 2 minutes. I even got a lollipop and some flavored condoms as a reward!
Comedian Nadia Kamil takes aim at misconceptions about pap smears and the importance of Cervical Cancer screening in her adorable and catchy new Pap Smear Rap #SocialMediaSmearPioneer video! The video is set to a sample from Azealia Banks 212 and will get you hyped to get pap smeared. This amazing feminist comedian is full of witty advice and seriously gives a damn about your vagina. Not only does she make a pap smear look like a stroll down Sesame Street, but she makes sure that it’s catchy and encouraging. I thank Nadia for taking the intimidation out of this super important part of life!
Happy coochie, happy life, right? If you STILL feel intimidated about getting a pap smear, peep Nadias’ live tweet of her last pap smear to get some positive encouragement. REMEMBER: IT IS OKAY TO ASK THE NURSE TO HOLD YOUR HAND AND MAYBE ASK HER TO RAP THIS SONG TO YOU TOO.
