The Role of Pap Smears in Negotiating Risk: Latinas' Perceptions of Trust and Love in Sexual Relationships with Men

This paper examines how Latinas' sexual constructions of themselves and of men influence their decisions to use condoms and the role of pap smears in monitoring their health and their partner's sexual behavior. When and under what circumstances Latinas use condoms or obtain a pap smear is particularly relevant given that they are diagnosed with cervical cancer at a later stage and have poorer clinical outcomes contributing to mortality rates that are twice that of Anglo women. I focus on the lives of four women who are representative of the findings from an ethnographic study of forty-three Latinas, twenty-four predominantly Spanish-speaking and twenty-one predominantly English-speaking, living in Los Angeles. Findings reveal that prioritizing sexual health, whether Latinas are born in the United States or not, is not an easy task due to gendered perceptions of love and motherhood, and unequal access to economic opportunities. Their narratives illustrate that trust implies risk-taking and that routine pap smears for some Latinas serve as a strategy not only to protect their health, but also their hearts. Moreover, the anxiety of having and attempting to resolve conflicting values and beliefs becomes apparent in the everyday behavior and health decisions of Latinas.