COMMUNITY SPOTLIGHT SHAME-FREE SEXUAL HEALTH CLINIC: A WELCOME ADDITION TO THE DENVER COMMUNITY BY ASHTON SCHNEIDER TBD IS A NEW SEXUAL HEALTH CENTER that opened its doors in early October. Recognizing a need for a clinic that offered shame-free and inclusive sexual healthcare, Co-founders Stephanie Estey and Daphne Chen established their first TBD clinic in Las Vegas a year ago. In an interview with Denver VOICE, Estey explained that the care hub helps erase the stigma related to STDs by making patients feel safe and comfortable in seeking sexual health care. “Testing doesn’t have to be this serious thing that feels really heavy,” Estey said, “but something that you can really be proud of [because you are taking time for self-care].” The Denver TBD clinic will operate similarly to the one in Las Vegas, which caters to a wide range of patients—from young teenagers to those who are elderly. “If you’re having sex, you should be thinking about your sexual health,” said Estey. “We don’t care how many partners you have; we just want to make sure you’re doing it in the best, healthiest way.” Like the one in Las Vegas, the Denver care hub provides Pap smears, birth control, and STD testing. Each patient is greeted by a doctor who walks them through what they can expect while at the clinic and answers whatever questions they may have. According to Estey, she and Chen saw Denver as an ideal location for their second care hub, due to the area’s rising cases of STIs/STDs. Additionally, Colorado is among the states that do not mandate sexual education in schools. XXXX COURTESY OF TBD DENVER 10 DENVER VOICE November 2023
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