Despite all of our modern medicine and science, knowledge about the female body is seriously lacking. Myths abound, and even women themselves often don’t understand how their bodies work, thanks to men’s takeover of what is now known as the medical establishment. It is because of these myths and misunderstandings — everything from the idea that that pubic hair is dirty to the belief that having sex while pregnant could “hurt the baby” to the trend of “steaming the vagina” — that Dr. Jen Gunter recently published a book called, The Vagina Bible. In it, she covers everything from STDs to yeast infections to “feminine hygiene.”
In August, Gunter spoke out after Twitter banned advertisements for her book due to the use of the word “vagina.”
In this episode, I speak with the Canadian OB/GYN, women’s health advocate, and New York Times columnist, not only about vaginas, but about all sorts of ways we are sold unhelpful products for and information about our bodies.