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On Health

Vagina Obscura and the Sexist History of Female Anatomy With Rachel E. Gross

On Health

Aviva Romm

Health & Fitness, Arts, Alternative Health, Medicine

4.81.4K Ratings

🗓️ 21 June 2023

⏱️ 50 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Female anatomy is shrouded in misconceptions and limited knowledge. Yet within us lies potential for transformation, healing, and pleasure. On today's episode, I'm thrilled to be joined by distinguished journalist and author of the acclaimed book "Vagina Obscura: An Anatomical Voyage." Rachel E. Gross. Rachel's groundbreaking book sheds light on untold stories and silenced narratives, shaping our understanding of female anatomy. Through her detailed research and heartfelt storytelling, we explore the interconnectedness of physical, emotional, and social aspects of women's health, fostering empowerment and self-discovery. Rachel and I discuss: How bacterial vaginosis inspired Rachel to write this book The history of lack of female orgasm in a marriage being grounds for divorce in the US How shame has historically been baked into the language of female anatomy What the 'career women's disease is and how attitudes about women impact our ability to get the care we need The truth about female orgasms and the G spot Radical women who have paved the way for better scientific understanding of the ovaries, uterus, fertility, and more! Join us on a journey as we unravel the mysteries of female anatomy, challenge societal norms, and celebrate our resilience and beauty. We dismantle the barriers of shame and misinformation, embracing and celebrating the magic and intricacies of the female body. Thank you so much for taking the time to tune in to your body, yourself, and this podcast! Please share the love by sending this to someone in your life who could benefit from the kinds of things we talk about in this space. Make sure to follow your host on Instagram @dr.avivaromm and go to avivaromm.com to join the conversation. Follow Rachel Gross on Instagram @gross_out, check out her noteworthy New York Times article here, and grab a copy of her book here!

Transcript

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0:00.0

From this stuff your mother never told you to the stuff your doctor never learned, on health

0:09.6

is what happens when a midwife, plus a Yale trained MD, shares about all things women's

0:14.6

health.

0:15.6

From periods to menopause, sex to reproductive health politics, motherhood to mental health,

0:21.0

join me for taboo-busting conversations that demystify and destigmatize our bodies, all

0:26.8

bridging the gap between conventional medicine and wellness.

0:30.4

Along the way, we'll be exploring the science and wisdom of how our bodies work, what makes

0:34.8

us well, what gets in the way, and how we can live our best lives on our terms.

0:40.4

When it comes to women's health and well-being, there's nothing we won't talk about.

0:44.1

The new medicine for women is here, I'm Dr. Revivaram, welcome to the podcast.

0:56.5

Some years ago, on a vacation to Europe, I had the opportunity to be on a tour to experience

1:03.2

a camera obscura.

1:05.1

We were walked up some winding metal stairs to a back room at the top of a building, and

1:11.5

we walked into this dark room and a group of us surrounded this giant metal disk that

1:18.1

we could look into and see the sky reflected in through a hole in the roof of this building.

1:26.0

A camera obscura reflects the world back, but dimmer and inverted.

1:32.4

Similarly, science has long viewed the bodies, sexuality, and lives of women through a

1:38.8

warped lens, one focused narrowly on our capacity for reproduction, and one riddled with

1:45.5

biases about our mental capacity, role in society, and our fundamental worth.

1:52.1

And short, women have historically, through the lens of science, been seen as little

1:56.9

men at best, sub-human at worst.

2:01.4

These biases have led to surgical experimentation without anesthesia on enslaved women in the

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