TED Talks Daily Why can't we talk about periods? | Jen Gunter
Jan 17, 2020
Jen Gunter, a gynecologist and author, champions women's health and tackles menstrual misinformation. She boldly asserts that breaking the silence around periods is essential for empowerment. Gunter discusses how menstrual shame has persisted, leading to harmful myths and mismanagement of pain. She emphasizes the importance of open dialogue to dismantle taboos and encourages women to understand their bodies better. With a call for normalization, she aims to end the stigma surrounding menstruation and elevate women's health discussions.
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Jen Gunter's Period Experience
- Jen Gunter experienced painful, disruptive periods as a teenager, leading to missed school and shame.
- She found it difficult to discuss menstruation openly due to societal taboos and euphemisms.
Menstruation as a Tool of Oppression
- Menstrual shame is a tool of patriarchal oppression, used to control women during their reproductive years.
- Historical myths and misconceptions about menstruation, including the idea of "mentoxin," reinforced these taboos.
Menstruation's Uniqueness
- Menstruation is unique among mammals; most experience estrus, where the embryo signals uterine preparation.
- In menstruation, the ovary makes the choice, suggesting an inherent biological aspect of choice in human reproduction.