Episode 43

*Scroll down for: Episode tangents, who is Karen, related articles, & related episodes*

We need to talk about the uterus!

But how do we have these conversations when most people don’t want to say period out loud?

Let’s go ahead and warm up with vocabulary: Period, uterus, menstruate, fibroids, endometriosis, hormones, perimenopause and menopause. Oh, and let’s not forget cramps and contractions. Who could forget those?

What should we call this collection? Women’s health, female health, uterine health, Internal reproductive organ system? To each their own as long as we can talk about it. 

*Side note: we use terms like women’s health in this conversation but these topics are for all bodies that have these systems. We did not explore the added challenges faced by Trans people with uterine health but want to acknowledge their inclusion in this cultural challenge.

For those born with a uterus and the systems around it, balancing is the right word for what we do with the medical system. We balance the culture of awkwardness around our own bodily functions, sometimes to the point of silence. Our culture has taught us to accept the lack of conversation, knowledge and care. I am over it. Let’s talk about the uterus!

In this episode, I chat with Karen Mannion about our personal experiences with fibroids and explore the larger topic: A need for more conversations for the sake of our health and future generations. 

Listeners who follow Balancing Cultures on social media know, since this interview was recorded, I ended up having surgery and removing my uterus. I will make an episode in a few weeks to follow up. 

For now, here is a chat between two uterus owners trying to challenging cultural norms.