logo
episode-header-image
May 2024
48m 58s

Why Does Gynecological Care Affect Us Al...

Sony Music Entertainment / Jonathan Van Ness
About this episode

Did you know that in ancient Greece, the stereotype that women were “overly emotional” came from the false idea of a “wandering womb?” Neither did we! Dr. Karen Tang joins Jonathan to go deep on the long history of stigma and shame around gynecological care, and to answer all our questions about what it even is. Plus we talk about the state of gynecological care in this election year, draw out the connection between the attacks against abortion care and trans affirming health care, and how to advocate for better care for yourself and your loved ones.


Dr. Karen Tang is a board-certified gynecologist and minimally invasive gynecologic surgeon who is an internationally recognized leader in reproductive health. She reaches millions of viewers each month with her educational videos about period health, pelvic pain, and reproductive rights. Dr. Tang has been featured in The Washington Post, Self, Glamour, NBC.com, and NPR, among other media outlets. Her new book, It's Not Hysteria: Everything You Need to Know About Your Reproductive Health (But Were Never Told), is out on May 7th!


You can follow Dr. Tang on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, and Threads @karentangmd


Follow us on Instagram @CuriousWithJVN to join the conversation. Jonathan is on Instagram @JVN.


Transcripts for each episode are available at JonathanVanNess.com.


Find books from Getting Curious guests at bookshop.org/shop/curiouswithjvn.


Our senior producers are Chris McClure and Julia Melfi. Our editor & engineer is Nathanael McClure. Production support from Julie Carrillo, Anne Currie, and Chad Hall.


Our theme music is “Freak” by QUIÑ; for more, head to TheQuinCat.com.


Curious about bringing your brand to life on the show? Email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Up next
Yesterday
How to Stay Hopeful (and Powerful) When Rights Are Under Threat — with Planned Parenthood’s Alexis McGill Johnson
Planned Parenthood President and CEO Alexis McGill Johnson is here and we are fired up! Alexis is leading the fight to protect reproductive freedom at a time when access to healthcare is under attack across the U.S.—and she’s breaking it all down for us. JVN sat down with Alexis ... Show More
48m 42s
Oct 7
Presenting Heavyweight: The Messenger
Looking for your next favorite podcast (besides mine, of course)? Heavyweight, hosted by Jonathan Goldstein, will break your heart...and then put it back together. In each episode, Jonathan helps someone revisit a defining regret, lost connection, or unsolved mystery from their l ... Show More
38m 47s
Oct 6
AI Trump Memes, OBBBA Tax Breaks & Healthcare Cuts
We’re talking: WAYWARD’s No. 1 spot on Netflix, celeb sightings at The Corner Store, Figure Skating & Gymnastics on Peacock, bag etiquette, AI Trump posts, One Big Beautiful Bill Act tax breaks & healthcare cuts, what extreme gender ideology actually is, situationship ghosting, L ... Show More
31m 21s
Recommended Episodes
Jul 2022
Let's Talk About Vaginas Feat. Dr. Naz | BFBA Episode 15
To Stevie’s delight, we FINALLY get to talk about vaginas (not that we haven’t been doing that this whole time), but this time, with facts! On this episode of BFBA, obstetric gynecologist (or OB/GYN) Dr. Nazaneen Homaifar AKA Dr. Naz (who just happens to be Neagheen’s sister) joi ... Show More
1h 11m
Apr 2022
91. Better Sex & Lives in Menopause with Dr. Jen Gunter
1. How to get your orgasm back.2. Dr. Jen Gunter’s advice–and personal mantra–for surviving hot flushes.3. How to differentiate between mental health challenges and menopause.4. The one easy thing you can do at the doctor’s office to ensure better care.5. Is menopause a reboot of ... Show More
55m 38s
Apr 2022
90. Menopause: What We Deserve to Know with Dr. Jen Gunter
1. Hot flushes, night sweats, sleep disturbances, vaginal dryness, and the less common, frequently-missed symptoms of menopause. 2. A strategy and script for how to talk to your doctor without being dismissed.3. The lies and truth about menopause hormone therapy.4. Why our cultur ... Show More
1h 3m
Feb 2024
Ep. 192: Debunking Menstruation Misinformation with Dr. Jen Gunter
Dr. Jen Gunter is an OBGYN with 30+ years of experience as a vulvar and vaginal diseases expert. She joins us today to debunk menstruation myths! Mary asks Dr. Jen questions like... is menstruating the body’s way of detoxing? what causes menstrual cramps and period poops? why/ ho ... Show More
51m 31s
Sep 2021
Childbirth: Are Doctors Messing It Up?
Childbirth seems to be getting more and more medicalized, with C-sections and other interventions out the wazoo. But childbirth isn’t a disease! So is all this medical meddling really necessary, or are doctors too trigger-happy with the scalpel? To find out, we talked to obstetri ... Show More
40m 26s
Jan 2021
EP214 - Birth Control: The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly with Dr. Sarah E. Hill
Welcome to episode 214 of the Sexology Podcast! Today I'm delighted to welcome Dr. Sarah E. Hill to the podcast. In this episode, Dr Hill speaks with me about the issues around birth control and sex, how birth control affects sexuality, the side effects of birth control and r ... Show More
29m 39s
Dec 2018
The Science Of Being Transgender
Recently we’ve been hearing a lot about transgender identity. That made us wonder… what makes us the gender that we are? And what should you do if your kid doesn’t fit the mold? To find out, we talked with endocrinologist Dr. Joshua Safer, psychologist Dr. Laura Edwards-Leeper, a ... Show More
40m 49s
Sep 2020
What Your Mother Never Told You About Health with Dr. Sharon Malone
Michelle talks with her friend, Dr. Sharon Malone, an OB-GYN, about women’s health, menopause, and aging. Find the episode transcript here: http://spoti.fi/TMOP_transcripts See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy# ... Show More
40 m