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Welcome to another episode of The Gynarchy Podcast! Today, I’m speaking with ob/gyn and past president of the Canadian Colposcopy Society, Amanda Selk, MD, to share some facts and debunk myths about the human papilloma virus (HPV) vaccine.

In “Episode 24: Real Facts About the HPV Vaccine”, Dr. Selk joins me to demystify the HPV vaccine and talk about what it is, why it’s important, its risks and benefits, and why it matters for everyone, not just girls.

Here are some topics we discuss:

• What is HPV is and how prevalent it is
• What diseases HPV causes, including genital warts and cancers of the head and neck, vulva, vagina, cervix, anus, and penis
• What the HPV vaccine is and its development
• HPV vaccine safety and effectiveness
• Debunking common myths about the vaccine
• Recommended vaccine schedule and anticipated future changes
• What to do if doses are missed
• Screening for HPV related cancers

Tune in on Monday, June 23, 2025 and make sure to subscribe and stay updated on all our episodes.

Where to connect with Amanda Selk, MD:

LinkedIn:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/amanda-selk-4100921bb/

Bluesky:

Dr Amanda Selk (@dramandaselk.bsky.social)

Twitter/X:

Amanda Selk (@DrAmandaSelk) on X

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• Bluesky: @thegynarchy
• Instagram: @thegynarchy
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Website: www.thegynarchypodcast.com

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Medical disclaimer: The content provided on this podcast is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.

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Welcome to another episode of The Gynarchy Podcast! Today, I’m speaking with endocrinologist and obesity and culinary medicine specialist Dr. Disha Narang about a common but misunderstood medical condition, polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS).

In “Episode 23: Understanding Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome”, Dr. Narang joins me to explain what PCOS is, how it’s diagnosed, the variety of symptoms it can cause, and approaches to treatment.

Here are some topics we discuss:

• What is PCOS and what causes it?
• Why rates of PCOS are increasing
• Signs and symptoms of PCOS and how it is diagnosed
• Approach to treatment of PCOS and the symptoms it causes
• Other health conditions that patients with PCOS are at risk for
• Why birth control is often recommended for management of PCOS

Tune in on Monday, June 9, 2025 and make sure to subscribe and stay updated on all our episodes.

Where to connect with Disha Narang, MD:

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/dishanarangmd/

X:

Disha K. Narang, M.D.| Endocrinologist, Dipl. ABOM (@DishaKumarMD) on X

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Follow Us for Updates:‌

• Bluesky: @thegynarchy
• Instagram: @thegynarchy
• TikTok: @thegynarchy
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Website: www.thegynarchypodcast.com

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Medical disclaimer: The content provided on this podcast is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.

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Welcome to another episode of The Gynarchy Podcast! Today, I’m speaking with HeHe Stewart, an experienced doula, founder of the Tranquility by HeHe Maternity Concierge service, creator of The Birth Lounge childbirth education program, and host of The Birth Lounge Podcast about her work as a doula.

In “Episode 22: Working with a Doula”, we demystify the role of doulas in pregnancy, birth, and the postpartum period and explore how doulas provide emotional, physical, and educational support that can radically change the childbirth experience. We talk about the difference between a doula and a midwife, how doulas advocate within the medical system, and why their presence is especially powerful for people navigating hospital births.

Here are some topics we discuss:

• HeHe’s background and experience working as a doula
• What is a doula?
• The kinds of services a doula provides during the prenatal, pregnancy, and postpartum periods
• How to find a doula to work with
• How to become a doula
• The difference between doula versus midwifery and ob/gyn physician care
• How a doula can help support and enhance your medical care, particularly in terms of respecting your autonomy, providing education, and supporting informed consent
• The problem of overmedicalization of birth and need to return to woman-centered care

Tune in on Monday, May 19, 2025 and make sure to subscribe to stay updated on all our episodes.

Where to connect with HeHe Stewart:

Instagram:

Instagram (@tranquilitybyhehe)

Instagram (@the.birth.lounge)

TikTok:

HeHe on TikTok

Website:

Birth Services | Tranquility by HeHe | United States

The Birth Lounge Podcast:

The Birth Lounge Podcast

Free Resource - Interviewing Providers:

https://www.thebirthlounge.com/Interviewing-Providers

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Follow Us for Updates:‌

• Bluesky: @thegynarchy
• Instagram: @thegynarchy
• TikTok: @thegynarchy
• YouTube: @thegynarchy

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Website: www.thegynarchypodcast.com

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Medical disclaimer: The content provided on this podcast is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.

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Welcome to another episode of The Gynarchy Podcast! Today, I am speaking with Dr. Neel Shah, an ob/gyn, Chief Medical Officer of Maven Clinic, visiting scientist at Harvard Medical School, and advisory board member of the National Institutes of Health, Office of Women’s Health Research, about the ob/gyn doctor shortage in the US.

In “Episode 21: The Ob/Gyn Doctor Shortage”, we discuss a growing crisis in women’s healthcare - the severe shortage of ob/gyns. With rising burnout, increasing restrictions on reproductive care, and medical students steering away from the specialty, we discuss what the future holds for obstetric and gynecologic care and possible solutions.

Here are some topics we discuss:

• The scope of the ob/gyn shortage and its serious impacts on women’s health, particularly maternal health and access to care
• The especially dire situation in rural America
• Factors contributing to the shortage: physician burnout, aging workforce, restrictive laws affecting reproductive healthcare, litigation fears, limited number of residency slots, less medical students entering the field
• Healthcare system issues that contribute to the problem, including undervaluing women’s healthcare, leading to low reimbursement for women’s healthcare services, often resulting in closures of maternity units at small hospitals
• Possible solutions, including healthcare policy changes, expanding healthcare coverage, improving reimbursements, increasing telehealth and virtual care, increasing the ob/gyn physician pipeline, creative solutions to find balance and prevent burnout for physicians in the field

Tune in on Monday, May 5, 2025 and make sure to subscribe to stay updated on all our episodes.

Where to connect with Neel Shah, MD:

Substack: Neel Shah, MD | Substack

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/neeltshah/

Website: Maven Clinic - The next generation of care for women and families

Support the show

Follow Us for Updates:‌

• Bluesky: @thegynarchy
• Instagram: @thegynarchy
• TikTok: @thegynarchy
• YouTube: @thegynarchy

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Website: www.thegynarchypodcast.com

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Medical disclaimer: The content provided on this podcast is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.

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Welcome to another episode of The Gynarchy Podcast! Today, I am speaking with information technology leader, gender equity researcher, and co-author Amy Diehl, PhD about her book Glass Walls: Shattering the Six Gender Bias Barriers Still Holding Women Back.

In “Episode 20: Shattering Glass Walls” we discuss the structural and cultural barriers that hinder women’s success in the workplace, despite decades of progress we have made. Dr. Diehl names the problematic behaviors, offers examples from her book, and practical advice and strategies for overcoming these biases so women can empower themselves and others.

Here are some topics we discuss:

• An overview of Dr. Diehl and co-author Dr. Dzubinski’s gender bias research
• Defining ‘glass walls’, the six gender bias barriers that hold women back in the workplace: male privilege, disproportionate constraints, insufficient support, devaluation, hostility, acquiescence
• The importance of recognizing and naming the behaviors that reflect these biases
• How male privilege is the bedrock from which all the other biases grow
• Examples from the book of the six gender bias barriers
• How to approach solutions and strategies for dealing with these barriers
• How one can check their own bias with the “flip it to test it” technique

Tune in on Monday, April 21, 2025 and make sure to subscribe to stay updated on all our episodes.

Where to connect with Amy Diehl:

Website: Amy Diehl, PhD / Gender Bias and Gender Equity Expert + Speaker

Bluesky: Amy Diehl, Ph.D. (@amydiehl.bsky.social)

Instagram: Instagram (@amydiehlphd)

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amy-diehl/

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Follow Us for Updates:‌

• Bluesky: @thegynarchy
• Instagram: @thegynarchy
• TikTok: @thegynarchy
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Website: www.thegynarchypodcast.com

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Medical disclaimer: The content provided on this podcast is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.

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Welcome to another episode of The Gynarchy Podcast! Today, I am speaking to award-winning fashion stylist, lifestyle blogger, and podcaster Tara West about the positives and negatives of the fashion industry.

In “Episode 19: The Fashion Industry: the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly” we discuss the powerful force that is the fashion industry and how it shapes culture, identity, and even politics. We discuss its dark side, including environmental dangers, exploitation of labor, poor representation, and unrealistic beauty standards, but also how we can harness its power to empower ourselves and for others.

Here are some topics we discuss:

• The fashion industry’s influence in creating unrealistic beauty standards
• Poor representation of women, LGTBQ+, and people with disabilities
• How the fashion industry is evolving
• How fashion can be a tool of empowerment
• What is empowering vs. exploitative to women
• Embracing femininity and recognizing its power
• Using fashion to push back against gender stereotypes
• Environmental dangers of fast fashion
• Fashion as a tool of protest

Tune in on Monday, April 7, 2025 and make sure to subscribe to stay updated on all our episodes.

Where to connect with Tara West:

Website: TARA WEST FASHION

Podcast: Shorts: Beyond Measure w/ Tara, Caroline & Allison

Instagram: Instagram (@tarawestfashion)

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Follow Us for Updates:‌

• Bluesky: @thegynarchy
• Instagram: @thegynarchy
• TikTok: @thegynarchy
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Website: www.thegynarchypodcast.com

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Medical disclaimer: The content provided on this podcast is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.

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Welcome to another episode of The Gynarchy Podcast! Today, I am speaking to sociology professor, award-winning teacher, expert on families, school, and inequalities, and author, Jessica Calarco, about her book Holding it Together: How Women Became America’s Safety Net.

In “Episode 18: Women: Society’s Safety Net”, Dr. Calarco offers insights from her groundbreaking research on how women’s labor is undervalued, often taken for granted, and routinely left unpaid. We discuss societal myths, how we can push back against these harmful narratives, and advocate for better policies to create a more equitable future.

Here are some of the topics we discuss:

• Examples of how women are society’s safety net
• How the COVID-19 pandemic starkly brought these inequities to light
• Harmful myths that contribute to this problem, including: the Myth of Meritocracy, the Mars-Venus Myth, the Supermom Myth, the Myth of Good Choices
• Socioeconomic impacts of social policies on women
• How women are forced into motherhood
• Men’s incentives to avoid care work
• The appeal of the “trad wife” trend
• The outsize influence of billionaires and corporations on policies
• Policies in other countries with greater gender equality that do work

Tune in on Monday, March 17, 2025 and make sure to subscribe to stay updated on all our episodes.

Where to connect with Jessica Calarco:

Website: Jessica Calarco

Bluesky: Jess Calarco (@jessicacalarco.bsky.social)

Instagram: Instagram (@jesscalarco)

Threads: https://www.threads.net/@jesscalarco

Support the show

Follow Us for Updates:‌

• Bluesky: @thegynarchy
• Instagram: @thegynarchy
• TikTok: @thegynarchy
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Website: www.thegynarchypodcast.com

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Medical disclaimer: The content provided on this podcast is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.

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Welcome to another episode of The Gynarchy Podcast! Today, I am speaking to Afghan women’s rights activist and writer Mina Sharif about the dire situation of women and girls in Afghanistan.

In “Episode 17: Global Women’s Voices: Afghanistan”, Mina brings her background, experience, and insights as an Afghan woman, volunteer, and advocate to share about the culture and life of women in Afghanistan, discuss the current challenges, and what we as global citizens and women's rights activists can do to support them.

Here are some of the topics we discuss:

• Afghan culture and misconceptions about it
• A brief overview of women’s rights in Afghanistan
• Life under Taliban rule and impact of restrictions on the people of Afghanistan
• The dismal state of legal and reproductive rights and healthcare for women
• Resistance efforts to fight for basic human rights
• Cultural preservation efforts
• Pros and cons of international aid and policies
• How best to help women of Afghanistan

Tune in on Monday, March 3, 2025 and make sure to subscribe to stay updated on all our episodes.

Where to connect with Mina Sharif:

Instagram: Instagram (@missminakabul)

Website: mina sharif

Support the show

Follow Us for Updates:‌

• Bluesky: @thegynarchy
• Instagram: @thegynarchy
• TikTok: @thegynarchy
• YouTube: @thegynarchy

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Website: www.thegynarchypodcast.com

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Medical disclaimer: The content provided on this podcast is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.