“Literally, I would have to set a timer and change the tampon every two hours because I would bleed through everything. It was like...it was like shark week.”
That’s a woman speaking frankly about her period after getting an IUD. But it’s not just any woman. It’s Jessica Biel.
Her remark is just one of many that I found hilarious, familiar, and informative while watching her new video series, “If you don’t tell them, then who will?” Each video features Joy Bryant, Whitney Cummings, and Jessica Biel openly talking about things such as condoms, birth control pills, and why Whitney loves your vagina (yep, you read that right).
The series was created in partnership with WomanCare Global, a nonprofit committed to providing access to reproductive health solutions for women and girls around the world, and it seeks to “empower girls and women by bringing women’s health issues out of the shadows.”
The videos do a great job of using eye-opening humor to deliver the message that no topic is taboo, and they’re a breath of fresh air in a world where women are commonly shamed for their bodies or bodily functions and where sex education is either absent or incomprehensive.
For more on female-shaming, check out this video and the comments beneath it (Teaser: “We don't need to hear about your bodily functions and emotional instability. Just STFU and get back in the kitchen and get me a beer.”). HA!
Misconceptions, misinformation, and myths about reproductive health lead to way more than hostile YouTube comments or embarrassing stories (real talk: when I started my period in 7th grade, I thought that I would have one continuous period for the rest of my life). Myths about menstruation are preventing girls around the world from attending school and getting a high-quality education. And in the US alone, about half of all pregnancies each year are unintended.
Openly addressing the female anatomy is the first step in mitigating some of these unfortunate consequences.
However, while initiatives like this new video series are on the right track to helping women talk openly about their bodies, there are still gaps that need to be addressed. I’ve noticed a new trend in advocacy for IUDs. According to sites like this one (which accompanies the WomanCare Global video series), IUDs are the top recommended choice for women contemplating which birth control method to use. And according to this site, the only “real stories” women have to tell about IUDs are extremely positive.
IUDs are certainly effective, and it’s important that they’re part of a broader conversation about birth control options, but they might not always be the best choice for each and every woman.
If the goal is to empower girls and women to make their own informed choices about their bodies, let them. Any form of hormonal birth control has the power to cause mild to severe side effects in women. Unfortunately for us, those side effects aren’t well understood until we’ve put the birth control into our bodies. Even IUDs which are advertised as having little or no hormones can cause pretty major side effects (e.g., depression, anxiety, hair loss, severe cramping). When women have limited time or resources to experiment with different birth control methods, this lack of information can be dangerous.
I challenge sex education initiatives to take things one step further. I challenge sites to tell ALL of the real stories about birth control. Women need to be educated about the good, the bad, and the ugly—even when it comes to the most clinically effective birth control methods.
Choosing the right birth control can be one of the most complicated decisions a woman has to make. Help make this decision an easier one. Support initiatives that encourage 100 percent honesty. Give girls and women the chance to figure out how they can live their lives as informed, as healthy, and as happy as possible.
Because if you don't help empower girls and women, then who will?