If My Vagina Could Talk

This week Leah Hollar talks about gender based violence during the genocide taking place is Darfur, a region in Western Sudan. She touches on rape, psychological warfare, and how the government took part in the genocide. Leah works for an organization that supports survivors of the genocide and she speaks on their efforts, what needs to be done, and what we can do to help. - Educate yourself on the Darfur Genocide here: http://worldwithoutgenocide.org/genocides-and-conflicts/darfur-genocide. - Remember to keep learning and sharing information for the United Nations’ 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-based Violence, find more info here: https://www.unwomen.org/en/what-we-do/ending-violence-against-women/take-action/16-days-of-activism. - Follow us on Instagram & Facebook @vaginastories_pod. - Join our Facebook connection and support group “If My V Could Talk Support” for connection with like-minded people fighting for women’s empowerment. - Subscribe, rate, & share! - **There are 54 recognized countries in Africa, Leah counted the Western Sahara in her count of 55, which is a disputed/non-official “country”.

This week I talk about global violence against women and how the COVID-19 pandemic has made the problem worse. November 25th is the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women set by the United Nations (UN). The UN’s 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence begins on November 25th and ends on December 10th, which is International Human Rights Day. The theme of the 16 days this year is Orange the World: Fund, Respond, Prevent, Collect. Find more information at these links: 1) un.org/en/observances/ending-violence-against-women-day ; 2) unwomen.org/en/what-we-do/ending-violence-against-women/facts-and-figures ; 3) unwomen.org/en/what-we-do/ending-violence-against-women/take-action/16-days-of-activism ; 4) unwomen.org/-/media/headquarters/attachments/sections/what%20we%20do/evaw/unite%20campaign_2020_concept%20note_final.pdf?la=en&vs=5951. - View awareness images for social media here: trello.com/b/2n3wcRVJ/16-days-of-activism-2020. - Register for the UN’s Official Commemoration Ceremony for the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women on November 25 @ 10am EST: http://unwo.men/Ek2E50Ck3Jk. - Follow on Instagram & Facebook @vaginastories_pod. - Join our Facebook connection and support group “If My V Could Talk Support”. - Subscribe, rate, & SHARE! - Write a review and get entered in a secret giveaway!

Mielle Kerkhof shares her story of losing her husband, Brett, to a rare liver cancer while he was an active duty Marine. She became a single mother, and then went through IVF to have a second baby with her husband’s sperm. She also talks parenting, dating, and how she continues to make it all work. - Rest In Peace to Staff Sergeant Brett Kerkhof, USMC. - Follow us on Facebook & Instagram @vaginastories_pod for updates & more content. - Join our Facebook connection & support group “If My V Could Talk Support” for a community of like-minded people fighting the patriarchy. - Subscribe, rate, & SHARE. - If My Vagina Could Talk this is what it would say!

This week I talk about disparities women face in health care, and go a step further to talk about how women of color and trans people are affected on an even more significant level. - “Ask Me About My Uterus: A Quest to Make Doctors Believe in Women’s Pain” by Abby Norman. - “Doing Harm: The Truth About How Bad Medicine and Lazy Science Leave Women Dismissed, Misdiagnosed, and Sick” by Maya Dusenbery. - Information gathered from: https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2017/11/21/564817975/health-care-system-fails-many-transgender-americans ; https://www.americanbar.org/groups/crsj/publications/human_rights_magazine_home/the-state-of-healthcare-in-the-united-states/racial-disparities-in-health-care/ ; https://www.nhpr.org/post/when-why-women-people-color-face-lower-quality-healthcare-worse-health-outcomes#stream/0 ; https://www.kff.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/racial-and-ethnic-disparities-in-women-s-health-coverage-and-access-to-care.pdf ; https://www.usnews.com/news/the-report/articles/2018-04-20/why-women-struggle-to-get-doctors-to-believe-them ; https://www.nytimes.com/2018/03/19/books/review/abby-norman-ask-me-about-my-uterus.html. - Follow on FB & IG @vaginastories_pod. - Join our Facebook support & connection group “If My V Could Talk Support” for connection with like-minded people & stay tuned for the giveaway. - Subscribe, rate, & SHARE! - Always remember, If My Vagina Could Talk, this is what it would say!

If you’re new here - If My Vagina Could Talk is a podcast showcasing women’s stories, focusing on issues affecting women and specifically allowing a safe place for women to speak and be heard. - Season two will feature more episodes than the first season, with some of the content focusing on women’s health care, disparities between white women, women of color, and trans or gender fluid people, the myth of women’s oppression in Islamic culture, global violence against women, sex, and more. - Also new this season will be mini episodes with self-care practices for you to follow! - Check back every Tuesday for new episodes! - Subscribe, rate, & share! - Follow on Facebook & Instagram @vaginastories_pod. - Join our Facebook connection and support group “If My V Could Talk Support” for connection with people who care & talk about women’s issues & empowerment. - Always remember, If My Vagina Could Talk, this is what it would say!

I talk about my struggles with attachment, PTSD, postpartum depression, bipolar disorder, and struggling with suicidal thoughts. World Mental Health Day is October 10th. You are not alone! End the stigma. Get help if you need it, encourage others to get help if they need it. We are all here and we all have each other. - Follow on Instagram & Facebook @vaginastories_pod. - Join our Facebook connection & support group “If My V Could Talk Support”. - Subscribe, rate, share! - Title is from the quote “Talking to a therapist was like taking your clothes off and then taking your skin off. And then the other person saying ‘would you mind opening your rib cage so that we can start?” by Julie Schumacher.

James talks about his journey transitioning from female to male, becoming his authentic self and living his truth. Joining the Marine Corps and realizing, despite his love for the country & the Corps, that he needed to put his mental health first. - Next week’s episode will be my story with depression and other mental health struggles in honor of the upcoming World Mental Health Day on October 10th. - Follow us on Facebook & Instagram @vaginastories_pod. - Join our support and connection group on Facebook “If My V Could Talk Support” for conversation and connection surrounding women’s issues & empowerment. - Most importantly: Subscribe, Rate, & SHARE.

Cheyenne talks about body image, body shaming, loving your body, and sex work. We talk about normalizing sex work and the sex industry, and the journey she’s been on into loving her body just the way it is. - Title from “Scars to Your Beautiful” by Alessia Cara. - Join our support & connection group on Facebook “If My V Could Talk Support” . - Follow us on Instagram & Facebook @vaginastories_pod. - Subscribe, rate, & SHARE!

Meech speaks with me about toxic masculinity, male culture, the notion of “boys don’t cry”, and the sex-shaming of women in society. - Listen to his podcast “Extraordinary Thoughts for the Ordinary Mind” on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts! - Buy his book “The Extraordinary Thought from the Ordinary Mind” here: https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B08C97X2RY?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_mob_b_asin_title. - Buy “Boys Will Be Boys” by Clementine Ford here: https://www.amazon.com/Boys-Will-Be-Clementine-Ford/dp/1786076632/ref=mp_s_a_1_4?dchild=1&keywords=boys+will+be+boys+book&qid=1600105422&sprefix=boys+will+be&sr=8-4. - Title from “Nightmare” by Halsey. - Follow us on Instagram & Facebook @vaginastories_pod. - Join our support & connection group on Facebook “If My V Could Talk Support”. - SUBSCRIBE, RATE, & SHARE!

Taylor talks about Reiki healing, our energy centers and chakras, how to heal them, and how to connect to our womb and femininity through our cycles. - Title from “Shoe Yourself” by Ayla Nereo. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram @vaginastories_pod. - Join our Facebook support & connection group “If My V Could Talk Support”. - Most importantly: Subscribe, Rate, & SHARE.

Lauren shares her story of surviving rape, the obstacles she has faced since, the failure of the justice system, and continuing to fight without losing hope. - National Sexual Assault Hotline: 1-800-656-HOPE (4673). - Resources @ www.rainn.org. - National Sexual Violence Resource Center (legal & other victims services) @ www.nsvrc.org. - Legal Aid for Survivors of Sexual Assault (LASSA) @ www.legalaidforsurvivors.org OR 1-800-991-5153. - Book on PTSD and what your body remembers that you may not “The Body Keeps the Score” by Dr. Bessel van der Kolk. - Title from “Warrior” by Demi Lovato. - Follow us on Instagram & Facebook @vaginastories_pod. - Join our connection & support group on Facebook where we talk all things Vagina “If My V Could Talk Support”. Check out our merch @ www.shopafnf.com/collections/collab-x-collection. - SUBSCRIBE, rate, & share!

***I STATED JACOB BLAKE WAS MURDERED when in fact he was shot. My mistake - however the message of Justice for Jacob is still relevant!*** - Vanessa Walik shares her experience with Postpartum Depression and we talk about anxiety, libido, motherhood shame, and how to live a life you love with intention. - If you or someone you know has or is currently contemplating suicide please cal the National Suicide Hotline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255). - Visit postpartumdepression.org to learn more. - Black Lives Matter. Justice for Jacob Blake and his family. - Check out our merch at shopafnf.com/collections/collab-x-collection. - Follow us on Instagram @vaginastories_pod & join our Facebook connection & support group “If My V Could Talk Support”. - Title from “Chandelier” by Sia. - Subscribe, rate, & share!

Nicole will discuss her experience inside the military justice courtroom concerning the lack of knowledge when discussing the anatomy of a vagina and sex related crime terminology. -Find sexual assault information and resources here: https://www.rainn.org. -Find the power and control wheel here: http://www.ncdsv.org/images/PowerControlwheelNOSHADING.pdf. -Find domestic violence information and resources here: https://www.thehotline.org. -Find the Consent Tea video here: https://youtu.be/oQbei5JGiT8. -Progressive sex ed info (for kids) here: https://nowtoronto.com/lifestyle/education/progressive-sex-ed-resources-online. -Title from “I Believe You” by FLETCHER. -Follow us on Instagram for updates & new content @vaginastories_pod. -Join our Facebook group for connection on women’s issues and women’s empowerment “If My V Could Talk Support”. -Rate, Subscribe, and SHARE!

F*ck the patriarchy! Why women should be able to enjoy sex, embrace their sexuality, and rap about it. Subscribe, rate, share, & follow our Instagram page @vaginastories_pod. Listen to WAP by Cardi B & Megan Thee Stallion.

Why women? - 2019 UN Statistics here: https://www.unwomen.org/en/what-we-do/ending-violence-against-women/facts-and-figures. - Why Vaginas? - My story & what brought me here. - ACEs survey here: https://www.theannainstitute.org/Finding%20Your%20ACE%20Score.pdf. - EMDR Info here: https://www.emdr.com/what-is-emdr/. - What’s coming up on Season 1? - Love yourself & love your vagina. - Title from “We Go High” by Chance the Rapper.