CW: We make brief reference to eating disorders in this episode. We talk about our weight, mostly about gaining it, plus guilt over not working out (okay, mostly Joselyn does). Even though we do not promote the toxic preoccupation with culturally-imposed unattainable beauty standards in this episode, we also acknowledge that discussing the subject at all can be super stressful and triggering. So join us if that’s where you’re at, and if it’s not then you just skip it and go do something nice for yourself. Maybe a bath. Or a face mask. Or listen to some good music.
Receipts for this episode:
Buzzfeed video of beauty standards throughout time: https://youtu.be/Xrp0zJZu0a4
Graphic memoir and historical telling of female body requirements through history by Nealie Tan Ngo: https://journalofethics.ama-assn.org/article/what-historical-ideals-womens-shapes-teach-us-about-womens-self-perception-and-body-decisions-today/2019-10
We want photoshopped bodies even though we know they’re not real: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6061013/
These beauty standards are not only unattainable, they’re racist as shit (read this study in full – it’s worth it): https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4713035/
How male body standards have changed through the years (someone should really talk about this…): https://www.chemistclick.co.uk/news/how-the-ideal-male-body-has-changed-throughout-history
There is nothing primal or instinctual about older men wanting to bang young chicks: 1.https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2017/jul/05/men-sperm-male-fertility-40 2.https://theoutline.com/post/6061/older-men-younger-women-evolution-or-bullshit 3.https://psychcentral.com/blog/a-therapist-reveals-the-surprising-truth-about-older-men-marring-younger-women#3
Study suggesting moderate exercise can reduce cancer recurrence: https://www.breastcancer.org/research-news/exercise-improves-survival-and-reduces-risk#:~:text=The%20researchers%20found%20that%20women,t%20meet%20the%20minimum%20guidelines
Study of multiple other studies suggesting exercise is good for you (shocker): https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4835133/
Exercise is good, but weight loss is not necessarily related to decreased cancer recurrence: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33541403/
The BMI (Body Mass Index) is racist: https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/health/diet-nutrition/a35047103/bmi-racist-history/
My Body My Choice is not yours to appropriate, assholes: https://www.reddit.com/r/AskFeminists/comments/73bcl7/appropriate_use_of_my_body_my_choice/
All corporations are hereby required to provide sufficient evidence of allyship prior to being cleared for the use of month-specific branding, marketing, social media posting, what-have-you. Tori, Charlie and I are founding members of the committee which will make these determinations and all corporations are currently in violation and subject to much fines. This is definitely a real thing. Put us on a t-shirt.
Join Joselyn, Tori and Charlie as they discuss the many intersections of the Breast Cancer and Transgender communities, including struggles to fit into established norms, facing backlash for “making it political,” and the sense of betrayal when just being in your own body is a danger in itself.
Receipts:
White women are the primary beneficiaries of Affirmative Action: https://www.bustle.com/p/who-does-affirmative-action-benefit-white-women-are-some-of-its-biggest-opponents-74034
All the things you have to prove for insurance to even consider paying for that gender affirming surgery: http://www.aetna.com/cpb/medical/data/600_699/0615.html
The inherent privilege in being able to say “I don’t get into politics”: https://www.thegoodtrade.com/features/neutral-politics-and-privilege
Resources and research for trans and other queer folks who are experiencing cancer (especially MBC): https://metastatictrialtalk.org/mbc-personal-stories/breast-cancer-transgender-community/
Ira Feinstein, author and quality human person, joins us to talk about living with a BRCA gene mutation and how existing outside of established cancer culture norms can leave you feeling cut off. It’s a good one, folks.
Links!
Ira Feinstein’s website (read the essays, watch the video, it’s all gold): https://irafeinstein.com/about/
Get vaccinated: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/fully-vaccinated.html
Get both doses (if applicable): https://www.nytimes.com/2021/04/25/business/covid-vaccines-second-doses.html
The Illusory Truth Effect: https://www.apa.org/pubs/journals/features/xge-0000098.pdf
Vaccine misinformation pays big bucks: https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2021/05/12/993615185/for-some-anti-vaccine-advocates-misinformation-is-part-of-a-business
The Disinformation Dozen: https://www.npr.org/2021/05/13/996570855/disinformation-dozen-test-facebooks-twitters-ability-to-curb-vaccine-hoaxes
Becca Jean talks about testifying before a congressional committee in an effort to pass HB 1588 which would require insurance companies to cover the cost of cold capping in the state of Texas, making it an affordable option for women wanting to preserve their hair, their dignity and anonymity, through chemo.
Track the bill’s progress here: https://capitol.texas.gov/billlookup/BillStages.aspx?LegSess=85R&Bill=HB1588.
You can help by contacting the Insurance Committee (512) 463-0788 and telling them you support HB 1588.
Special guest Becca Jean is here to talk cold capping, taking no medical bullshit and being an advocate for yourself and others. Follow Becca Jean on Instagram @beccajean__ (that’s two underscores).
More about Becca Jean’s cold capping experience: https://theoutline.com/post/6346/saving-cancer-patients-hair-could-be-so-easy?zi=33yfwkil&zd=5
Book: Pretty Sick by Caitlin Kiernan
Article on “job lock” and financial toxicity in cancer survivors: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7686183/
Keeping your job after a cancer diagnosis can be difficult (shocker): https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6992498/
Women of color talk about hair in the workplace: https://www.byrdie.com/natural-hair-in-corporate-america
It’s My Body My Choice versus bros with scalpels, and dudes your days are numbered. Enjoy.
Links from the episode:
Kim Bowles’ story in Cosmo: https://www.cosmopolitan.com/health-fitness/a22984204/breast-cancer-survivors-mastectomy-sexism/
Serena Williams’ story in Vogue: https://www.vogue.com/article/serena-williams-vogue-cover-interview-february-2018
Study showing disparity in mortality rates between black and white breast cancer patients: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3603001/
American Cancer Society reporting 40% higher mortality rate in black women with breast cancer: https://www.cancer.org/content/dam/cancer-org/research/cancer-facts-and-statistics/cancer-facts-and-figures-for-african-americans/cancer-facts-and-figures-for-african-americans-2019-2021.pdf
Post with link to Contralateral Prophylactic Mastectomy (CPM) study: https://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2016/05/are-we-practicing-medical-misogyny.html
Dr. Kimberle Crenshaw’s TED Talk on Intersectionality: https://www.ted.com/talks/kimberle_crenshaw_the_urgency_of_intersectionality?language=en
Vox article talking to Kimberle Crenshaw about Intersectionality: https://www.vox.com/the-highlight/2019/5/20/18542843/intersectionality-conservatism-law-race-gender-discrimination
Disturbing history of medical “research” on African Americans: https://time.com/4746297/henrietta-lacks-movie-history-research-oprah/
Qualitative study on mistrust of medical research participation among members of the black community:https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4354806/
Article on male bias in medical trials:https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2019/nov/13/the-female-problem-male-bias-in-medical-trials
Female physicians get paid less: https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamainternalmedicine/fullarticle/2532788
This physician mansplaining how women physicians can handle being mistaken for nurses: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7004221/
Lynfa Stroud, MD MEd, handing that mansplaining male physician’s ass back to him in the most devastatingly eloquent way (he died instantly): https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7101171/
Article about Dr. Tamika Cross trying to convince a Delta flight attendant that she is, indeed, a physician: https://www.statnews.com/2016/10/15/black-woman-doctor-racism/
Even our AI is sexist: https://www.comicsands.com/dora-vargha-google-translate-sexism-2651178199.html?utm_source=instagram&utm_medium=stories&utm_campaign=GTAK
Retracted study rating attractiveness of women with rectovaginal endometriosis: https://www.fertstert.org/article/S0015-0282(12)02127-9/pdf
Medical asshats defending their sexist study of the attractiveness of women with rectovaginal endometriosis: https://pubpeer.com/publications/37BE50783AF3614F0698A38AA42B31#5
And Dr. Jen Gunter is not fucking having it: https://www.croakey.org/the-unattractive-truth-about-misogyny-in-medicine-and-medical-research/
