‘For So Long, Women Have Been Marginalized by Medicine’

If you spend any time on Twitter, you probably know about Dr. Jen Gunter. The outspoken Canadian American ob-gyn has made a name for herself writing about women’s health online, starring in her CBC docuseries, Jensplaining, and debunking the questionable health advice that’s sometimes featured on Gwyneth Paltrow’s lifestyle website, Goop. Gunter, who practices in California, has just published a new book, The Vagina Bible—it’s basically a user’s manual for anyone who has one. In it, she talks frankly about sometimes hush-hush subjects: STI prevention, how to talk to your doctor about sex, whether food affects your vaginal health (no), and what menopause is really like. She also uses her expertise to wean you off Dr. Google, detailing how to find reliable medical information online. This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.

Lizzie O’Leary: What was the moment that made you say, “You know what—I want to do more than be a provider who sees patients in a clinical setting”?

I was realizing that my writing was actually helping some people. I would get feedback [like], “I used your IUD article to advocate for myself because my gynecologist told me that I couldn’t.