health

In Safe Hands:: During Times of Crisis, Massage Therapy Becomes Activism

Two hands massage between a woman's shoulder blades. Leaves swirl around them.
by Nicole Gordon
April 1, 2022 at 12:49pm
Nikki Gordon writes about the healing power of touch therapy during times of crisis. 
Illustration of character healers on a pastel yellow background.

Magical Medicine : 6 Fictional Healers Who Eased Our Pain

by Marina Watanabe
April 1, 2022 at 10:53am
Whether their abilities are innate, learned, or thrust upon them, fictional healers have long been a staple of fantasy. These six healers use physical touch, chaos magic, and even their own saliva to mend wounds and restore health.   Read more »
A classical Greek stone statue of a man and a woman looking at each other. The man has edited red hearts over his eyes, and they both sit in a red swirl of liquid.

Bloody Lies: The Never-Ending Cycle of Menstrual Mythmaking

by Gabrielle Merite
April 1, 2022 at 9:30am
Gabrielle Merite traces an illustrated history of stigmatizing myths about menstruation.  Read more »
A headshot of author Meghan O’Rourke next to the cover of “The Invisible Kingdom”

“The Invisible Kingdom” Shines a Light on Women’s Chronic Pain

by Brijana Prooker
March 8, 2022 at 5:32pm
Bitch interviewed Meghan O’Rourke, author of The Invisible Kingdom, about the gender bias in medicine and the plight of the “invisible” illness. Read more »
Rue cries into her father's shoulder as he hugs her

The Most Realistic Part of “Euphoria”? Its Depiction of Caregiving.

by Lindsay Lee Wallace
February 7, 2022 at 1:21pm
Unlike the series’s more graphic depictions of violence, substance use, and sex, Euphoria’s portrayal of kids in caregiving positions runs quietly in the background. Read more »
an illustration spotlights a white man with inequality, fear, ableism, medical racism, experimentation, and torture on his body as three disabled people look at him in shock

Shot Chaser: What Does It Take to Achieve Vaccine Equity?

by Diana Cejas
November 1, 2021 at 10:50am
The history of medicine in the United States is rife with atrocities committed against people of color. Read more »
illustration of disabled women behind "bars" made of a calendar page

SB 8 Is a Reminder That Abortion Is a Disability Issue

by Samantha Chavarria
September 17, 2021 at 10:14am
The subject of disability and abortion law doesn’t stop at hypothetical fetuses. Read more »
a photo of rows of silicone breast implants against a brown background

Stacked Deck: The True Costs of Breast Implants

by Michelle Polizzi
August 20, 2021 at 2:36pm
More and more women believe their implants are causing them harm—and they’re determined to have them removed. Read more »
Deborah Copaken, author of Ladyparts, is a white woman with long, brown hair

Written On the Body: For Deborah Copaken, Biology Is a Battlefield

by Andi Zeisler
August 6, 2021 at 10:43am
She is using her body as a megaphone. Read more »

#FreeBritney: In the United States, Eugenics Is Still Legal

by Samantha Chavarria
July 9, 2021 at 1:08pm
The history of forced sterilization of disabled communities has been hidden for too long, but stories like Britney Spears’ allow us the opportunity to educate and liberate. Read more »
Three young women in sunglasses and coats (one Brown woman with a brown braid and two white-passing women with their brown hair pulled off their faces) hold boxes of tampons and pads in August's advertisement.

Environmental Expenses: The Multifaceted Costs of Period Products

by Addissyn House
July 6, 2021 at 12:47pm
Many people with periods are forced to pay sales tax on already expensive, disposable products for their periods. August and Rael are just some companies that are making period products accessible. Read more »

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Best of Bitch

Critical Conditions: For Trans Individuals, Seeking Medical Care Can Be a Minefield

by Kari Mugo
Fall 2015 • Blood & Guts
When trans individuals encounter the medical system, they're often met with discrimination and misunderstanding. Read more »