84: Washington Post and the Misogynistic Politicization of Birth Control

Confessions of a Male Gynecologist

“Women are getting off birth control amid misinformation explosion.” - a very problematic article in the Washington Post last week.

Written by two people with no medical background, the article is highly politicized, filled with anecdotal evidence, and dismissive of women’s lived experiences with birth control.

Once I saw it, I had to address it here on the podcast because it’s disgusting. Birth control is obviously not the ultimate evil, but it’s also not the ultimate panacea. It should not be prescribed for problems outside of birth control until the underlying factors have been explored. Anything else is a disservice to our patients and is done for the convenience of the prescribing physician.

In this episode, I’m giving you my take and the facts on everything written. I want you to read this article, see the political division that's being created, and see the way they’ve stopped women from responding to what they’ve written. Enjoy the episode.

Highlights

The risk of bias and the authors' lack of medical background

Misrepresentation of the genuine symptoms some women experience while taking birth control

The political implications threaded throughout the article

Why I believe it’s misogynistic and hypocritical that the comments were turned off on the Instagram post about this article

The reach of social media influencers and their impact on birth control decisions

Potential side effects of birth control and the experiences of individuals who have faced complications

How social media might be shaping perceptions and decisions related to birth control methods

Bias in the medical community’s response to the side effects of HRT versus the pill

How this article is promoting political division

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Resources

Dr. Tassone's Practice https://www.drshawntassone.com/

The Hormone Balance Bible https://tassonemd.com/hormone-balance-bible/

Hormone Archetype Quiz https://tassonemd.lpages.co/hormonearchetypequiz/

Disclaimer This podcast and website represent the opinions of Dr. Shawn Tassone and his guests. The content here should not be taken as medical advice and is for informational purposes only. Because each person is so unique, please consult your health care professional for any medical questions.