On June 1, Norman started a Patreon page, where users can subscribe to the site for $5 a month and receive early access, plus get some swag and the opportunity to be part of its research community.

– Health is a Human Right April 19, 2016īut the realities of independent publishing in a digital age mean that taking on a bold project like this is costing Normal personally.

Food stamps don't cover tampons #askmeaboutmyuterus- Erin Gilmer, esq. When I couldnt afford tampons Id take them from churches/places that had them 4 patrons. “Women are clearly ready and willing to have these conversations, to learn from each other’s experiences-they just needed the right platform and community in which to do it.

Norman opened up Ask Me About My Uterus for submissions last month, and since then, she’s been overwhelmed with responses. Which is exactly why she hopes to fill that void with her site. “Women’s pain, especially, has largely been normalized without being well-studied,” she said. Norman says this is because no one has studied it. The truth is, medicine has no idea what a normal period looks like. No two women have ever had the same exact menstrual experience, yet we’re told over and over again what’s normal. Norman explained, “One thing we do in the publication is interview women about their menstrual history and you would be really surprised at the wealth of experiences. Whether they’re being refused care because they don’t check a box on their patient history form, or the medical profession refuses to acknowledge their transition, we all need to hear their stories and become allies.”īecause of the myths and misconceptions that surround women and their bodies, very little is known about what a normal period looks or feels like. She explained, “The experiences of trans men, or those who were born with female organs but prefer not to identify as either male or female, run into some incredibly difficult challenges when it comes to healthcare. She also wants the publication to be inclusive, focusing on the experience of trans men. Norman hopes to break down those cultural norms and start a more honest conversation about women’s bodies. We’re taught that it’s gross and that we have to have constant vigilance about bleeding through our clothes.” Norman told the Daily Dot in an email, “From a young age, girls are told to keep this air of mystery around their menstrual cycle. This spring, Norman launched Ask Me About My Uterus, which is all about periods, endometriosis, PCOS, PMDD, infertility, and more. So when she realized other people wanted to write about their uteri, starting an online publication just made sense. Abby Norman has been writing about her uterus for a long time.

Ask me about my uterus abby norman