By Laurie Rosenblum
Do you remember the health and sexuality book for women and girls, Our Bodies, Ourselves, first published in 1970, and the last appearing in 2011? It was a groundbreaking resource, helping to dispel ignorance about the female body and women’s health. Now, this reliable and inclusive resource has been updated and is available on the recently launched website: OurBodiesOurselves.org.
Our Bodies Ourselves Today provides an up-to-date platform with feminist and inclusive resources. It is intended to meet the needs of users from a wide range of backgrounds, races, ages, genders, sexual orientations, and abilities.
The resources will be updated monthly by experts in each of the nine topic areas now covered:
Abortion and Contraception
Gender-based Violence
Growing Older
Heart Health
Menstruation through Menopause
Mental Health
Pregnancy and Childbirth
Sexual Anatomy
Sexuality
Our Bodies Ourselves Today empowers every person to be the expert on their own body and make informed decisions about their physical and mental health care. There is so much information and disinformation available, it can be hard to wade through. So, the website is curated by a diverse group of experts to help bring accurate, intersectional information to everyone, and especially women, girls, and gender-expansive people.
The website includes a wide range of perspectives and types of resources grounded in both diverse lived experiences and current political and cultural contexts. All resources support the rights of everyone—without discrimination—to health, medical care, bodily autonomy, sexual pleasure, a safe environment, and relationships of their choosing.
Please spread the word about the new platform and help Our Bodies Ourselves Today change the lives of women, girls, and gender-expansive people today and for years to come!
Laurie Rosenblum develops educational resources in the public health field and specializes in mental health issues. This summer, she joined the mental health expert panel for the Our Bodies Ourselves Todaywebsite.