The doctor drew the curtains, asked me to remove my pants and underwear and position myself, legs apart, on the exam table. It was my first pap smear, I was 18, and I did as he asked. (But I refused to remove my sunglasses. Smear chic, y’all.) ‘There’s no need to be nervous’, he said….
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2013 Australian of the Year Ita Buttrose has discussed misogyny, dementia, and women on television in an interview with the ABC radio’s Libbi Gorr. The former Cleo editor laughed off the suggestion that she had influenced the likes of Oprah when it came to creating a pathway for ‘controversial’ women in the media. However, she…
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Women Deliver, one of the largest and most important international conferences on women’s health around the world, happens on May 27 to 30 in Malaysia. Bringing together the world’s most influential policy makers, academics, youth, media, health workers and advocates, the conference focuses on empowering girls and women through greater access to maternal, sexual and…
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Last week I wrote about Lorna Jane and how, in my opinion, they reinforce the notion of a woman’s looks being her number one priority, despite being a fitness-based organisation. I had some great, balanced responses, and some people asked me why I had chosen to put the spotlight on Lorna Jane. So I decided…
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Actress and director Angelina Jolie has revealed she has had a double mastectomy to reduce her chances of getting breast cancer. In an op-ed for the New York Times, she discussed her motivations for the choice and encouraged other women to find out if they were at risk of the disease. Jolie’s mother died from…
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I had a piece written for Lip this week about the issues I take with the ‘Fitspiration’ movement (I have discussed my issues with a part of this movement, clean eating, on Lip before). It was all about the recent fitness movement that has exploded across social media, carrying slogans such as ‘Strong not Skinny!’…
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Irish Prime Minister Enda Kenny has brushed off threats from the Catholic Church regarding the country’s plans for abortion reform. Politicians who support the upcoming legislation have been threatened with excommunication. The proposed bill would legalise abortion in situations when the pregnant woman’s life was in danger. Legislators stress the bill clarifies rather than changes…
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As Mother’s Day draws near, I cannot help but spare a thought for the mothers and daughters whose lives have been touched by breast cancer. While I look forward to celebrating with my mother, many young women will instead be celebrating the memory of their mothers who have been taken by this disease, or who…
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If you see plenty of women wearing white shirts today, it’s because it’s White Shirt Day. White Shirt Day was launched by OCRF in 2011 (with help from Witchery, and madison editor Lizzie Renkert), in order for all Australians to show their support for women suffering from ovarian cancer. And why? One woman dies of…
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I’ve recently been looking into the ways food can provide energy. My unfortunate reality is that the foods I absolutely adore often leave me feeling bloated and sleepy. (I completely understand and love the Spanish idea of a siesta after lunch.) It often seems like a good idea to have a delicious steak sandwich with…
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As I write this, I am struggling to breathe through my nose. My sinuses do weird things when I stand up too quickly and my throat is giving my voice a particular quality which would be more appropriate on the end of a 1800 phone call. As you may have guessed, I have the flu….
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Biennial pap smears – it’s just what we do, right? Well a paper prepared by the Medical Services Advisory Committee suggests that not only should women screen for pap tests less often, but we should also delay our first test – advice that’s raised concerns among cervical cancer advocates that women’s lives could be put…
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We’ve all heard, or had forced down our throats, the importance of exercise and a healthy balanced diet. I personally never thought it necessary to abide by the healthy body, healthy mind mantra. I spent my adolescence avoiding exercise like the plague. My contribution to P.E. was sarcastic commentary offered from the sidelines. In retrospect…
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With an Australian federal election fast approaching, the political issues that seem to be dominating revolve around women’s rights, with misogyny, equal pay and abortion laws making headlines. It’s not surprising considering the dominance of women’s issues in the US election. It became pretty clear that the issues that won the election for Barack Obama…
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