Kirsty's Close Encounters: Vaginismus and Fishnet Baby-Grows
Presented by The Guardian's Close Encounters
Always enlightening, explorative and very open in the discussions that they bring to light, this podcast series covers all manner of topics related to sex and relationships. Journalist Alix Fox has an incredible way of making everyone seem at ease, and what may seem taboo, controversial, or a commonly unspoken of topic, is brought to the table and discussed with understanding, curiosity and absolutely no judgment whatsoever.
In this edition of The Guardian's Close Encounters, journalist Alix Fox goes to visit a woman called Kirsty to discuss what it is like to live with a condition called vaginismus. This condition makes it almost impossible for Kirsty to have penetrative sex, due to the constriction of her vagina which will clamp up when any penetrative attempt is made. Their heart-to-heart takes their conversation from talking about the ways in which it has impacted upon Kirsty's life to date, to its development through a combination of psychological and physical factors from a young age, and its movement from a control mechanism to something that has had the power to control her. As they discuss, the condition still remains relatively un-talked about and was not met with much understanding by her doctors. A particularly poignant moment in the podcast is when Kirsty draws attention to the treatment of her condition as a woman in contrast to the treatment men have when they experience any disfunction. While this appears to be more commonly talked about and treatable, for females suffering there just does not appear to be as many options.
Just how many women are suffering from vaginismus or something similar and aren't speaking about it? And why should there be such stigma, fear, or confusion surrounding it? As Alix and Kirsty discuss, it's something that needs to be researched and there needs to be more help available. We need to stop, and listen, for a moment to people like Kirsty who are experiencing it. And by starting discussions, we can start to build more understanding.
LISTEN NOW
