Wellness Circle meets 2nd and 4th Wednesday of the month at 2pm PST/5pm EST/10pm UTC.

Wellness Circle is a Women's Studies Online educational initiative aimed at prioritizing women's unique biological and social health and wellness needs throughout our life stages. Through educational presentations, guest speakers, resource sharing and virtually-based discussions, we'll learn about health and wellness - broadly defined - within this circle.

What Is POCS?

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a common endocrine disorder affecting people of reproductive age, characterized by a combination of hyperandrogenism (elevated androgen levels or related clinical signs), ovulatory dysfunction (irregular or absent ovulation), and/or polycystic ovarian morphology on ultrasound. PCOS is associated with metabolic features such as insulin resistance and an increased risk of type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and infertility (Teede et al., 2018).

Image: WebMD

Questions To Consider

  • How do medical recommendations (like hair removal, skincare, weight loss) reflect cultural ideas about femininity rather than health?
  • How does stigma around body hair, weight, or hormonal imbalance shape women’s relationships to their bodies and identities?
  • In what ways are personal health issues tied to systemic patriarchy and gender expectations?
  • Are there common themes in how women’s pain and bodies are treated by medical systems?
  • What does this say about whose health issues get prioritized in medicine?

Resources

Prescribing Femininity: The Politics of PCOS
“When women are instructed to remove body hair, invest in skin care, or lose weight if not medically necessary, we are being prescribed femininity in lieu of treatment.”
Total Woman VictoryTotal Woman Victory

References

Teede, H. J., Tay, C. T., Laven, J. S. E., Dokras, A., Moran, L. J., Piltonen, T., Costello, M. F., Boivin, J., Redman, L. M., Boyle, J. A., Norman, R. J., Mousa, A., & Joham, A. E., et al. (2023). International evidence-based guideline for the assessment and management of polycystic ovary syndrome 2023 (Monash Univ.). Monash University. https://bridges.monash.edu/articles/online_resource/International_Evidence-based_Guideline_for_the_Assessment_and_Management_of_Polycystic_Ovary_Syndrome_2023/24003834/1?file=42290343

Code of Participation

If you have questions, please read over and review our Feminist Code Of Participation.