In this episode, Leah begins answering the Lowdown questions – with a twist!
To date, she has done well over 60 interviews, most of which have included an in-depth Q&A. As she answers each Lowdown question, you'll hear a chorus of voices answering the same question. The goal is to remind you, once again, that no matter what your answer is, you are completely normal and you are not alone.
In the second half of the show, she answers an "Am I normal?" question about feeling attractive after major surgery.
- Chorus of voices answering "Do you have sex during your period?"
- Leah answers
- Leah talks about her earliest shame/trauma experience around menstruation, being lectured by her dad in a way that made her feel overwhelmed, invaded, and disgusted.
- When Leah gets her first period at age 12, she ignores it. Her mom discovers evidence in the laundry.
- In her 30's, she has her first experience with a partner wanting to proceed with sex while she is on her period. He's fine with it. But the sight of her blood on his fingers nearly breaks her.
- She occasionally will have sex while on her period with her current partner, even though she still experiences shame and emotional discomfort.
- Am I normal? question – how can I have sex and feel attractive after major surgery?
- Leah talks about our culture's ideal body type, how we are harmfully held against a specific and limited standard, and how our belief that we are lovable is tied to that standard.
- Going to a nude sex resort helped Leah see that all types of bodies are sexually attractive to someone.
- Leah directs the audience to Instagram to see bodies with colostomy bags, in wheelchairs, and after breast cancer normalized.
- Leah talks about "body neutrality."
Check out some of these Instagram accounts to see a variety of bodies enjoying life:
Normalizing ostomies:
Love and vacations in a wheelchair:
Life after breast cancer:
Fat yoga / Curvy girl yoga:
Body neutrality:
Update:
Since this episode was released, the podcast has concluded. Here's how you can find me now:
EPISODE CREDITS:
Host / Producer – Leah Carey (email)
Audio Editor – Gretchen Kilby
Administrative Support - Lara O'Connor, Maria Franco
Transcript creation – Jan Acielo
Music – Nazar Rybak
