Reclaiming your body through autogynecology

Have you ever provided yourself with a mirror in your parents' bathroom to observe yourself from below? Have you ever tried to better understand how your cycle works ? Have you ever thought of yourself as a witch concocting herbal teas to fight your PMS?

If yes, you have practiced autogynecology . Cheer ! Coming from the second wave of feminist movements , autogynecology offers women the opportunity to regain possession of their bodies through knowledge.

More present in the United States, it is gradually settling in France thanks to educational initiatives and self-observation workshops. We tell you more about this discipline? Let's go for a complete overview of autogynecology.

Autogynecology: we have the right to know our body

Gynecological advances have been made through the male gaze and not without violence against women.

Even today, many of us testify to unpleasant, even traumatic experiences with our feet in the stirrups.

The philosophy and practice of autogynecology aims to put that power back in our hands. It gives us the keys to learn to distinguish physiology from pathology and thus know when to call on a health professional. 💪

Autogynecology was born in the 1970s in the United States within the self-help movement.

This feminist approach is part of the fight for the right of women to freely dispose of their bodies . It joins the issues of contraception, abortion and sexuality.

Observing that women had little knowledge of their intimacy, activists directed their fight towards the liberation of the body . They therefore opened self-observation workshops to better tame and love it. And that is so cool! 🙌

Why practice autogynecology?

Taking the time to explore your intimacy, to interact with it and to know how it works is a giant step towards more self-love. 🤍

The more we understand our body, the more we can accept it and take care of the marvelous machine that it is.

Practicing self-examination, observing one's cycles and even one's own smears also helps to combat received ideas about women's bodies through knowledge.

❌ No, it's not weird, dirty, smelly or scary . These are age-old beliefs that continue to judge and control the female body.

Autogynecology is particularly relevant in cases of chronic diseases such as PCOS or endometriosis e. It helps patients to no longer see their body as a foreign enemy, but to integrate its signals and accept them with more benevolence . 🍃

Finally, “these practices are all part of a more global critique of what is perceived as a 'medical power' exercised over women's bodies , and its corollary, the dispossession of women from their own bodies. writes Aurore Koechlin in her essay on the subject .

Where to start to reclaim your body and your health?

Observe her intimate anatomy

Enthusiastic exploration is the first step in discovering one's intimate health. 🌞 You may have in mind the anatomical diagram of the vulva and a drawing of the clitoris, but do you know what your intimacy looks like ?

We therefore invite you to first bring a mirror, a flashlight and a good dose of curiosity . The time has come to observe your labia, the entrance to your vagina and why not the cervix if you have a speculum handy.

Know Thyself by Clarence Edgar Rosa will be an excellent ally in your solo exploration. 🗺️

Do you want to be guided and surrounded in this reconnection to you? We have the solution!

Autogynecology workshops are flourishing in cities as well as in the smallest villages. 👯‍♀️

These spaces make it possible to experience self-observation in a group as well as alone , while respecting the needs, experiences and privacy of each.

Contact Family Planning and feminist associations in your area to find a workshop near you! 😉

Track your menstrual cycles

Becoming enlightened sovereign of one's intimate health again also involves understanding these cycles and one's fertility.

Symptothermie is a natural method of observing one's menstrual cycle by taking daily temperature readings and analyzing cervical mucus. 🌡️

The exercise may seem repetitive, but we promise you'll enjoy it! As the months go by, you feel like you have a superpower and are connected to a source of magical knowledge. ✨

Symptothermia is also a great technique for managing fertility . However, it requires study and patience. To help you, you can get Cycle Feminin and Natural Contraceptions: For a conscious and fulfilled femininity or call on a professional doula who will be able to guide you in your journey.

Cope with minor inconveniences

In parallel with allopathic medicine, alternative medicine has been able to preserve and transmit the knowledge of plants . This knowledge in respect of his body and nature allows us to put an end to abusive medicalization. 🍵

Did you know that sometimes all it takes is a slight change in diet to eradicate fungi, certain STDs detected, hormonal disorders or menstrual delays?

The free-to-download fanzine Sortir les pieds des Étriers has set itself the task of helping women carry out their own gynecological follow-up.

Of course, in case of pain or persistent symptoms, consult your doctor or your gynecologist.

The ambition of autogynecology is to fight the hold of medicine on women's bodies and to help them regain possession of their intimate health . It is an invitation to climb one more step towards the heights of self-love , far from the societal injunctions imposed on the female body. What do you think of female masturbation as a method of exploring one's intimacy?