Books
The gynecologists 600,000-plus followers expect no-nonsense facts about womens health.
In aTikTok videoposted on May 2, Jonathan Van Ness does a sort-of call-and-response with Dr. Karen Tang.
He and the gynecologist go back and forth saying vagina, each time louder and more animated.
Its OK. Its not embarrassing.
Her followers more than 600,000 across TikTok and Instagram seem to agree.
It feels as formative as, say, discoveringOur Bodies, Ourselveswas for earlier generations.
The bookis dedicated toanyone whose health has been harmed by the patriarchy.
(One of her initial irritants wasRep.
Marjorie Taylor Greene, who had been spewing transphobic hate.)
And as things come out, like the really strict abortion bans, this takes on extra urgency.
Its not just theoretical.
Its what people are struggling with in real life.
Peopledowant the truth, and you see a lot of doctors active on social media now.
And I think it ismaking a difference.
The issue of menopause seems to be gettingmore visibility and attentionin recent years.
Are there other womens conditions, like endometriosis and PMS, that you see more commonly discussed, too?
Yeah, there are different advocacy communities doing great work, one of which is focused on endometriosis.
Theres a great documentary calledBelow the Belt, which had screenings with government leaders and at universities.
In the book, you advise readers to come to their gynecologist appointments prepared to ask questions.
How does a patient find a balance between pushing for more information and inadvertently annoying the doctor?
A good doctor-patient relationship should feel collaborative.
The patient should feel empowered to find the solution thats right for them.
Why was it so important to you to be inclusive of these groups?
Its very important to acknowledge that there aremillions of peoplewho are trans and nonbinary and intersex.
Its not like a small subset of the population.
How is this possible?
Theyre internalizing it and treating it as fact.
Why is she such a good reproductive health spokesperson, in your opinion?
Having freedom to discuss issues openly is super critical.
Thats why I hope this book gets out there and gets people talking.
This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.
