How the Barbie Movie Highlights the Importance of Prevention and Reproductive Health

I went to the movies with my friend, Jamie Kavanagh, last week and saw the new Barbie movie. The witty humor and subtle feminist remarks really took the story of Barbie to another level, and it was a privilege watching her quest to become a real woman in the end. SPOILER ALERT: Barbie gets all dressed up in a blazer, and you assume she's off to yet another incredible gender-busting new job when surprise! -- she walks into a gynecologist's office. Working at Social Health Research as a public health educator and facilitator, I couldn't have loved this normalization of womanhood anymore.

For decades, US politicians, with their fixation on abortion, have insanely politicized women's reproductive health. The Barbie movie ending shifts the focus off abortion to where it should have been all along on prevention. It makes annual trips to the gynecologist what they are- a vital and integral part of women maintaining their overall health.

The American College of Obstetrics and Gynecologists (ACOG) recommends that teen girls build relationships with their chosen gynecologist before age 15. It's an excellent time to review previous illnesses, any questions or problems with their periods, gather vital family history, and discuss preventive measures, like whether they've received the human papillomavirus or HPV vaccine to prevent cervical cancer and whether they are already sexually active or considering having sex and need to discuss birth control options. Most gynecologists also use annual visits to discuss other aspects of a person's health, like whether someone is overweight or obese, whether their blood pressure levels are elevated, and whether they're eating right and exercising enough.

The ACOG recommends pap smear tests begin at age 21 and cervical cancer screening at age 30. They also do clinical breast exams and discuss a woman's personal risk of breast cancer and when she should begin screening.

I realize I keep saying women throughout this, but anyone with a cervix, whether they identify as female, male, or non-binary, can get cervical cancer and need to take the proper preventive health measures starting in their teens and continuing throughout their adult lives. Many patients find that their gynecologist is the healthcare provider they see the most and feel the most comfortable asking questions about their health that might be delicate or embarrassing. Being able to voice personal health concerns and having a healthcare provider you can talk to can help prevent disease and save lives.

So, in addition to all the other phenomenal careers Barbie has had over the years, like being an astronaut...add a bit of public health prevention and education to her list. Thank you, Barbie!