Why Are Women Still Ashamed to Talk About Their Bodies? Women Talking Look at Why That’s Finally Starting to Change.
Despite decades of progress in women’s rights and healthcare, one truth remains: women are still often made to feel embarrassed, ashamed, or silenced when it comes to talking about their own bodies.
Whether it’s navigating period pain, intimate health concerns, or menopause symptoms, many women grow up absorbing a message—spoken or unspoken—that these topics are inappropriate, too “private,” or simply something to endure in silence. We learn early on that talking about periods, discharge, itching, or vaginal discomfort is “too much information.” Even using the correct terms—vulva, vagina, labia—can be met with awkwardness, embarrassment, or outright discomfort.
The result? Millions of women, across every age and background, are suffering in silence. Misdiagnosed, overlooked, or simply resigned to believe that their discomfort is just part of being female.
But it doesn’t have to be this way.
That’s why PAUSE Live—the UK’s largest event for women’s health—has launched its 2025 campaign: “Know Your Normal.” A powerful, honest, and long-overdue invitation for women to reconnect with their bodies, learn what’s normal for them, and speak up when something isn’t right.
Because real change starts with something simple, yet radical: talking.
Why Is There Still a Stigma?
The stigma around women’s intimate health runs deep. It’s rooted in centuries of cultural norms that have framed women’s bodies as mysterious, messy, or something to be hidden. We’re praised for being “low maintenance” or not making a fuss. Even medical systems, historically designed without women in mind, have often downplayed female pain or dismissed symptoms as hormonal or imagined.
In many cases, women aren’t even encouraged to look at their own vulvas, let alone understand them. Many have no idea what’s normal for them, because no one ever told them it was okay to check.
And when something does feel wrong, the fear of being judged, embarrassed, or ignored stops many from seeking help.
“The conversation around vulval and vaginal health is still a taboo,” says Dr Shirin Lakhani, GP and women’s health advocate leading the Know Your Normal campaign. “But the more we talk, the more we realise how common these issues are and how deserving every woman is of care and support.”
Why Things Are Starting to Shift
The tide is finally turning.
Campaigns like Know Your Normal are part of a growing movement to challenge stigma, break silence, and empower women through education and community. Social media has opened up new spaces for women to share experiences. Younger generations are asking questions, demanding better care, and refusing to accept that suffering in silence is the norm.
Events like PAUSE Live are providing platforms where real conversations happen—where experts and everyday women come together to say, “enough is enough.”
From groundbreaking treatments for conditions like Lichen Sclerosus, to self-check guides that help women become more familiar with their anatomy, this is a time of transformation.
“Knowing your normal isn’t just about spotting when something’s wrong,” Dr Shirin says. “It’s about reclaiming your body, your confidence, and your right to feel good—without guilt or shame.”
Let’s Talk About It
Whether you’re in your twenties, post-menopausal, or anywhere in between, your body is not something to be ashamed of.
You deserve to understand it.
You deserve to care for it.
You deserve to talk about it—openly, without fear.
It’s time to normalise what should have always been normal: women knowing their bodies and being heard when something doesn’t feel right.
Poppy Watt