Women's Experiences Research Articles

Older women's experience with COVID-19 pandemic: A study of risk perception and coping among culturally and linguistically diverse population in South Australia.

A global catastrophe-the COVID-19 pandemic-appears to have two-dimensional health consequences for older adults: high risk of being infected and psychological distress. There is limited evidence on how the pandemic has impacted the life and coping of older adults who are culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD), women in particular. This study explored the COVID-19 risk perception and coping strategies of older CALD women in South Australia. A mixed-methods research design was employed, involving a 31-items coping and emergency preparation scale for survey and semi-structured interviews with participants. The older CALD women were approached through 11 multicultural NGOs. One hundred and nine women participants from 28 CALD communities completed the online surveys; 25 of them agreed to a telephone interview and provided their contact details. 15 older CALD women ultimately participated in interviews. Mean sum-score of dread risk, unknown risk, and fear (M: 43.5; SD: 4.9) indicated that the participants were somewhat anxious and worried. Mean sum-score of coping (M: 79.8; SD: 9.3) reported their compliance with expert advice and disinfection practices but accessing health information (M: 2.8; SD 1.4) and tendency to minimize anxiety (M: 2.1; SD: 1.2) were below neutral. Significant variations were found in coping in terms of age, meaning that the women aged 75 years and older were less likely to cope with the pandemic (P = 0.01). Emergency preparation differed based on the participants' residence and occupation status. The deductive-inductive thematic analysis of interview data was framed around three priori themes: risks of being affected, emotional and behavioral coping, and emergency preparation and access to services. Evidence shows a fear among the older CALD women with an endeavor to cope and prepare for emergency situations. This suggests the requirements for interventions that improve coping and reduce the risk of stress among them.

CONFLICT WITH SOCIETAL GENDER ROLES: A COMPARATIVE FEMINIST ANALYSIS OF EDNA PONTELLIER AND NORA HELMER

Kate Chopin, an American novelist and short story writer representing women’s revolt against patriarchal rule, positions women in the center of her works. She deals with women's experiences in the context of gender roles, their conflicts with society, their discovery of their own bodies and the following awakening. Henrik Ibsen is one of the most important writers of Norwegian drama. Similarly, Ibsen highlights the individual's conflict with society as a kind of alienation on the axis of individual-society antagonism. Edna Pontellier, the protagonist in Chopin's novel The Awakening (1899), and Nora Helmer in Henrik Ibsen's play A Doll's House (1879), do not fit into the gender roles imposed on them by their societies. Both characters gain self-awareness through the discovery of their uniqueness. Henrik Ibsen and Kate Chopin wrote realistically about the problems their female characters encountered in the patriarchal social structure and their conflicts with social codes. The lives and choices of Edna and Nora, who both have the duties of pleasing their spouses, meeting the needs of the house and taking care of their children within the encompassing structure of the institution of marriage, are similar to each other. In this article, the lives of Edna and Nora, who are the objects of the patriarchal structure in the triangular relationship of man - child - family, will be examined comparatively in terms of their contradictions with society, their journey to self-discovery, their alienation and choices.

Contested imaginaries: workfinding information practices of STEM-trained immigrant women in Canada

PurposeThis pan-Canadian study examines the information practices of STEM-trained immigrant women to Canada as they navigate workfinding and workplace integration. Our study focuses on a population of highly skilled immigrant women from across Canada and uses an information practice lens to examine their lived experiences of migration and labour market integration. As highly trained STEM professionals in pursuit of employment, our participants have specific needs and challenges, and as we explore these, we consider the intersection of their information practices with government policies, settlement services and the hiring practices of STEM employers.Design/methodology/approachWe conducted a qualitative study using in-depth interviews with 74 immigrant women across 13 Canadian provinces and territories to understand the nature of their engagement with employment-seeking in STEM sectors. This article reports the findings related to the settlement and information experiences of the immigrant women as they navigate new information landscapes.FindingsAs immigrants, as women and as STEM professionals, the experiences of the 74 participants reflect both marginality and privilege. The reality of their intersectional identities is that these women may not be well-served by broader settlement resources targeting newcomers, but neither are the specific conventions of networking and job-seeking in the STEM sectors in Canada fully apparent or accessible to them. The findings also point to the broader systemic and contextual factors that participants have to navigate and that shape in a major way their workfinding journeys.Originality/valueThe findings of this pan-Canadian study have theoretical and practical implications for policy and research. Through interviews with these STEM professionals, we highlight the barriers and challenges of an under-studied category of migrants (the highly skilled and “desirable” type of immigrants). We provide a critical discussion of their settlement experiences and expose the idiosyncrasies of a system that claims to value skilled talent while structurally making it very difficult to deliver on its promises to recruit and retain highly qualified personnel. Our findings point to specific aspects of these skilled professionals’ experiences, as well as the broader systemic and contextual factors that shape their workfinding journey.

Sex Differences in Sexual Motivation in Humans and Other Mammals: The Role of Conscious and Unconscious Processes.

In self-report questionnaires, men report higher scores than women on variables such as desire for sex, frequency of sexual thoughts, number of sex partners, etc. Based on this, men are considered to have a higher level of sexual motivation than women. However, retrospective self-reports may be unsuitable for estimations of the inherent level of sexual motivation. We review data on automatic (unconsciously controlled) responses and measures of implicit motivation during exposure to sexual stimuli. These responses and measures are inaccessible to willful manipulations and make it possible to determine whether the sex difference in answers to questionnaires is replicated when volitional response manipulations are unlikely. We complement the human data with observations from some rodent and non-human primate species. The attentional resources allotted to stimuli with sexual relevance as well as genital responses to such stimuli are similar in men and women. Measures of implicit motivation also fail to detect any sex difference. Finally, the frequency of masturbation is superior in female infants before the age at which social expectations begin to determine behavior. Neither in rodents nor in non-human primates is there any clear-cut evidence for sex differences in motivation. It seems that males and females are similar with regard to the intensity of sexual motivation. The responses to questionnaires may be affected by social learning of sexual scripts and/or the inferior quality of sexual experiences in women, among other things.

Patient Experience of Women With Dense Breasts Undergoing Screening Contrast-Enhanced Mammography.

We investigated patient experience with screening contrast-enhanced mammography (CEM) to determine whether a general population of women with dense breasts would accept CEM in a screening setting. In this institutional review board-approved prospective study, patients with heterogeneous and extremely dense breasts on their mammogram were invited to undergo screening CEM and complete pre-CEM and post-CEM surveys. On the pre-CEM survey, patients were asked about their attitudes regarding supplemental screening in general. On the post-CEM survey, patients were asked about their experience undergoing screening CEM, including causes and severity of any discomfort and whether they would consider undergoing screening CEM again in the future or recommend it to a friend. One hundred sixty-three women were surveyed before and after screening CEM. Most patients, 97.5% (159/163), reported minimal or no unpleasantness associated with undergoing screening CEM. In addition, 91.4% (149/163) said they would probably or very likely undergo screening CEM in the future if it cost the same as a traditional screening mammogram, and 95.1% (155/163) said they would probably or very likely recommend screening CEM to a friend. Patients in this study, who were all willing to undergo CEM, more frequently reported a family history of breast cancer than a comparison cohort of women with dense breasts (58.2% vs 47.1%, P = .027). Patients from a general population of women with dense breasts reported a positive experience undergoing screening CEM, suggesting screening CEM might be well received by this patient population, particularly if the cost was comparable with traditional screening mammography.

How do the mindfulness and sensory-behavioural-emotional aspects influence the painful experience related to temporomandibular disorder?

Chronic pain is persistent or recurrent pain lasting longer than 3 months. The experience of temporomandibular disorder (TMD)-related pain is modulated by emotional and social factors, with mindfulness encapsulating these aspects. To investigate the association between cognitive-behavioural-emotional characteristics, mindfulness and the painful experience in women with chronic pain-related TMD. A cross-sectional study was conducted, including 90 women aged between 18 and 61 years old, diagnosed with chronic pain-related TMD according to the Diagnostic Criteria for Temporomandibular Disorder, considering both temporomandibular joint and muscle pain. Specific instruments were employed to assess cognitive-behavioural-emotional aspects. The Mindful Attention Awareness Scale and the Five Facets of Mindfulness Questionnaire scales evaluated the level and construct of mindfulness. The relationship between variables was analysed using bivariate association tests (.05 > p < .20), followed by multiple regression tests (p < .05). The heightened experience of pain correlated with increasing age, a low level of education, the attribution of the locus of control by chance, and lower levels of mindfulness (p < .05). The heightened experience of pain was negatively influenced by mindfulness levels (p < .05). On the other hand, the painful experience was mainly influenced by facets describing negative formulation, distraction, non-reactivity and non-judgement (p < .05). Demographic, cognitive-behavioural-emotional data and levels of mindfulness and its facets presented different influence weights on the painful experience. These findings provide support for future studies focusing on mindfulness strategies, education and pain management in women with chronic pain-related TMD.

The Lived Experience of Adult Women with Psychosocial Disability in Uganda

AbstractThe purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore the lived experience of women with psychosocial disability in Uganda. The findings from 11 in-depth interviews conducted highlighted three themes featuring risk factors, protective factors, and proposed interventions to respond to the needs of women with psychosocial disability from the perspective of the women with lived experience. There are two major implications of this study. The first implication is that people in the helping profession can integrate the voices of the people who are directly affected by psychosocial disability to design interventions that are tailored to suit their needs. The second implication regards advocacy. Mental health professionals can use the stories shared by the participants to reinforce advocacy initiatives to mitigate the negative impact of psychosocial disability. Additionally, the findings can support people in the mental health profession, educators, and mental health policy designers in making informed decisions regarding interventions for people with psychosocial disability in limited resource settings like Uganda.

Prefiguring the Environmental Justice Movement: the Ecodramaturgy of Lorraine Hansberry’s A Raisin in the Sun

Lorraine Hansberry’s&amp;nbsp;A&amp;nbsp;Raisin in the Sun&amp;nbsp;(1958)&amp;nbsp;exposed environmental racism and prefigured the tenants of environmental justice by depicting the impacts of poverty and environmental degradation on communities of color. Thirty years before the rise of the current environmental justice movement, Hansberry’s play details the intersectional aims of environmental justice by centering women's experience, by making connections between the health and well-being of women and children, and the larger environment. In this way, an ecodramaturical lens illuminates the power and potential of theatre to inspire civic action. Hansberry’s play stands as a keystone in the rhetorical architecture of the environmental justice movement, which insists that environmental policy must include consideration of where people live, work, play, and worship.&amp;nbsp; As a historiographic lens, ecodramaturgy can (re)illuminate canonical plays to show their ecological through-lines. Examining the representation of life experience, asking questions about the welfare of bodies, families, and communities affected by racism and economic injustice, ecodramaturgy illuminates canonical plays in new ways, revealing how ideologies of domination and white supremacy that have caused both social and ecological havoc across the land. Rob Nixon (2013) identifies the environmental degradation resulting from longstanding patterns of U.S. imperialism as “slow violence” perpetrated on the world’s poorest and most vulnerable communities. As the environmental justice movement would argue some 30 years later, Hansberry’s play makes clear that environmental health and social justice are inextricably linked, and that ecological concerns must be understood as intertwined with economic justice as well as gender and racial equity. Below, I examine the way environmental and social justice concerns came together in this hallmark play, revealing a (then) radical ecological viewpoint that the environment is coupled with human health and welfare.&amp;nbsp;I contend that the white supremacy that the Youngers face when they plan to move to a new home not only constitutes systemic environmental racism but reflects and arises out of the historic abuse of land and bodies on which the U.S.extractive economies depend. My analysis traces the subtle ways those legacies infect and damage the day-to-day lives of those who carry the disproportional burdens of that historic abuse. I foreground clues to the ecologies represented on stage, including human bodies and habitat, in order to examine the environmental implications of the Youngers’ struggle and racial and class-based oppression and hierarchies the play represents. Hansberry’s claim to homeplace in the milieu 1950s foreshadows the principles of environmental justice in prescient ways.

The biomedicalization of pregnancy prevention, neoliberal feminism, and college women's experiences of the contraceptive paradox

Research examining the “contraceptive paradox” has illuminated how contraception can be a source of empowerment for some and oppression for others. This study advances theorizing of the contraceptive paradox by illustrating how 45 young women experience contraception as both liberating and constraining due to a confluence of biomedicalization processes, gender inequality, and neoliberal feminism. Drawing on focus group data, we find that the biomedicalization of pregnancy prevention and neoliberal feminist discourse, in combination with experiences of social and economic privilege and gender inequality in fertility work, shape participants’ interpretation of contraceptive technology as a key resource for individually liberating themselves from undesired pregnancy. At the same time, their experiences indicate prescription contraception plays an oppressive role in their lives. In addition to blaming themselves and their bodies for negative contraceptive side effects, participants take for granted that assuming sole responsibility for contraceptive use in their relationships with men is the price they must pay to feel free. The findings indicate that addressing a social problem using an individualized biomedical solution obscures the power that structural inequalities exert over pregnancy-capable people, including relatively privileged young women. As an expression of biopower, these dynamics prompted participants to emphasize distributive justice over social justice, foreclosing their engagement in collective action.

Comparison of Spontaneous Pushing and Directed Pushing During the Second Stage of Labor Among Chinese Women Without Epidural Analgesia: Protocol for a Noninferior Feasibility Study.

Maternal pushing during the second stage of labor could influence labor progress and maternal-neonatal outcomes. Although the image of health care providers directing the laboring women to push during the second stage of labor could be commonly observed globally, this practice is not sufficiently researched and is questioned regarding its effectiveness and outcomes on the mother and baby. Meanwhile, a strategy referred to as "spontaneous pushing," which supports women to push by following their bodily urges, has been evaluated in several trials. However, in China, spontaneous pushing is not common practice. Notwithstanding the evaluation of spontaneous pushing, there is a lack of high-quality evidence to support either strategies of directed pushing or spontaneous pushing. This study aims to test the feasibility of a future randomized controlled trial to compare the effects of spontaneous pushing and directed pushing during the second stage of labor for maternal and neonatal outcomes in China. A nonrandomized, single-group, noninferiority feasibility study will be conducted in a public hospital in Hebei Province, China. In total, 105 women meeting the selection criteria will be recruited to receive the intervention (spontaneous pushing), while 105 sets of medical notes from women who received routine care (directed pushing) will be identified and reviewed to compare outcomes for both cohorts. A mixed methods approach will be used to assess primary outcomes (feasibility and acceptability) and secondary outcomes (effectiveness). Data collection took place between May and October 2023. A total of 110 women were invited to participate in the intervention of spontaneous pushing. Midwives' interviews were conducted and will be transcribed for analysis in March 2024. The data analysis is planned to be completed by May 2024. This feasibility study will provide important information by conducting a full-scale clinical trial in the future as well as the potential facilitators and barriers of it. A future randomized controlled trial is likely to have considerable policy and funding impacts regarding pushing management during the second stage of labor and improvement in women's childbirth experience. Chinese Clinical Trial Register ChiCTR2300071178; https://tinyurl.com/mudtnbft. DERR1-10.2196/55701.

Perspectives of Women of Reproductive Age Regarding Sexuality During Their Menstruation Period

Abstract Introduction This study aimed to determine the views and experiences of women of reproductive age regarding their sexuality and sexual life during their menstrual period. Methods A qualitative, interpretive, phenomenological design was used. The study sample consisted of 16 women of reproductive age (18–49), who volunteered to participate and came to gynecology outpatient clinic appointments at a research hospital in Istanbul, Turkey. Data were collected online through in-depth individual interviews. Results The research was composed of six themes: “symptoms of the menstruation period,” “duration and severity of symptoms during menstruation,” “effect of the menstrual period on sexual life,” “sexual desire during the menstrual period,” “opinions about sexual life during menstruation,” and “spouses’ opinions about sexual life during menstruation.” Conclusions The women in the study noted that they experienced physiological and psychological symptoms during their menstrual period. Although some of the women stated that they do not have changes in sexual desire during this period, most of them think that they should not engage in sexual intercourse due to the symptoms they experience during their menstrual period, religious beliefs, and sociocultural values. Policy Implications Nurses should counsel couples about the possible advantages and disadvantages of sexual intercourse during menstruation without displaying a judgmental attitude.

Depression during pregnancy and associated factors among women in Ethiopia: a systematic review and meta-analysis

BackgroundPregnancy is one of the most remarkable experiences in a woman’s life. Prenatal depression, characterized by stress and worry associated with pregnancy, can reach severe levels. On a global scale, mental and addictive disorders affect more than one billion people, causing 19% of years lived with disability. It is estimated that 25–35% of pregnant women experience depressive symptoms, with 20% meeting the diagnostic criteria for major depression.MethodsA systematic review and meta-analysis were conducted to examine depression during pregnancy in Ethiopia. The search was conducted from March 1–31, 2023. Data extraction used Microsoft Excel, and analysis was performed using STATA version 17. The New Castle-Ottawa Scale quality assessment tool was employed to evaluate the methodological quality of included studies. The Cochrane Q test and I2 statistics were used to assess heterogeneity. A weighted inverse variance random-effects model estimated the pooled level of antenatal depression (APD). Publication bias was detected using a funnel plot and Begg’s and Egger’s tests.ResultsOut of 350 studies searched, 18 were included in the analysis. The overall pooled prevalence of depression in Ethiopia was 27.85% (95% CI: 23.75–31.96). Harari region reported the highest prevalence (37.44%), while Amhara region had the lowest (23.10%). Factors significantly associated with depression included unplanned pregnancies, low social support, low income, previous history of depression, intimate partner violence, and history of abortion.ConclusionThis systematic review and meta-analysis demonstrate that approximately one-quarter of pregnant women in Ethiopia experience depression during pregnancy. Unplanned pregnancy, low social support, low income, previous history of depression, history of abortion, and intimate partner violence are determinants of depression. To address this high prevalence, the Ethiopian government and stakeholders should develop policies that incorporate counseling during pregnancy follow-ups. Improving the quality of life for pregnant women is crucial for the well-being of families, communities, and the nation as a whole.

(PM-05) EFFICACY OF PELVIC FLOOR MUSCLE TRAINING AND PERINEAL MASSAGE IN THE TREATMENT OF WOMEN WITH DYSPAREUNIA: NARRATIVE REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE

Abstract Introduction Sexual dysfunction is an alteration in one or more components of the sexual response cycle and dyspareunia is the dysfunction in which the woman experiences pain before, during or after vaginal penetration, which impairs quality of life and relationship with the couple. Physiotherapy uses several techniques to address this dysfunction, including pelvic floor muscle training (PFMT) and perineal massage (PM), but studies on the actual effects of these techniques and the resolution of dyspareunia are still scarce. Therefore, the objective of this study is to identify the evidence on the use of PFMT and MP techniques in the treatment of women with dyspareunia. Materials/Methods Research carried out in the PEDro, Pubmed and MEDLINE databases. Articles of the type were included: clinical trials, meta-analysis and systematic reviews, published in English and Portuguese; in the period from 2013 to 2023; who addressed TMAP and MP techniques in the treatment of dyspareunia. Those who did not meet the inclusion criteria were excluded. Results In total, 525 articles were identified, but only 9 studies were selected for this review as they met the inclusion criteria. Most of the results showed significant responses to treatment with the use of PFMT and MP, and even the studies in which they did not obtain significance did not rule out the possibility of these techniques, since they do not present side effects and have good potential. to improve. Many studies have low methodological quality. Conclusion It was observed in the literature that PFMT and MP have good responses in the treatment of dyspareunia, but there is not enough support in the literature to demonstrate their effectiveness. It is necessary to develop future studies with better methodological quality for more solid scientific evidence. Financing No conflict.

Adoption of policies to improve respectful maternity care in Timor-Leste.

There are now well-established global standards for supporting improvement in women's experience of maternity services, including frameworks for the prevention of mistreatment during childbirth. To support initiatives to improve the quality of care in maternal health services in Timor-Leste, we examine the adoption of global respectful maternity care standards in the national intrapartum care policy and in three urban birth facilities in Dili. From May to July 2022, we conducted a desk review of the Timor-Leste National Intrapartum Care Standards and Clinical Protocols for Referral Facilities and Community Health Centres. This was followed by a health-facility audit of policies, guidelines and procedures in three main maternity facilities in the capital, Dili to examine the extent to which the WHO (2016) standards for women's experiences of care have been adopted. Despite the availability of global guidelines, key standards to improve women's experience of care have not been included in the National Intrapartum Care guidelines in Timor-Leste. There was no mention of avoiding mistreatment of women, needing informed consent for procedures, or strengthening women's own capability and confidence. In the policy wording, women tended to be distanced from the care 'procedures' and the protocols could be improved by taking a more woman-centred approach. The results of the health facility assessment showed extremely low use of standards that improve women's experiences of care. Health Facility 1 and 2 met two of the 21 quality measures, while Health Facility 3 met none of them. The discourse communicated through policy fundamentally affects how health care issues are framed and how policies are enacted. Given the findings of this study, combined with previously documented issues around quality of care and low satisfaction with maternal health services, there is a need for a fundamental shift in the culture of care for women. This will require an immediate focus on leadership, training and policy-frameworks to increase respectful care for women in health facilities. It will also require longer-term effort to address the power imbalances that drive mistreatment of women within and across social systems, and to support models of care that inherently foster understanding and compassion.

Saudi women STEM pioneers: penetrating the mud ceiling.

Although researchers actively study women's experiences in STEM fields, few do so from women's perspective. We thematically analyzed life narrative semi-structured interview data (46-item open-ended instrument, 90-120 Min) from eight STEM pioneering Saudi Arabian women careerists (mathematics, medicine, and biology) (convenience sample summer 2023). The objective was to glean their insights to discern self-reported influences (internal and external), struggles, and challenges in launching and advancing their careers. The extremely accomplished participants (all married, most with children) averaged age 65+, had 40+ years of experience and came from the three largest Saudi provinces. Important factors influencing choosing STEM included personality traits (e.g., deep desire to academically succeed; problem focused); secondary school peer/academic learning experiences; and male family member support, especially fathers. Struggles and challenges (often viewed as opportunities) included the mud (not glass) ceiling; male colleagues' harsh, prejudiced treatment; and unsupportive administration. Participants were research driven and willing to relocate, re-educate, and change direction to establish and advance their careers. Implications for future research and policy initiatives are woven into the discussion and recommendations.

Women's experiences and sustainable adaptation: a socio-ecological study of climate change in the Himalayas

Women's experiences and sustainable adaptation: a socio-ecological study of climate change in the Himalayas

Between adventure and delicacy: sailing as a powerful experience for women

ABSTRACT The nautical environment has been challenging for women. However, interviewing experienced female sailors, we noticed that despite the adversity they face, they consider the experience of sailing as something profoundly impactful and powerful in their lives. This research discusses the power of the aesthetic experience of sailing for women, thus adding to the gender discussion. In order to do so, we make use of a theoretical framework that addresses the relationship between being and the materiality of the world. In describing these aesthetic experiences lived in the body, Bachelard’s phenomenology of the image stands out. By productive imagination and poetic images found in the field research and characterized as powerful by the sailors, the social construction of gender and the images between adventure and delicacy appears.

Treatment withdrawal experiences of women with breast cancer: A phenomenological study.

To obtain an in-depth understanding of the lived experiences, values, and beliefs of Taiwanese women with breast cancer who withdrew from cancer treatment. Fear of side effects, negative experiences and personal beliefs were identified as reasons for withdrawing from cancer treatments. Body-mind consciousness and body autonomy play a crucial role in cancer treatment decisions. Descriptive phenomenological approach. We conducted semi-structured, face-to-face and in-depth interviews with 16 women diagnosed with breast cancer. Participants were purposefully selected from the Cancer Registry database. Employing a phenomenological approach, our aim was to explore the lived experiences of these individuals. Data analysis followed Giorgi's five-step process. To ensure a comprehensive report the COREQ checklist was applied. 'The Determination to Preserve Me' is the essence of treatment withdrawal, identified by three themes and seven sub-themes. 'Raising Body-Mind Consciousness' was generated using body autonomy and preventing repeated psychological trauma from the participant's view. Their lifestyles, maintaining the family role, and returning to a normal trajectory help develop 'Maintaining Stability for Being a Patient and a Family Carer'. 'Self-Defending Against the Body Harm' was generated by concerns about maintaining health and preventing harm. Women's behaviours became transformed by suffering. Actions were influenced by physical and psychological distress, misconceptions about treatments, and appearance changes by self-determination through self-protection. Healthcare professionals should respect women's autonomy and work collaboratively to ensure their decision-making with accurate information and awareness of the potential risks and benefits of treatment withdrawal need to concern.

Review: Smoke Sauna Sisterhood (2023): documentary by Anna Hints

This article aims to review the critically acclaimed debut documentary “Smoke Sauna Sisterhood” (2023) by Anna Hints. On the outside the movie is rather culturally specific - setting of a smoke sauna in a Võromaa region of the small country of Estonia, following the lived experiences of women growing up in the late Soviet to early post-Soviet times. However, in this context, much more universal themes of womanhood are unveiled. As the themes of womanhood, bodies, nudity, patriarchy, and violence are ever-present in the therapy rooms of sex and relationships therapists, this is a movie that holds a gentle reminder of the fragility and stories people hold. In the context of visceral smoke sauna traditions, the relevance of cultural wisdom and humanity invite therapists to reflect on the nature of our work and the spaces we create.

Public service broadcasting and gender equal coverage: reflections on research and practice in Ireland and Sweden

This paper makes three important contributions: to research on media and gender equality, specifically through the lens of gender equal sports coverage; to understanding the lived experiences of women in public service sports broadcasting, and to gender-sensitive public discourse and policy debates concerning the relationship between media and sport. In it, we examine industry attempts to achieve gender equal coverage in public service broadcasting (PSB) in Ireland and Sweden. The paper draws on a three-way dialogic exchange between the authors who, together, have sizeable professional and personal experiences of public service sports broadcasting, sports participation (from amateur to elite levels), and of voluntary sports coaching and administration. This novel exchange also responds to calls for greater insights into women’s engagements with media. The paper concludes by considering current issues for PSBs in relation to gender equal coverage and suggesting potential future lines of enquiry.