Go With the Flow
menstrual health education for everyone
Addressing stigma and empowering menstruators with inclusive health education.
Menstrual Health Education
In recent years we have seen a greater focus on reproductive health in legislation, social media, and research. Educators, influencers, and organizations are able to reach more people than ever before, however current resources are insufficiently preparing young menstruators to understand and take care of their body. We see content that is gendered, focused on pregnancy, minimizes pain, and fails to address nuance. Go With the Flow was created to educate and empower young menstruators. In doing so, we improve health literacy, address stigma, and promote mental health.
Mission
We want to enhance the health and well-being of all menstruators, particularly supporting mental health, by providing menstruators and their support systems the tools they need to understand what is happening in their body, advocate for themselves, and walk through their period without fear or shame.
Vision
Go With the Flow envisions a world in which all menstruators are fully empowered about their period.
Values
Inclusion: We serve all menstruators, acknowledging the unique experiences and needs of non-binary, gender non-conforming, and transgender menstruators.
Humility: We strive to address inequities and the impact of race, culture, and ethnicity on health.
Empowerment: We believe in combating stigma and communicating topics honestly and accurately so menstruators can do the same.
Accessibility: We aim to make all aspects of Go With the Flow accessible to all abilities and incomes.
About Me
Hi, I'm glad you're here! My name is Abbie Dehring and I am a current Master of Public Health student at the Colorado School of Public Health. I have acted on my passion for menstrual health and reproductive justice through both academic and community work; I helped create an AI chatbot that answers menstrual health questions in a medically accurate and easy-to-understand way; I have co-founded a network of birth workers in Central Texas to address rising maternal mortality and health inequity through an at-cost PAP clinic, hospital petitions, and collective learning and support; I have addressed stigma and shame as an abortion justice organizer. My deep desire to empower menstruators has culminated in the Go With the Flow website, and I couldn't be more excited to share it with you!
My Story
I started my period when I was 12 years old. I was lucky to have a mom who spoke openly about puberty and friends who had already started their periods. I was ready for the bleeding, and to use menstrual products, but not the pain. My pediatrician told me that period cramps were normal and that pain relievers would help. A week later they found a grapefruit-sized mass and I lost my left ovary and fallopian tube.
I was, and still am someone who asks a lot of questions. I want to understand how my body works, how to know when something is wrong, and what I can do to take care of my body. What I have found is that many doctors, parents, and school teachers do not have the tools or information that young people deserve. Go With the Flow was created to fill in the gaps; and to get menstruators the information that they need to manage their periods with dignity, compassion, and confidence!
Everyone deserves inclusive, accessible, and empowering menstrual health education.
Collaborators
Camille Bibbee
Marketing
