Open Dialogue

Earlier this year while talking to a friend of mine the idea for a podcast started to germinate. We are both women of a 'certain age' and we were lamenting just how little women really talk about the stigmas that we carry throughout our life cycles. Some of which we help perpetuate I am ashamed to say. Well, I'm tired. I'm tired of there not being enough open conversation about topics that pertain to us. I'm tired of the hiding and the secrecy. I want my daughter to be able to have open conversations with her friends and family members about things that matter and not feel judged or subjected to stigmas that she acquired along with her XX chromosome. As the saying goes, charity begins at home... well, I have made it a point to make the world my home, my oyster and so the birth of De-Stigma Dialogues. I love a double entendre and the term stigma provides this in spades...

Stigma relates to the female reproductive system of the flower, and the flower is often used as a term of endearment for the female gender. Stigma also relates to derogatory labels and the topics from which they stem...

Just like the stigma of the flower that is laid bare and open to the pollinators, so to the podcast and book club will start open discussions in the hope of creating new life...

De-Stigma Dialogues is not just about removing these labels but also about understanding them, recognizing them and re-purposing them to create true community