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51% Show #1374

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On this week’s 51%, we get personal, below the belt. First, homeless women face a particular monthly challenge. Then we hear why girls should be queens of their pelvic regions. And we have an historical look at gal pals. I’m Allison Dunne and this is 51%.

Being homeless means it's a daily challenge to get your basic needs met: eating, bathing and using the bathroom. For many women, another challenge arises every month when they get their period. Liz Pfeffer reports for KALW's Crosscurrents. 

The Chicago-based Women’s Health Foundation wants to empower girls to make good, health-conscious choices and educate them about a part of their bodies often left out of the discussion in health education classes. So, the Foundation is out with a book entitled Below Your Belt: How to Be Queen of Your Pelvic Region, A Pelvic Health Handbook for Girls, written by Executive Director Missy Lavender and Content and Program Developer Jenifer Donatelli Ihm. The book covers everything from the history of women’s pelvic health, to anatomy, bladder health, and pelvic exercises. Pelvic health disorders affect 1 out of 3 women in the U.S. and the Women’s Health Foundation feels that addressing these issues in young girls may help improve this statistic. Their goal in creating the book is to help girls be strong from the inside out, as they participate in sports; establish habits surrounding bathroom behaviors, hygiene, and nutrition; and head into young adulthood with a new understanding and connection to their pelvic region. I spoke with Jeni Ihm about how the book came to be. 

That was Jenifer Donatelli Ihm of the Women's Health Foundation and co-author of Below Your Belt: How to Be Queen of Your Pelvic Region, A Pelvic Health Handbook for Girls.

Thanks to Taylor Swift, 2015 will be remembered as the year we all wanted to be part of the “squad”--Taylor’s ever growing group of friends. Pop music’s biggest star--who used to be all about boyfriends--is now, all about her girlfriends. A Virginia historian says there was another time in history when gal pals were having a real moment. Lilia Fuquen has the story.

And that's our show this week. Thanks to Katie Britton for production assistance. Our executive producer is Dr. Alan Chartock. Our theme music is Glow in the Dark by Kevin Bartlett. This show is a national production of Northeast Public Radio. And follow us on Twitter @51PercentRadio

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