A female classmate of mine decided she wanted to design a better speculum, because everybody knows that pap smears are basically the worst, and surely there is room for improvement on that mechanism, right? On Friday we all submitted our project outlines for approval. My female classmate was told to pick a new topic, because hers was inappropriate.

Again, let me stress here that everything has worked out, and she will be designed a speculum for her design project, and I bear no ill-will to the male prof who said it was inappropriate. Things are a-okay.

BUT. I doooo want to make a note on what is and is not inappropriate.

My body is not inappropriate. Clinical procedures are not inappropriate. Health care is not inappropriate. Checking your blood pressure is not inappropriate, taking vitamins is not inappropriate, and therefore getting a pap smear is not inappropriate.

Uncomfortable? Yes, which is WHY this girl wants to redesign the speculum. Oh, you mean it makes YOU uncomfortable to talk about? Well, deal with it.

Pap smears aren’t sexually explicit. It’s clinical. I feel like sometimes, anything to do with female sexuality, that isn’t about the male consumption of it, is considered inappropriate or taboo. I’m so proud of my female classmate for pushing the boundaries of what makes certain males comfortable, and asserting herself on behalf of what is right.