The Cure for Medical Gaslighting? Kyndred’s Black Women-First Approach to Health Care

Conversations about vaginal health flow easily in the right setting: among friends, with a thumping, mid-tempo beat creating the perfect backdrop for girl talk. More often than not, it’s the southern drawl of Megan Thee Stallion promoting sexual autonomy. Or perhaps your recent Spotify playlist features Sexxy Red’s unapologetically bold “Fat, Juicy, and Wet,” where her raunchy bars meet Bruno Mars’ smooth vocals. Count how many times the duo says “pussy,” and naysayers wouldn’t find enough pearls to clutch (15, to be exact—I counted). But when it comes to addressing vaginal health—the wins and the concerns—the energy shifts. The lively, colorful camaraderie is replaced by the sterile walls of a doctor’s office. The soundtrack? Not a bass-heavy anthem of sexual liberation, but the unsettling hum of white noise as you wait for your provider to enter with the usual, “So, how can I help you today?” Despite the empowerment we feel elsewhere, bringing up sexual wellness in a medical setting remains taboo. Instead, people turn to TikTok, Google, or group chats before daring to voice those same concerns to a doctor. That’s where Kyndred comes in. A new end-to-end telehealth platform dedicated to redefining how sexual health is understood and...