The Film Leading a Women's Health Revolution with Meredith Yinger

In this episode of the Passionistas Project, sisters Amy and Nancy Harrington interview Meredith Yer, an award-winning director, documentarian, and founder of the female-led production company She TV Media. Meredith shares her journey from childhood storyteller to a key figure in the documentary world, highlighting her frustrations with traditional broadcast journalism and the motivations behind her documentary projects. She delves into her acclaimed documentary 'Scars Unseen', discussing the challenges of distribution and the importance of community screenings. Meredith also introduces her upcoming project 'Vulva, a Revolution', aiming to transform conversations around women's sexual health. The discussion underscores the need for gender equity in film crews and the power of storytelling as a tool for social change. Finally, Meredith talks about the cultural impact of her films and the critical role of support from organizations like the She Angels Foundation in bringing such projects to life.

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ON THIS EPISODE

[00:34] Introducing Meredith Yer Elli Ann Davy

[01:26] Meredith's Passion for Storytelling

[02:37] Childhood and Early Influences

[06:04] Discovering Documentary Filmmaking

[07:29] The Power of Storytelling for Social Change

[08:42] Challenges in the Film Industry

[12:17] Creating She TV Media

[13:27] The Importance of Gender Equity in Film

[18:28] The Collaborative Nature of Filmmaking

[21:02] Inspiration from Austin's Art Scene

[24:09] Scars Unseen: The Catalyst

[25:26] The Universal Impact of Trauma

[25:45] Changing the Narrative: Focusing on Recovery

[27:27] The Challenges of Film Distribution

[27:53] The Journey of 'Scars Unseen'

[31:34] The Importance of In-Person Cinema

[32:44] Introducing 'V Revolution'

[33:31] Addressing Medical Gaslighting and Training

[35:44] Empowering Through Education and Advocacy

[44:33] Funding and Support for 'V Revolution'

[48:55] Final Thoughts and Dreams for the Future

FULL TRANSCRIPT

Passionistas: Hi, we're sisters Amy and Nancy Harrington, founders of the Passionistas Project, where we believe that every woman deserves to be seen, heard, and celebrated. Our mission is simple but powerful to give women a platform to tell their unfiltered stories. The stories that inspire challenge. And break the silence around what it really means to follow your Passionistas.

On each episode, we have conversations about courage, authenticity, and the messy, beautiful journey of living life unapologetically. Today's guest is Meredith Yinger an award-winning director documentarian and founder of the female-led production company. She TV Media known for amplifying overlooked voices through bold cinematic storytelling.

Following the success of her acclaimed debut documentary Scars Unseen, Meredith is now developing her next feature, vulva, a Revolution, a fearless call to transform the conversation around women's sexual health. So please welcome Meredith Yinger. We're so excited to have this conversation with you today.

Meredith:  Yay. Thank you so much. That was an amazing intro. I appreciate it. Um, I'm happy to be here. I love what you are doing and I'm just excited to be part of it.

Passionistas: That's excellent. We're so excited to have you part of the sisterhood. Um, Meredith, what are you most passionate about?

Meredith:  In general or just today?

Passionistas: Um, either, either or both.

Meredith:  It changes on the daily, you know. Um, I'm really, I'm really, really excited to talk with you about Vulva La Revolution. That's been like my bread and butter for a while now. We're starting to, thanks to you and other ladies and like the She Angels Foundation starting to get word out about what we're doing.

And so it's exciting to talk to people about what we're creating and just have it not be, you know, in a silo, in our heads anymore. Um, so I'm very, very passionate about storytelling in general. Um, I love utilizing all the different mediums to tell stories. I've written a children's book. I have written, actually written two, but only one's self-published right now.

Um, and like anything in the visual mediums of any way to tell a story I am all for and like very passionate and excited about. Um, and as you can see from my background, obviously dinosaurs, um, love dinosaurs as well.

Passionistas: That's awesome. So let's go back. Tell us about your childhood and where you grew up, and was storytelling always an important part of your world?

Meredith:  Yeah, yeah. No, I actually grew up in la um, like one of 80 of us, you know, um, that are here from the area. Um, and so I was born in Burbank and I grew up loving theater and acting. Um, I did that for a very long time. Um, so storytelling has kind of always been. In the background also, I come from quite a long line of storytellers.

Um, my mom, my dad, my godfather, I think everyone surrounding me is a storyteller in some way, shape, or form. So Sunday night dinners are very big deal because that's kind of where we all, um, share our stories and try out our best material. Um, and that was always kind of part of just like my up. Bringing was, you know, highs, lows, what's going on, what have you heard, what have you learned?

Um, and really just kind of sharing information. Um, and that's what I love about storytelling too, is it's not only, um, entertainment, right? You can also educate yourself and other people in the process. Um. So I kind of didn't really think about storytelling though until probably high school when I was acting and I was getting really frustrated with the types of roles that I was being, um, put, put out for.

Um, I got a lot of blonde dump, dumb blonde, um, you know, just like very, very stereotypical writing, casting, you name it, all of the things. And, um. I started working in production as well to kind of see the other side of things and discovered like, okay, I think I really do want to become Oprah. And the way that Oprah became Oprah is through broadcast journalism starting, you know, from finding your own story, pitching it, going out, you know, following leads.

And, um, so I applied to college with the belief that I was going to become an anchor or a broadcast journalist. Um, I ended up working in the news world at ABC seven, and I loved the people that I worked with at ABC seven, but broadcast in general, I did not, was not my jam. Um, and then I was kind of like, well, shit, what do I do now?

Passionistas: Why was it not your jam? What didn't you like about it?

Meredith:  So it was really frustrating just in terms of the doom and gloom machine. Um, the stories that were covered, why they were covered, who was covering them. Um, like I really wanted more feel good exposes. I was more interested in like the people behind.

The scenes of the story or like, why is this an issue? What has this, like, what's kind of led up to this? Just one moment that's being spot lit, right? Like the backstory, the context, you know, like I wanted more, um, and I felt like just honestly really sad and depressed at the state of the world, given what.

We were focusing on. Um, and I was like, where's the hope? Like where's the positivity? I'm not asking for everything to be sunshine and rainbows, but like a little bit of a balance would be great. Um, and I think it was actually in my documentary class, the first documentary class I took in the film school.

Um, I transferred, well, I added. It's kind of weird, but I added a second bachelor's degree, um, while I was in the, in college at LMU because I wanted to learn filmmaking, camera editing, everything. Thinking still that I needed to know all of these things for broadcast purposes, um, which is true. Still, you need to know how to do everything now.

So I'm glad that I did, but it wasn't until I took that documentary class that it kind of dawned on me that like, oh, there is this very specific medium that kind of combines all of the things I love, right? Like asking questions, the investigative journalism approach. Also the ability to capture and create and follow stories that might not usually be told, um, that people wouldn't hear.

That maybe, you know, are the positive stories are the moments of triumph. Like, are the people that are doing incredible things, but maybe they're. Not your celebrity, you're not your typical like a-list person that gets covered, um, in media and news. So that was really when I think I kind of was like, okay, this is awesome.

I did not know how cool this could be and that this was even an option.

Passionistas: Do you remember like a specific time when you realized that storytelling could actually be a good tool for social change?

Meredith:  Hmm. There's been a lot of moments I feel like, specifically for my love of documentaries, like when I watched Blackfish specifically, I remember following how many incredible things.

Happened after that film was released and how widely it was talked about. Not just the film itself, but like, you know, the story behind it, the creatures, the legislation, like all of the things that kind of played into that. The documentary tapped on, and I thought that was. Like incredible what they were able to accomplish, who they were able to make, not only have conversations, but to also have like tangible legislation, tangible, you know, protests and, um, advocacy groups and, you know, people making change, donating their money to foundations to create new, you know, opportunities for this.

And I thought, wow, what a cool way to make the world a better place. Um, with film.

Passionistas: So after you graduated, how did you get into, did you start to work for other people on their films?

Meredith:  Yeah, so I worked in production in a bunch of different roles, you know, as pa as on a ton of different projects. Um, I worked for a couple Nickelodeon shows, um, had some not so great experiences on set and, um.

Just in that environment and, um, it became very clear to me pretty quickly how set in stone everyone's like, ladder of success and you know, pipeline that you were supposed to follow. How many different, like. Hoops you had to jump through to rise in the ranks. Um, and then at, at the same time, like the same type of person that was calling all of the shots or was a department head or was, you know, in a position of power, if you wanna call it that.

And, um. That was like very eye-opening to me because I felt like it was so rigid and there was not a lot of space for collaboration and like, it was like, you know, I was the run, like everyone, you know, and there's, there's something to be said about paying your dues and also treating people like humans and, um.

I think that that was kind of shocking to me as well, just to kind of see the treatment at different levels of, um, the ladder, if you will. Um. I didn't really bel I didn't really like buy into that. You needed to follow the, like, I'm like, okay, I'm not really, like, I am a rule follower, but also I'm like such a rebel that I'm like, I wanna follow the rules to a certain extent and then I wanna create my own rules when I don't think the rules should be the rules, um, anymore.

And so, um. I don't think it was until, like, I moved to Austin for like a little bit over a year and I, I went out on my own to do directing and producing of this short form series, um, of a doc that was called Story in Her Eyes. And that was, I highlighted a lot of different women that I had just met, um, living there who had kind of an underlying through line of abuse or of, you know.

Uh, just overcoming something traumatic, which I think more often than not people have that kind of story. Um. I saw other people and other productions and in the commercial world out there and doing it in a way that was so different from how things are done in LA and that people were collaborative and were listening and um, people that had no experience were creating shows and directing commercials and doing things, and I'm like.

Okay, so it doesn't have to be like, it does exist a different way outside of la. I'm curious, like, why am I waiting for someone else to tell me that I can do these things? Um, so I just started creating content, um, on my own out there and, you know, networking and meeting folks. And then when I came back to LA I was like, you know what?

Enough is enough. Like I, I can complain all day and be. Frustrated to the end of the earth or I can do something about it. And so that's really when like she, TV media developed and I came to the, the, the name, I always have the name or the title of things before I have the actual product or the film. Um, but she, TV media came to me just kind of as like a belief in terms of like reclaiming the narrative and also the way that women and those.

Marginalized have been featured and shown in the media or on crew, in front of the camera, behind the camera, and I just wanted g TV media to represent like a reclamation and, and a opportunity to do things differently.

Passionistas: So we were at an event with you the other day and, um, and the, the presenter was talking about.

The inequity in crews with women. Mm-hmm. And men. And, um, I just thought it was fascinating. One of the, one of the stats was, I think it was 2% of DPs and cinematographers on broadcast platforms are women.

Meredith:  Yeah,

Passionistas: 2%. You know, some of the other categories were higher. There were like 40, 50. No, none of nothing was 50-, 40 ish.

Yeah. But, um, so talk about the importance of equity, gender equity, and being rooted in intersectional storytelling for CTV media.

Meredith:  Yeah, I think I, first of all, I love. Research and statistics that, that represent what's going on. Um, and like the Gina Davis Institute and folks that are doing, or, um, I think UCLA does the, does the diversity report.

Um, and those are really helpful and disparaging. But, um, I think we need to look at that more than we do. Um, and that's something that I feel very strongly about, that we're gonna see the same type of content, the same tropes, the same. Same old, same old until we incorporate women and minority voices at all levels of production and not just, you know, have a token person.

Um, like tokenism is very popular. Um, and I, and I just, I believe so strongly in that, that it's, it's way better to have people from all walks of life. Included because how much richer and diverse and more interesting of product comes out of that. And not only that, but the experience, the, you know, environment on set, the, you know, there's so much more, there's so much more, it just, it creates more of a.

I think a much more accurate representation of the media and stories that we're trying to tell. Um, instead of hearing the same voices told from the same perspective of the same person. Um. And I think it's really important to just kind of expand that. And, and I wish that all of the initiatives would have to have, you know, at least half, right?

Like we're just striving to even get to three quarters half on productions or in different, um, levels. And I know a lot of times the excuse publicly is that they don't have anyone they don't know. There's not enough. And that's just false. There are so many, they, you just probably don't know one, how to find them or aren't willing to do and take the time and energy and resources to put into bringing in new people, onboarding them.

That whole process, but we're out there, we're creating, you know, and I think it's really interesting to show, um, I don't remember the statistic, I can look this up really fast if you want, but of an of a, of led by a woman, um, showrunner or producer or person in charge of crewing that they hire like 60% more women and minority voices than, um, a production led from a man.

Passionistas: I have it right here. So basically it said programs with more than one woman creator have 42% of the women are directors programs with exclusively male creators. 20% of the women, our directors, and then writers was 62% women when there was more than one female creator. One more than one woman creator. 20% when there was all men editors were 12% when there was a woman creator, and 20% when it was a man.

Which also just points to the fact that the only reason the men are hiring is 'cause they're. There's some quota, right? That's not a coincidence.

Yeah. Well, 20%. 2020. 2020. It's like they need to hire one in five, hire a woman.

Meredith:  So for diversity and inclusion.

Passionistas: Yeah. Yeah. Which is is fantastic that that exists in that there's even that marker.

Meredith:  Yeah. Yeah.

Passionistas: But it's insane that like, it's that transparent. It's like, yeah, yeah. You think we're so, you know, lightheaded and air airheaded that we don't. Make the connection hiring the women. And the other thing that always drives me crazy is when they do say like, well, there, there aren't women with enough experience.

It's like, well, maybe if you put women in the, in the pipeline so that they can be getting the experience they need, right.

When those roles are ready, you know? And those are open to them now. They have the experience if you're helping to nurture and train them younger. Yeah. If you buy into the narrative that.

There aren't enough experienced women, which we all know there already are.

Meredith:  Right.

Passionistas: But you wanna go along with like how to just attack each of the points as they're brought up. It's like, okay, well then train more women.

Meredith:  Yeah. And then it becomes like an accessibility issue too, right? Like who gets those opportunities?

Mm-hmm. Yeah. And who do those people know that they got those opportunities, you know?

Passionistas: Yeah. Yeah.

Meredith:  It becomes a, it's a little elitist.

Passionistas: Little bit,

Meredith:  just

Passionistas: a little, just a little bit.

Meredith:  Just a little. But I do think, I do find it very interesting because on a lot of the productions and the way that we operate naturally, I think as women is much more of a collaborative approach.

And I, I know that it's because women have always operated in community, right? Like, since women came into existence, um, we relied on each other and. Created a community, created a support system, and I find it really lovely to have that represented, you know, onsets and in film and entertainment because it's such a beautiful art form and like to have that sense of community and anyone that has worked on a film set knows that you immediately bond with everyone on the crew because of you're all going through hell and back and also enjoying it.

You know, like you have to be a little bit of a sadist, I think, to, to work in production full time because of the hours, because of how grueling it is, because of, you know, everything. But I think that's such a cool opportunity to, um, also make sure that the set and the environment and the folks that you're working with, like you do have the chance to kind of become a family.

Um. I think that's really one of the best parts about filmmaking, and I think that plays into the magic of film and everyone talks about how great it is to be on set and it's like those are the feelings that they're talking about, right? The friends, the relationships, the people that you have met, and also you're playing make believe and creating some beautiful, you know, visual representation that gets.

To be out in the world. Um, and you get to be there at the ground level. So like, it's very cool and very exciting. Um, and that's why people like it. That's why I love it.

Passionistas: Right. Was there a particular moment or um, or event in your production experience where you finally were like, okay, I need to just build my own thing?

Meredith:  Hindsight's 2020, you know, always looking back, you're like, oh, that was it. That was bad. That wasn't great. Um, yeah, that was rough that I went through that. You know, it's just like you're so in the weeds. Um, and it, it takes a lot of reflection, I think, to look back and say like, all of the ways that I was led to doing my own thing.

And I do think that there were a lot of instances. Um, I, you know, briefly mentioned a couple. Bad experiences and everyone has pretty much, you know, not great experiences regardless of what work and where, what industry, whatever, you know, across the board. But I think looking back, and honestly in Austin, when I started hearing the stories of just the women that I had met in that year, all having similar experiences of whether that be trauma abuse, you know, some kind of.

Thing, and also they overcame that, like the resiliency aspect I think was really beautiful to me. And I think it kind of was like. A little bit of a reality check, like, look at all of these incredible women that you just met doing, going out in the world, becoming athletes, like overcoming trauma, like being artists.

Um, like what are you waiting for? Um, like times of the essence, you know? So I, I feel like a lot of those women that I met really just inspired me to go out there and try it. Um, and I do think that Austin also has a very beautiful. Like environment, but attitude around the arts and creating art. And it's a lot less, a lot less judged.

And I think LA people are so afraid to go out and put something bad out there or something new, something different, something weird, um, or. Or not feel ready or permission or permissible to do the art. Whereas like there I people were very much like, you have a script, let's make the script. Like let's film it.

I've got a camera. Or like, oh, you're a writer. You were like poetry. Like let's go to a live poetry reader or an open mic night. Or like the environment was just like, if you do the thing, you are the thing. I think that that's a very good reminder. Like I have to remind myself too of that because we get so caught in titles and in IMDB credits and in all of like the materialistic.

Visual social media version of things. And I just feel like I'm very grateful that I met people that were out there creating, doing their craft and experimenting because it's like, it's supposed to be fun. Like it's supposed to be an enjoyable experience, whether you're an actor in front of the camera, behind the camera, right?

Like it's art. It's, it's a creation. It's like emoting, it's therapeutic. It is like all of these glorious things. Um, now I'm just rambling about art, but um. I just really loved that and I thought that was so refreshing and I just, I love that. And I, and I think that's the way that I want people and myself and anyone that I know, like friends, and I want us to approach things like that because it, it is playful.

It is fun. It is cool like that you can take something from your brain to be out into the world in whatever form of existence it is. Like that's incredible. Yeah.

Passionistas: So, and we don't call it rambling, we call it passion.

Meredith:  I got a lot of different, a lot of different passion coming out today.

Passionistas: Very, very true. So let's talk about your first film Scars Unseen.

What was the catalyst to deciding to make that film?

Meredith:  So Scars Unseen has, has been such a, such a passion project as well because, um, back in. 2018, I met Trish Steele and learned about Safe Passage and, um, her work is incredible and she's been doing decades of this work. And initially it was just gonna be about Trish, um, because she has.

Plenty of stories, uh, a lifetime of achievements and work and helping hundreds, and I think now thousands of women that have been in domestic violence situations get out and get help. And I think in the process of filming some videos for her nonprofit, um, we actually met Maha who was speaking at one of the events that Trish was also speaking at and had this incredible.

Like harrowing story and was so graceful and and honest about it, and I think that kind of was a good indicator to me like. We need to showcase. This is not a one size fits all issue. When you think of domestic violence, I'm sure one specific scenario, one type of person comes to mind, and that's not the case.

It affects everyone. Socioeconomic statuses like upbringing. Race, gender, it affects everyone. Like one in four, um, women will be affected, um, one in three depending on like the geographical location that you're going off of. And um, I just really wanted to kind of provide a glimpse into what it's like from the other side, but also showcase these women and their power and their bravery and their.

Strength and also, you know, give a little bit of hope around it because you have to flip the narrative and you have to showcase the other side in order for people to see that for themselves. Um, and I really believe that we only tend to focus on the gory details, right? Like, we're so obsessed with murder mysteries and, you know, true crime and.

That's fine. That's a, that's a whole other podcast about why we're psychologically obsessed with this. Um, that, that says a lot about, you know, our generation right now, but, um, and the state of the world. But I just think that we've had enough doom and gloom and it's time to showcase stories and positivity and places that are doing the work and are, you know, promoting.

Recovery because it's a process and it's not a one, one and done situation, right? Like it doesn't happen and then you're over it. Um, and I think everyone as a society has experienced some varying level of trauma. And I think to have that trauma informed approach through the film and in all of our, you know, workshops and things that we're doing around the film, um, I'm really hopeful that like we, it just.

Contributes to the broader conversation about us being all more trauma informed and trying to meet each other where we're at, and then find a way forward together.

Passionistas: I think people focus a lot on making a film. They don't talk enough about distributing a film.

Meredith:  Mm-hmm.

Passionistas: And especially when you're making a film about women and trauma.

Um, so what was the road to getting Scars Unseen distributed? Where is it now? Mm-hmm. And how do you feel about. Uh, you know, people being able to see this, these stories?

Meredith:  Yeah. I mean, what a process. Um, this was my first feature as well. So first time going through the film festival process, seeking distribution, learning about hybrid distribution, all of the everything.

Um, and it's evolved from when I started a couple years ago to today. When we're talking about it, it's completely different. Um, and it continues to change in the old models, the old pipelines, the festival to distribution, to getting a deal to finance your next film. That doesn't exist. That is gone. A new thing is emerging, but it's.

Much more complicated and you are required as a filmmaker to do all of the things. Whereas before it was a little bit more like, okay, you did the work, now we're gonna come on as a team, you know, of marketers or distributors and you know, we'll promote the film. We'll put it out there, we'll get it seen.

And now it's like you're a one-stop shop. Like you have to do the festivals, do the press. Promote it. Find a social media audience, prove the audience, like promote it within the festival circuit Network. Within the festival circuit. Um, and then for a larger distribution opportunity like Scars Unseen is not on a larger streamer right now.

Um, I haven't. I haven't gone that road, um, for a couple different reasons. Like I've had initial conversations, we had a couple deals come across, but it's just not like everyone, they, I just wanted to keep this, keep the rights, keep as much of, you know, this baby of ours as possible. Um, and also get it seen and also showcase that, you know, um, these stories can be heard.

So. It's been quite a push pull, like, you know, trying to find balance. Um, chicken before the Egg. What do you do navigating? It's, it's changes all the time, but I'm very thankful that Oma exists and that's where Scars unseen is available right now. Um, and Oma is incredible because it allows us to host community screenings.

So like organizations can go on Oma and like book private events or screenings and host, um, them virtually or in person. And also like you can directly watch, um, the film right now, um, on there as well. And they do a more of a, a split between the filmmakers and the platform. That's a little bit, um, it's like very transparent.

Um, there's no like hidden. Like curtain that you have no idea where the money, you know, like where anything goes. Um, and I think that I'm very excited and hopefully more people will, um, be able to watch and experience scars unseen. We were in the film festival circuit and I do have to say that as.

Ruthless as that, that industry and community is in terms of just getting your film into a film festival that has been so incredibly cool and rewarding to be in the room when people watch it for the first time. Because I know it backwards, forwards, upside down. Like I still can recite it in my sleep in probably English and Spanish if I try hard enough.

And, um. To sit there with people seeing it for the first time and have that first reaction and impression and like be moved by it. And then come like, hear, hear the laugh, hear the, you know, gasps, like, hear the reactions. I think that has been like some of my most favorite things, um, and has made that process, um, very meaningful just to be, be able to be there to witness it.

Um. I do believe strongly that we still need in-person cinema and we still need movie theaters and we all need to show up when anyone asks us as a filmmaker or a playwright or whatever, you know, to show up and get butts in seats because that sense of community, um, and bonding when you watch something, um, together and experience it together is very powerful.

Um, so I'm really hoping that we can do more of those in the future. Um. If there's any private bookers or theaters listening to your show, we're gonna just go one by one and see if we can, you know, get scars on scene into actual theaters so people can experience it together. But in the meantime, um, it is available on for, for that as well.

And, and, um, it is available in. Educational institutions right now too, which has been huge. Um, so that it can be doing some good and people can pull it as resources for papers and res and, you know, thesis and things like that. So I'm grateful for that, but it is a wild, wild,

Passionistas: yeah. Yeah, it's the wild west up there.

So let's talk about Vulva La Revolution, 'cause that's your new project and it's so exciting. Yeah. So tell us what that is and how you're approaching that film.

Meredith:  I love it. Thank you. Um, Vulva La Revolution is a movement, but it is also a documentary feature. About highlighting these women and organizations that have, um, that are even paving the way towards a revolution in sexual health and in the healthcare industry, um, or creating organizations, advocacy groups.

That are kind of leading the charge in terms of advocating for equitable research and funding and opportunities, um, around the training issue. The film also touches on medical gaslighting, you know, looking at the history where, um, how we've gotten to where we are today and focusing, you know, on some of the current.

Lay of the land, um, in terms of where the healthcare industry is letting, um, women down and focusing on like doctors and folks who are now training other people, um, to, you know, learn about the vulva anatomy and vulva conditions and also, you know, diagnose and treat and prevent, because that's a very big.

A very big problem. Um, we just aren't taught about the vulva, and I think the number one thing to know is that 50% of medical schools require training on sexual health, and that's only half, right? And then from there, um, you know, like 75% of medical trainees feel uncomfortable, um, talking about vulva.

Health, anatomy or conditions, and I think it's like 60% of gynecologists as well, um, feel uncomfortable. And, um, that's who you go to. And I want to also just to caveat that, that it, I, it's not a pointing the blame at doctors, it's really trying to invite people in and realize that the system does not train these doctors and these medical trainees and it is not required.

Um. For them and it should be, uh, widely available, right? Everyone should be learning and about the V Care and, um, and then go from, okay, your symptoms are valid. Just because, I don't know, just because I don't know, and I don't have the training, does not mean that it's not happening and does not mean that you do not have a condition.

Um, and really just kind of try and invite people into the conversation around this and realize like, okay. Hey, this has been bad for a while. Let's look at why it's bad. Let's look at the inequities across the board. Um, systemically, what is also hindering people from proper care, and also like how can we reframe this?

How can we fund research on women's, you know, health, sexual health on female bodies? Um, and. Believe women and stop gaslighting each other, um, and really just empower ourselves through education, and then we can share that education with each other and encourage each other to be your own best advocate.

Um, because unfortunately, and fortunately, like that's what it takes now to get a diagnosis or to get answers. Um, if you have questions, you really have to push for yourself and, um, you know your body better than anyone else. So to really just. Take that into account and hopefully through this film we'll create, um, a larger ecosystem.

Um, we'll have the feature film, it's like three part release, so we'll have the feature film. We'll also have a cut down shorter animation series where we'll go into the nitty gritty of the history and also the anatomy and different vulvar conditions. Then the third part is the nationwide screening tour, um, and event programming around the film, um, that we'll be pulling in through the She Angels Foundation, um, circuit and folks, um, to create, you know, people that can be on the ground with us that will do workshops or be resources, um, and develop programming around it.

So it's not like, watch the film, learn everything you've never been taught. Be overwhelmed, that might happen. But also we're gonna give you channels and ways to, you know, opportunities to get involved, advocacy groups you'll know to join, you know, brands or products that might alleviate pain or symptoms, um, and manage, you know, this process better.

Um, so channeling, channeling the anger and channeling, you know, the frustration into action is really my hope and and goal for this project.

Passionistas: Yeah. Given that even healthcare professionals are uncomfortable talking about this subject. Yes. Um, and I know the Catholic School girls in US are always like, Ooh,

Meredith:  yeah, we got, we got, we all bond over that.

Passionistas: Yeah. Um, you know, and, and having seen a bit of your film, um, so this is kind of a leading question, but how do you make this topic accessible to people so that they can feel comfortable while they're watching it? And, and kind of start to let go of some of those societal norms that are stuck in our heads.

Meredith:  Yeah. Well, my, my partner on this and one of our, our leading narrators and experts is Dr. Maria Eloco, and she's absolutely incredible and she's creating, um. Like a company and also a practice and doing incredible work around providing resources, um, for folks who are struggling. And she is, you'll see her, you've see, you'll see her, but she's incredible.

She has a way of disarming people in a, a glorious way. She makes it so, okay. To talk about and she has just this way of speaking about the topic of talking you through that is like inviting. And I think that's really, we're, we're piggybacking off of Maria's energy and the way that we want to make this fun and accessible and entertaining as well as, you know, informative.

Um, and so really in our graphics and who we're interviewing, how we're interviewing them, we're really trying to create a. An open and a welcoming experience for the viewer so that you're not, it, it, we're not gonna make it clinical. It's not going to feel sterile, it's not going to feel intimidating. We want this to be poppy and bold and, and, you know, times funny, but like very off the cuff.

And how we talk about things. And I think that's why I'm leaning heavily into this animation idea as well, to make it easier to understand because we don't know what we don't know, right? And we can't even generally name the parts of a vulva, so we have to start with the basics. And we have to kind of utilize that as a jumping off point.

And hopefully we can accomplish that, you know, with our music, with our graphics, with who's talking to you on camera, how they're talking to you, how they're talking to each other, and really just make it a conversation and, and package it together in a way that won't be a fronting or will be like more inviting.

Um, I really do want this film to have kind of like the, the under. Undercurrent of like a underground magazine, you know, from like the eighties or nineties. Um, like a little punk rock, a little, um, a little bit of moxie in there. Um, and that's kind of what, what I hope the energy we bring to this project because it is hard to talk about and it is very taboo and I think.

Um, we really just need to kind of hopefully remove the shame as much as we can around talking about it and realize that it's part of your body. Like if you had a problem with your nose or your elbow, you would be able to say, my nose or my elbow has a problem and not be shamed for it. And the same, the same should go for, you know, the vulva.

Um, and I do like to mention that people have been playing the penis game for. I don't know since I was in high school, which was, let's not date me, but, you know, a while ago. And like, it, it just takes that, right, it takes making it common. Um, making it fun, making it, making it normal.

Passionistas: We played the Volvo game at our, uh, Christmas party, and it was really super fun.

Meredith:  It was so fun. I really, actually, I need to cut that part down into a clip and put it on socials. I, I've been thinking about that the other day because that was the first iteration of the Volvo game and I hope the first of many, um, many to come.

Passionistas: We'll get that to you for sure.

Meredith:  Thanks.

Passionistas: Talk a little bit about, more about Dr. Maria, 'cause she is just incredible. Some of her, her background on some of the things that she has is renowned for.

Meredith:  Yes. Dr. Maria, she is one of the researchers that discovered that there are 10,000 plus. Um, nerve endings in the clitoris. So she has been doing incredible research. She started, you know, her own practice.

Now she is developing, um, vulva ai, which is ultimately going to be, um, kind of like the Google for, uh, vulva care and conditions and information resources and really just kind of trying to, um. She's gotta kind of cologne herself because the knowledge and training and, and speaking that she does is incredible.

But we need like a million of her, um, because she is very vocal. She goes into, you know, organizations helps to train, you know, doctors, advocates. For training, you know, does all of these, um, incredible things. She just did a masterclass, um, that hopefully will be included in medical trainees and other, um, healthcare organizations, um, to get this information out there because, um, it, we need it, we, we need this informa and there's so much of it, but there's also.

It's also such new information in the terms, in terms of like the studies that we have, um, to go around women's bodies. And I learn new things every time I talk to Maria. And, um, you know, like it really wasn't until 20 14, 20 16 where in the NIH mandated that female lab rats be included in preclinical trial research.

Um, and so if you, if you can understand that that was 10 years ago. It is no wonder that we don't understand the female body and the symptoms and hormones and how a woman develops throughout her life. Um, when every disease ever. Has only been tested on male anatomy. Um, like this is why women have different symptoms for heart attack, um, and presumably a lot of other conditions considering we've only ever studied, you know, half of the equation.

Um, so really just trying to get that information out there and get more, um, funding behind, you know, companies like Maria's and um, organizations that are doing the research, um, because it's. Because we need it. It's gonna save lives. Um, if, if we can do it.

Passionistas: Speaking of funding, um, so you mentioned the Lovely She Angels Foundation.

Meredith:  Yeah.

Passionistas: Which we all know is co-founded by Kat Curry Williams and Catherine Gray. Love who our Passionistas and, um, Dr. T and Mo and Jill and all these wonderful people keep this organization running to support women like you. Um. And you know, they gave you a very beautiful and generous grant. Mm-hmm. Which we'd love to hear more about, but also like how did that help propel you?

What stage are you in right now and how can people who are listening continue to, you know, give you support so you can finish this film?

Meredith:  Thank you. Yes. I love this question. Um, shout out to the She Angels. They have been instrumental in partnering, um, with me for this project. And, um, and we're, like I said, building out the national screening tour together, which is very exciting.

Um, but we have a lot of work to do before we can get there. Um, but they did give us a grant that we were able to actually film Dr. Maria's. Main interview with those funds and one other interview, um, as well. So we started the filming process, all thanks to their grant. And, um, through our fiscal sponsorship, which is film independent, all donations and contributions are tax deductible.

Um, so it is a write-off and that is a bonus as well. And right now we are fundraising for the next chunk of filming. Um, so we're raising, we're looking for like 20,000 ish, um, for the next couple days of filming. And we're doing it in segments. So we fundraise, we film, we fundraise, we film, sort of rinse and repeat, um, just because it's such a big undertaking, but also we can't wait.

Um. We can't wait to have all of ducks in a row. All of the funds raised, like time is of the essence, especially with this project. Um, and needed to be out 10 years ago. So I'm really trying to get this information out there as quickly as possible. Um, so anyone listening, we have a bunch of different sponsorship level, um, options available.

We have an associate producer level all the way up to corporate sponsorships, which will be really exciting, um, because then we'll have you in our ecosystem when we do the tour and you'll be invited to all of the events and, and be kind of put in front of all the audience. That we have to offer and that will come forward ready to ready to get involved and, and participate.

So, um, if you think of anyone or you're looking for a tax write off, I have a project for you. Um, we're, we're really excited. Um, and I just can't wait because I know that everyone. A hundred percent of people with a vulva, this will affect. So a hundred percent of people with Vulvas will experience some type of vulva dysfunction in their lives.

Um, so I really know that this is a, this is an everyone's issue. And, um, the vulva health does, you know, feed into all other parts of women's health in general, your bladder system, urinary system, all of. All of your body, everything is connected. Um, so if we can start, you know, treating and caring for the vulva, we can care for the whole woman, um, and the whole person.

So, um, I really invite everyone to get as passionate about the Passionistas in us, um, about this cause and, and reach out if there is a way or if you're curious of other ways to support, um, follow us on social media, you know, send our posts around. All, all word of mouth also is incredibly helpful.

Passionistas: And I also just wanna say, you don't have to be a woman to support this cause you are.

You. If a hundred percent of women are gonna be affected by this, a hundred percent of men are gonna be affected by this.

Meredith:  It's true.

Passionistas: So men should open up their checkbooks or Bitcoin or whatever they're using. And uh,

Meredith:  yes. Non-exclusive. This is open to everyone. Yeah.

Passionistas: So we could talk to you forever, but our, almost, almost up. And my dog,

Meredith:  I know that

Passionistas: barking in the background. Sorry

Meredith:  that went by so fast. I could talk forever to you guys.

Passionistas: We'll do a part two when the, when you get closer to coming out.

Meredith:  Yes,

Passionistas: Absolutely. But we have one last two part question, which is what is your dream for yourself and what is your dream for women?

Meredith:  Ooh. I'll say my dream for women, I'll start there. My 'cause it's kind of intertwined with my dream for myself because. I am a woman, but it, my dream for women is really to feel empowered to do whatever it is that you and your heart desires. I know that's so cheesy, but I really just think that so many of us don't do something because we don't think we're qualified enough or we don't have the experience or, you know, I've never done that before and we stop ourselves more.

Faster than the outside world does. Um, and I really just encourage anyone, um, myself included, to feel empowered to try new things to, to do and create whatever it is. And if you don't see what you want out there, then create it yourself. Um, and that is my vision for myself to, to continue to build spaces and projects in communities where, um.

We are finding and carving our own space and, and creating new opportunities and new exciting ventures and, um, trying to utilize our skill sets to make the world a better place. That's ultimately my world peace speech for Miss America Answer, but that's, that's what I really, really believe.

Passionistas: Thanks for listening to the Passionistas Project podcast.

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