Kegelbell's inventor, Dr. Stephanie Schull, is an expert in Philosophy presenting papers internationally, publishing, and teaching in the field since 1996. She is concerned about how society tries to convince us of irrational taboos about female bodies, that when believed, actively harm women, limit their experience, and diminish their quality of life. She created Kegelbell as an act of applied feminism to support the prosperity of women. She is on a mission to make things that matter.
Letter from Dr. Schull about why she invented Kegelbell
When my mother fell chronically ill from the surgical responses to her pelvic muscle problems, I did research and was overwhelmed by what I discovered, namely, most women suffer from weak pelvic muscles, the part of the body responsible for supporting the health of the bladder, uterus, and vagina, and in seeking to alleviate the debilitating symptoms, they encounter dangerous and ill-conceived solutions.
I founded Kegelbell because I was deeply moved when I discovered how much people with vaginas suffer as a result of weak pelvic floors, and it was clear the marketplace was motivated by forces that would never offer a safe, natural, effective, and affordable solution.
My background is in Philosophy and I was a university professor. So when I heard about the issue of widespread pelvic floor weakness for women, I immediately thought about it philosophically.
I concluded that our culture's ambivalence about female sexuality has manifested as a physical weakness in women at the core of their sexuality: the muscles in the genital area.
This conclusion disturbs me greatly.
Women have been essentially disconnected from their genitals leaving that part of them to atrophy. I don't think it too fine a point to see this as an act of psychological castration with all the health maladies that follow, namely, urinary incontinence, fecal incontinence, bladder prolapse, uterine prolapse, anorgasmia, and a lack of feeling in the genitals during sex.
But it gets worse because these physical issues will cause most people to suffer socially and psychologically. How can one be totally self-confident and self-possessed at a high-powered negotiation in a boardroom of a Fortune 500 company when one is concerned with leakage and odor from incontinence? How much does one curb travel, sexual adventure, and dating due to incontinence? What of the physical pain from prolapse and the surgeries that follow? How can we be fully alive, sexual beings, when the genitals communicate little feeling during intercourse? How many wives and girlfriends refuse to have sex because they are ashamed to share their problems with their partners?
While there are some amazing women who are not deterred by the challenges these ailments present, I think it unlikely that most can endure so triumphantly.
The best course of action is to not have these issues at all, and the best way to accomplish that goal is by connecting with the pelvic floor and making it strong enough to support our health through the decades.
There are also some sustainability issues related to incontinence, such as the problem presented by adult diapers in landfills, and the cost of a lifetime supply of them. Given the statistics of the ages of women at the onset of incontinence and the advanced age we enjoy living to today, too many women are looking at wearing pads and diapers for five, six or more decades.
The tipping point for me was hearing women say "Don't make me laugh!" because they don't want to urinate on themselves.
We need to laugh.
We need to give ourselves permission to enjoy sex.
We need to avoid the expense, pain, and inconvenience of the medical intervention that will follow if we fail to be strong in our inner-core.
We need to not let the taboos of our culture ruin our chances at a full, vivacious, and healthy life.
We need to have sex education that is not merely about what not to do but about how to find our unique path to having a rich and full sex life.
We need to take care of ourselves to live fully and not just get by.
No more missing out!
Hope to hear from you soon.
Warmest regards,
Dr. Stephanie Grace Schull
