Miami-based journalist Jessica Weiss has gotten used to covering tough topics over the years like anti-immigrant harassment and environmental issues, And her latest gig, as co-host of the Flow Down podcast, involves discussing a personal topic for women that she hopes can become a little less tough to talk about â periods and menstruation.
âItâs never been something I thought I had permission to talk about. Itâs secretive for most women,â Jessica said.
She and her co-host, her friend and womenâs health coach Stefanie Kleinburd, launched the podcats last October and have released episodes every other week since then. We chatted with Jessica about how it came together, what sheâs learned, and what she and Stefanie hope the podcast can accomplish.
HOW IT GOT STARTED
Jessica had been laid off from her job and was looking for a creative outlet when she started discussing the idea with Stefanie. From there they started doing some research and they discovered that there werenât that many podcasts about menstruation and how women deal with periods.
Once they realized they could carve out a unique space they decided to go for it.
âAs a consumer itâs just like âShut up, buy the products and move on,â Jessica said. âThereâs not really that many experiences that half the population experiences that are shrouded as something we donât talk about.â
So she and Stefanie got the necessary recording software and microphones, and launched the show last October.
WHAT THEYâVE LEARNED
Jessica said the most consistent feedback has been people thanking her and Stefanie for creating this space for women to discuss this common occurrence. She said that women have shared the podcast with friends, daughters, and nieces.
âWhat Iâve learned is that there are so many women who suffer from issues with their period, and because of all the shame and stigma they donât even know they can go to a doctor,â Jessica said.
The co-hosts have been able to learn so much more about âperiod justiceâ and advocates fighting for greater access to menstrual products and healthcare for women in poor and underserved communities.
WHATâS NEXT
Jessica hopes the show can continue to be a place for people to call in and commensurate about their experiences, and also for folks to learn from experts.
âWeâll talk about PMS and how to deal with cravings. We want it to be useful on a personal level but also more broad on a social level,â Jessica said.
In the next few weeks the show will discuss topics like period pain and also feature a discussion with Rayka Zehtabchi, director of the documentary âPeriod. End of Sentence.â
You can find The Flow Down on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Google Play and Spotify. Episodes are also available on their website, and are released every other week.
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Third timeâs the charm? Thatâs what State Sen. Jose Javier Rodriguez is hoping. He filed a bill last week aimed at allowing more people, including certain property owners, the chance to sell solar energy to customers without having to be regulated by the same rules as larger utilities like Florida Power and Light. He filed similar bills in 2017 and 2018 but they never made it past initial committee discussions. (Miami New Times)
Second thoughts on scooters. Miami Beach is considering a plan for a group of motorized scooter companies to end the ban on scooters during spring break. Their high-tech proposal? Instead of outright preventing the rentals the companies will install tracking devices so they know when renters are riding them illegally. The rental shops would be able to remotely shut the scooters down or prevent people from starting them back up once they park them. (Miami Herald)
Not so fast. Supporters across the state cheered as Amendment 4, a plan to re-enfranchise  more than a million felons, was approved by voters last November. But as those convicted felons prepare to register to vote tomorrow, there are still plenty of lingering questions about how the amendment will be implemented. The latest potential snag is the fact that felons must have completed their sentence in order to be eligible, and that doesnât just mean serving time â it also means paying any outstanding court fees. And without a statewide standard for the various county courts, issues could arise for thousands of Floridians looking to have their voting rights restored. (WLRN)
A question of enforcement. In a 4-3 ruling, the state Supreme Court rejected a lawsuit by an education advocacy group arguing that the state falls short of its constitutional requirement to provide a âhigh quality system of free public schools.â The justices wrote that there was no way for the court to enforce an adequate level of education funding, because that matter is the responsibility of the legislative branch. (Orlando Sentinel)
Make it a great week, Miami!
â The New Tropic