A Story From Our Community: Endometriosis + Lube
As told by Rachel Axis Taane Tinorau
“As a sufferer of endometriosis, over the years I have paid more attention to what chemicals and products disrupt our hormones and can cause my endo flare ups.
As I looked into it more, it blew me away at how many every day products we use contain endocrine disrupters (EDCs). Endocrine disrupters are a chemical compound that interfere with the normal functioning of the endocrine system, the reproductive and other biological processes regulated by it.
Sure, it’s nearly impossible for many of us to completely avoid all endocrine disrupters as they are unfortunately in our environment and in the air we breathe due to pollution - but this doesn’t stop us from making more conscious decisions on what products we ingest, use externally or internally.
Having endometriosis means that my sex life can be painful. Depending on what my endometriosis is up to, and if i have inflammation or a flare up, sex can put me into days of pain, days of bleeding and cause me to bloat.
As I write this, I am currently in the bath because I am in excruciating pain from a flare up and I cannot walk. I have been confused as to why my endometriosis has been so unpredictable lately, when it has been manageable for some time - mainly by eating anti inflammatory foods as much as possible and exercising.
I then remembered that I had been asked to write a bit about my experience using Come Clean lubricant and it made me reflect for a moment.
I ran out of Come Clean lube a couple of months ago, so I used what i have in the drawer. It is just the standard lube you get from sex toy shops or the supermarket; which contain a whole heap of chemicals. It may be coincidence, but when I was using Come Clean, not only does it have no sticky ness, no smell, and it looks and feels like our natural lube - I also had no flare ups after sex or masturbation.
This is because Come Clean is an all natural, water based, pH balanced, vegan, organic hemp lubricant - made in beautiful Aotearoa.”
No Shame
“Other aspects of Come Clean that I love, is the fact that it is marketed in a beautiful way. It is not marketed to promote that sexual pleasure is for men - by women, as we often see in sex shops.
Come Clean is eco friendly, cruelty free and supports a sex positive and pleasurable life.
It is important to appreciate healthy, happy, sex positive behaviour as this is also sexual violence prevention. Being able to talk about sex, consent, masturbation and normalising products that encourage a healthy sex life - mean that we open up a space for people to talk comfortably about it all. How do we ensure that sex is healthy and happy, if we can’t even have a basic conversation about it?
Consensual, fun, healthy sex should be celebrated and discussed without shame.”