Yessica...
Well-Known Member
http://womenshealthfoundation.org/2011/08/08/the-blue-waffles-myth/
"Enter the Women’s Health Foundation experts.
Never having heard of this disease (although, I did know “waffle” is slang for vagina), I asked my students to tell me what they knew of the “Blue Waffles.” They answered that it was a sexually transmitted disease that:
So, where the heck are these kids learning about Blue Waffles?! All the students described an image they saw online so, to learn more, I googled it. I won’t post the photo that came up but if you’re interested and are extremely comfortable with graphic photos, google it. But don’t say I didn’t warn you.
Here’s what happens: after googling blue waffles disease you will not land on a trusted medical site, like Mayo Clinic or WebMD. You’ll be inundated with random urls with no trusted medical or healthcare affiliations, just a very rudimentary webpage, blog, or community board. Basically, a site that should have a big, ‘ol “Don’t Believe Everything You Read!” flashing banner ad. In fact, all of the websites further perpetuating this myth with definitions like:
“It’s basically a slang term for an extremely nasty or severe vaginal infection/STD on the vagina. The infection could cause lesions on the outside of the vagina, as well as bruising, which causes it to look blue in color.”
Ugh.
Thinking that there must be some place where I could find anything medically-based, (Anyone? Bueller?) I decided to research a little further. Nothing. Nada. I could not find anything out there on the net that was a sound, medical source explaining what the heck “blue waffles” was or was not. Even my favorite: Go Ask Alice!, Columbia University’s Health Service’s website, a wonderful resource where a team of healthcare professionals answers any questions you could possibly imagine on sex, drugs, and even rock and roll.
So I took it upon myself to debunk this disease and called upon Dr. Amy Whitaker, an Assistant Professor of Obstetrics/Gynecology at the University of Chicago Hospital. Here is what she wrote:
“There is no disease known as “blue waffle disease,” in the medical world. There is no disease that causes a blue appearance on the external genitalia. I had never heard of this until you wrote to our section…and asked about it. The common belief among medical professionals with whom I have spoken or e-mailed about this is that it is a hoax; the picture and “fake” disease used to lure people into some web site.
The picture itself is disturbing. It does appear to have some ‘photoshopping’ effects in its vivid blue tint on some of the versions I’ve seen. It is also possible that a bluish appearance to external genitalia could be from bruising, which could result from force, most likely from a sexual assault. I can’t say, obviously, if that is the case here, but bruising certainly wouldn’t be bright blue. No STDS cause external bruising. Additionally, there appears to be one or two lesions, which could be an STD of some sort (for example, a herpes lesion), although it is certainly not clear from the picture. It even appears that there might be some sort of laceration on her right labia, a “cut” of sorts, but again it’s unclear. That could also be from force, or it could be an STD that presents with a lesion on the vulva.
On the other hand, the entire thing could be ‘photoshopped,’ and nothing in it represents anything ‘real.’
In any case, this is not the typical appearance of any STD or any condition of the vagina or vulva. There are no STDs that go only from women to men. (Really now, how would women get them?!)
The comments are so totally disturbing. The open misogyny and blame on women for having an STD made me sick…especially in light of the fact that I was thinking that some of the appearance could be from sexual assault.”
I’ll give you a minute to let that all soak in. Unbelievable, isn’t it?
So, I may be jumping the gun here but I believe that this is a perfect example of how we as a society take pleasure in objectifying and vilifying women. Meaning, according to teenagers, “Blue Waffles Disease” is the result of an overly sexual (pardon my French) “slut,” who has no respect for herself or others. By googling this, you will be inundated hateful, vile, and harmful comments towards women – and it’s supposed to be funny.
It’s not funny. It’s scary.
So I have a call-to-action for all of you out there (please say it’s more than 3 readers, please!). Get the word out. As a women’s health advocate, it is my duty to address this myth and tell, strike that, SHOUT the truth.
Please forward this blog to your friends, especially those who are parents, teachers, and healthcare providers. Get the word out. Post this link on your Facebook, Twitter, Google+, anything! If teenagers are only getting their information online, then help them land on this post so that they can stop perpetuating this disgusting cycle of hate. I am only one voice but with you, I am an army."
Ok, now ask people about "Goat-see"...
"Enter the Women’s Health Foundation experts.
Never having heard of this disease (although, I did know “waffle” is slang for vagina), I asked my students to tell me what they knew of the “Blue Waffles.” They answered that it was a sexually transmitted disease that:
- Could only be passed from females to males
- Can develop in a female after “not washing her vagina” enough
So, where the heck are these kids learning about Blue Waffles?! All the students described an image they saw online so, to learn more, I googled it. I won’t post the photo that came up but if you’re interested and are extremely comfortable with graphic photos, google it. But don’t say I didn’t warn you.
Here’s what happens: after googling blue waffles disease you will not land on a trusted medical site, like Mayo Clinic or WebMD. You’ll be inundated with random urls with no trusted medical or healthcare affiliations, just a very rudimentary webpage, blog, or community board. Basically, a site that should have a big, ‘ol “Don’t Believe Everything You Read!” flashing banner ad. In fact, all of the websites further perpetuating this myth with definitions like:
“It’s basically a slang term for an extremely nasty or severe vaginal infection/STD on the vagina. The infection could cause lesions on the outside of the vagina, as well as bruising, which causes it to look blue in color.”
Ugh.
Thinking that there must be some place where I could find anything medically-based, (Anyone? Bueller?) I decided to research a little further. Nothing. Nada. I could not find anything out there on the net that was a sound, medical source explaining what the heck “blue waffles” was or was not. Even my favorite: Go Ask Alice!, Columbia University’s Health Service’s website, a wonderful resource where a team of healthcare professionals answers any questions you could possibly imagine on sex, drugs, and even rock and roll.
So I took it upon myself to debunk this disease and called upon Dr. Amy Whitaker, an Assistant Professor of Obstetrics/Gynecology at the University of Chicago Hospital. Here is what she wrote:
“There is no disease known as “blue waffle disease,” in the medical world. There is no disease that causes a blue appearance on the external genitalia. I had never heard of this until you wrote to our section…and asked about it. The common belief among medical professionals with whom I have spoken or e-mailed about this is that it is a hoax; the picture and “fake” disease used to lure people into some web site.
The picture itself is disturbing. It does appear to have some ‘photoshopping’ effects in its vivid blue tint on some of the versions I’ve seen. It is also possible that a bluish appearance to external genitalia could be from bruising, which could result from force, most likely from a sexual assault. I can’t say, obviously, if that is the case here, but bruising certainly wouldn’t be bright blue. No STDS cause external bruising. Additionally, there appears to be one or two lesions, which could be an STD of some sort (for example, a herpes lesion), although it is certainly not clear from the picture. It even appears that there might be some sort of laceration on her right labia, a “cut” of sorts, but again it’s unclear. That could also be from force, or it could be an STD that presents with a lesion on the vulva.
On the other hand, the entire thing could be ‘photoshopped,’ and nothing in it represents anything ‘real.’
In any case, this is not the typical appearance of any STD or any condition of the vagina or vulva. There are no STDs that go only from women to men. (Really now, how would women get them?!)
The comments are so totally disturbing. The open misogyny and blame on women for having an STD made me sick…especially in light of the fact that I was thinking that some of the appearance could be from sexual assault.”
I’ll give you a minute to let that all soak in. Unbelievable, isn’t it?
So, I may be jumping the gun here but I believe that this is a perfect example of how we as a society take pleasure in objectifying and vilifying women. Meaning, according to teenagers, “Blue Waffles Disease” is the result of an overly sexual (pardon my French) “slut,” who has no respect for herself or others. By googling this, you will be inundated hateful, vile, and harmful comments towards women – and it’s supposed to be funny.
It’s not funny. It’s scary.
So I have a call-to-action for all of you out there (please say it’s more than 3 readers, please!). Get the word out. As a women’s health advocate, it is my duty to address this myth and tell, strike that, SHOUT the truth.
Please forward this blog to your friends, especially those who are parents, teachers, and healthcare providers. Get the word out. Post this link on your Facebook, Twitter, Google+, anything! If teenagers are only getting their information online, then help them land on this post so that they can stop perpetuating this disgusting cycle of hate. I am only one voice but with you, I am an army."
Ok, now ask people about "Goat-see"...
