Body talk with Emma Libner
Say hi to Emma Libner. Cultural changemaker and debater within menstrual health, founder of the podcast KHUnderlivet, journalist and M.A in Cultural Studies.
You are a well known debater and cultural changemaker when it comes to menstrual health - why is this subject important?
Menstrual health is omnipresent in every layer of society. Every day, millions of people bleed in schools, workplaces etc. Because of this, periods intersect with so many spheres of society and raise important questions about human rights, gender equality, education, healthcare, the economy and the environment. In other words: periods are political!
What are you working on right now?
I’m currently focusing my energy on small projects after having juggled full time studies and a freelance career for the past two and a half years. Doing so has allowed me to revisit podcasting and writing for fun. My plan right now is to not have a plan - for the first time in my adult life.
What three words would you use to describe your relationship with your body?
Tender, playful, unapologetic.
When do you feel most at ease in your body?
When I’m being held by myself or my partner.
Is there anything about the body in general that you would like to be more accepted in society?
We live in a society where there is not much room for fallibility. As a result, there is not much room for being a human being with flaws. To quote Donna Haraway I therefore think we need to fundamentally change the way we think about the body in the first place, if we are to build meanings and bodies that have greater chances for a livable, recognizable life.
If you were to write an ode to your 15 year old body - how would it sound?
Something along the lines of “quit blaming yourself for not being able to accept your body as it is”.
What's the best advice you ever got from your mom?
Stop caring so much about what other people think of you.
What are you most proud of about your body?
I've had health anxiety for periods of my life and have a tendency to think that my body is weaker than it is. Speaking from this point, I’m just amazed (and thankful) that I’m alive and well. Being able to breathe is kinda magic in itself!
Any selfcare advice you want to share?
Selfcare does not have to mean long bubble baths, pedicures and transcending meditations. Selfcare can be as simple as remembering to take your meds, drink enough water or allowing yourself to cry when you need to.
Who are your feminist muses?
Some of the people who inspire me the most I’m lucky to call my friends: Kira Skovbo, Mary Consolata Namagambe, Nanna Frank, Sille Berthelsen, Gry Senderovitz, Naima Yasin, Regina Fjendbo, Malene Nelting, Ivy-Oak and Soluuna Julius - to name a few.