#412: When Advocacy Isn’t Enough with Lara Janson

In this episode, Blyss is joined by Lara Jason, an assistant professor of sociology at Grinnell College, as she shares her powerful and emotional story about her breech birth experience. Despite her extensive preparations and strong advocacy skills, Lara experienced a traumatic birth intervention that violated her consent, echoing her past experiences with sexual assault. This episode underscores the importance of trauma-informed care and the need for systemic changes to respect and prioritize women's autonomy during childbirth.

Guest Lara Janson:

Lara Janson is a Visiting Assistant Professor of Sociology at Grinnell College. A sociologist specializing in gender, sexuality, law, education, and qualitative/mixed research methods, she is interested in researching and teaching about intersections of inequality. In addition to teaching introductory sociology, social movements, social media, and gender courses on the Grinnell campus, Lara also teaches at Newton Correctional Facility and the Iowa Correctional Institute for Women as part of Grinnell’s Liberal Arts in Prison Program (LAPP).

Dr. Janson’s current book project, Sexual Violence on Campus: Title IX and the New Era of Accountability (forthcoming with NYU Press), examines how college campuses adjudicate sexual assault complaints, with particular emphasis on the competing legal jurisdictions at play. Related research interests include sexuality, social movements, feminist jurisprudence, and crime/incarceration.

Before pursuing her doctorate, Janson researched interculturalism and gender as a Fulbright Scholar in the Andes, where she also taught courses at a men’s prison and in rural Indigenous/Afro communities. After conducting street outreach and educational programs in juvenile detention centers for a non-profit in the U.S., she studied Peace and Conflict as a George J. Mitchell Scholar in Northern Ireland, where she helped develop curricula linking gender and peace/conflict.

For more information about Dr. Janson and her work, check out www.larajanson.com.

Website: www.larajanson.com

Instagram: @lhjanson

Resources

https://www.ehlers-danlos.com/

In This Episode

Laura's Pregnancy Journey

Advocating for Individualized Maternity Care

Challenges with Hypermobile EDS in Pregnancy

Navigating Hospital Birth Preferences

The Role of a Doula in Childbirth

Power Struggles and Advocacy in Hospital Births

The Impact of Past Trauma on Childbirth

Reporting and Seeking Justice Post-Birth Trauma

This show is supported by

• The Birth Sling by Dr. Jess Michaels | Go to thebirthsling.com code Instincts for 10% off your sling
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• WeNatal | Go to WeNatal.com/Birthinginstincts for a free magnesium with any subscription order.
• BIRTHFIT | Go to birthfit.com and use the code INSTINCTS for 20% off any fitness program.
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