Is it time to finally ‘consciously uncouple’ from the Goddess of GOOP, Gwyneth Paltrow?
Everyone’s favorite Common Woman has hawked $200 smoothies, $120 tubes of toothpaste and slew of unrelatable, aspirational and artisanal snake oils, including health treatments with increasingly dubious results. Doctors are now warning against Paltrow’s latest suggestion, published on the lifestyle website, GOOP. Paltrow revealed that between Mugwort V-steams and $15,000 vibrators, her vagina enjoys a surge of positive energy with the insertion of a small, stone Jade Egg— and for just $66, customers (and their respective nether regions) can join the club.
In a Goop.com explainer entitled "Better Sex: Jade Eggs for Your Yoni," actress Shiva Rose writes:
“Jade eggs can help cultivate sexual energy, increase orgasm, balance the cycle, stimulate key reflexology around vaginal walls, tighten and tone, prevent uterine prolapse, increase control of the whole perineum and bladder, develop and clear chi pathways in the body, intensify feminine energy, and invigorate our life force. To name a few!”
Just when we thought Yoni eggs were the key to glowing skin, amicable divorces, and a $60 million net worth, medical professionals are stepping in— and they’re not drinking the GOOP Aid. “It’s all stupid nonsense,” Medical Ethicist Art Caplan said in an interview with Boston Public Radio Wednesday. “Nobody believes that putting a rock in your vagina and walking around all day is going to improve your hormones for sexuality...not sure what system would get that happening,” he said. “It’s a way to strengthen your internal musculature, to please that partner, but lugging a rock around in there all day long doesn’t really do that… you weren’t built to have that kind of a workout, so I don’t think there’s anything there.”
The purpose of Jade Eggs, along with vaginal steaming endorsements, according to Caplan, are to “make Gwyneth Paltrow money.”
Judging by the sold-out status of Jade eggs on the GOOP website due to high demand, Gwyneth can do no wrong. Bless.
Medical Ethicist Art Caplan is Head of the Division of Medical Ethics at NYU Langone Medical Center and the co-host of the Everyday Ethics podcast. To hear more of his interview with BPR, click on the audio link above.
