Your Vulva Called: She wants her hormones back with Dr. Rachel Rubin
What even is the vestibule, why does nobody talk about it, and how many people are out here being told their vulvar pain is “just in their head”?
On this episode of Labia Logic, Dr. Rachel Rubin joins Dr. Ashley Fuller and Dr. Meredith McClure for a no-filter conversation about hormones, painful sex, vaginal estrogen, menopause care, and the body parts that deserve way better PR. They can’t say it enough — the vulva is not just “the vagina,” and yes, that matters.
Dr. Rubin brings her signature mix of evidence, rage, humor, and big urology energy to the conversation, breaking down why sexual medicine and vulvar health are still so misunderstood in mainstream medicine. These three Docs talk about genitourinary syndrome of menopause, vaginal estrogen, hormone therapy, recurrent UTIs, pelvic pain, vestibulodynia, birth control-related sexual side effects, and why so many clinicians are still missing basic, treatable causes of pain with sex.
They also discuss the importance of shared decision-making, informed consent, and actually listening to patients instead of sending them home with yet another shrug. Listeners will learn why vaginal hormones can be life-changing, how the vestibule can be a major source of pain and urinary symptoms, and why better education for both patients and clinicians is urgently needed.
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About Our Guest
Dr. Rachel Rubin is a board-certified urologist and nationally recognized leader in sexual medicine. She is the founder of a patient-centered sexual health practice in Washington, D.C., and Los Angeles; an assistant clinical professor of urology at Georgetown University and a former director-at-large for the International Society for the Study of Women’s Sexual Health. She helped shape the 2025 AUA guidelines for Genitourinary Syndrome of Menopause and led national efforts to remove the FDA’s boxed warning on menopausal hormone therapy.
She is also the founder of SMRT [pronounced SMART] — the Sexual Medicine Research Team, which is pioneering new research and developing the next generation of clinician-researchers. Dr. Rubin is known for her evidence-based, practical approach to sexual health and her commitment to educating clinicians across disciplines. Her expertise has been featured in major media outlets, including The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Economist, Oprah Daily, NPR, and CBS Morning News.
More about the hosts of Labia Logic
Dr. Ashley Fuller is a Sexual Medicine Gynecologist and Vulvar Specialist in Seattle, WA.
Dr. Meredith McClure is a Menopause Specialist, Sexual Medicine Gynecologist, and Vulvar Specialist in Dallas, TX.
Follow the show on Instagram @labia_logic
This episode was produced by Audiotocracy Podcast Production.
