Experimenting with Estrogen: Towards inclusive science, medicine and policy

Estrogen is a hormone that plays a vital role in the reproductive, brain and bone health of all Australians. However, outdated ideas about sex and gender hinder scientific, medical and lay understandings of estrogen. This has led to divisive medical and public debate about the safety and effectiveness of estrogen therapies particularly for menopausal and trans and gender diverse people. This is a problem: without clear medical guidance, consumers turn to social media for health advice and take estrogens without medical supervision. To address this problem, this project examines how biases and cultural beliefs about sex and gender shape estrogen related scientific research, medical practices, public debate and lay practices. This first ever study of this issue analyses cutting-edge scientific research, medical practice and diverse peoples lived experiences to provide a comprehensive and nuanced understanding of estrogen use. The project will contribute new knowledge with an