Ever wonder why there are 26 medications for male sexual disorders and only one drug for women who experience low libido? Perhaps it’s because this glaring example of medical sexism has not been widely discussed in popular media. Not until now, that is.

The Pink Pill: Sex, Drugs & Who Has Control, a gripping new documentary film, blends archival footage, interviews with physicians and advocates and intimate reflections from women to reveal the uphill battle getting the drug Addyi (flibanserin) to market. This so-called “pink pill” is a prescription medication for treating low libido or hypoactive sexual desire disorder (HSDD) in women.

Directed by award-winning Canadian filmmaker Aisling Chin-Yee, the film follows Cindy Eckert, the trailblazing founder of Sprout Pharmaceuticals who developed Addyi. Habitually dressed in pink, a symbol of her unwavering determination to champion women’s health, she is a force to be reckoned with.

As a sexual wellness researcher and women’s health advocate knowledgeable about gender and sexual inequities, I was deeply moved by this film. Women’s bodies and reproductive rights have not — at least not in my lifetime — been more threatened than they are today.

Addyi’s story is a vital testament to what smart and determined women in science can do for other women. Well-researched and inclusive of multiple perspectives, it shows us the collective change required to keep moving the medical needle toward a place where women’s health receives the same funding, marketing and support as men’s.

We’re not there yet, but The Pink Pill provides a road map for how to successfully advocate for women’s health and sexual autonomy.

The overlooked science of women’s desire

Low sexual........

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