Pearls & Perspectives: Expanding Sexual Health Conversations Through Digital Media, With Wendy Brant

Welcome back to Pearls and Perspectives!

In this episode of Pearls & Perspectives, host Amy Pearlman, MD, speaks with Wendy Brant, director of Podfest Expo, about the growing role of podcasts and other digital platforms in sharing health and sexual health information. Drawing on her experience working with podcasters, YouTubers, and other content creators, Wendy discusses how clinicians can begin building an audience by first focusing on the communities they already serve and the topics they are most passionate about. Rather than trying to immediately reach a broad audience, she encourages health professionals to build from their existing expertise and relationships before expanding their reach across different platforms.

The conversation also explores some of the challenges clinicians may encounter when discussing sexual health online, including platform restrictions and the difficulty of distinguishing educational content from material that may violate content policies. Pearlman and Wendy discuss the importance of finding communities and resources that can help clinicians navigate these challenges while continuing conversations around sex, pleasure, and sexual wellness.

Wendy also shares her experience co-hosting The Accidental Swingers, a podcast centered on her and her husband's experience with consensual nonmonogamy. She describes how that experience has emphasized the importance of communication, vulnerability, self-reflection, and being willing to pause before reacting during difficult conversations. For clinicians, the discussion offers a broader perspective on how open communication and accessible digital resources can help normalize conversations around sexual health and relationships.