“The Stink of Clean” was written by Elizabeth Conway, an environmental health communications expert for Women’s Voices for the Earth (WVE), a feminist, women-led, North American environmental organization that specializes in research, education, and advocacy regarding the hazards of toxic chemicals that disproportionately impact women’s health. WVE projects have brought attention to the industry’s use of scent to target women, potentially putting them at higher risk for adverse outcomes.
Elizabeth holds degrees in history, English, and political science and has her MFA in creative writing from the University of Montana, Missoula. Beth’s love of language and the power of message and storytelling characterize her accessible and engaging communication of complex science-laden topics. Her writing for WVE has demonstrated how the use of narratives can strengthen alliances and ignite action in communities of unlikely allies.
Abstract:
Building on previous scholarship exploring misogynistic, classist, and racist biases evident in the history of hygiene in the US, “The Stink of Clean” highlights the critical role fragrance plays in consumer preferences for cleansing and personal care products. The chapter explores how corporations exploit cultural biases and emotional connections associating fragrance with a perceived sense of comfort, belonging, and being clean. Capitalizing on women’s insecurities about how they smell, the consumer industry has created a demand for products with fragrances, many of which have questionable utility and safety. Conway calls attention to a lack of regulation and a dearth of research on the safety of chemicals in intimate care products, including absent USFDA safety oversight. She cites studies linking the use of intimate care products with increased exposure to phthalates and volatile organic chemicals and studies suggesting direct health impacts (e.g., an association between douching and pelvic inflammatory disease and the use of genital powders with ovarian cancer). The chapter emphasizes the disproportionate impact these exposures have on Black and Latino women, who are targeted specifically by marketers.
Click Chapter 1 Resources for related resources.