I’d like to take this moment to tell you about Kitara’s origin story and make a clear declaration that Kitara stands firmly in support of the Black Lives Matter movement. 

I created Kitara as a stance for women’s sovereign health. Our current medical system is rooted in greed, fear, misogyny, and racism.  For too long women have been told that the only source we could trust are the external experts outside of us. With Kitara, we say “No more.”   

Vaginal steaming is a practice with ancient roots that span the globe. A medicine passed down through the generations, guiding women into deeper knowledge, intimacy, and trust of our bodies. In reverence for the plants and elements, vaginal streaming proudly weaves together our physical, emotional, and spiritual healing. Trained healers offer support and encourage the truth that the wisest knowing already exists within us.  

In contrast, the origin story of Western Gynecology is disgraceful and cruel. It involves white men brutalizing enslaved Black women and a mindset of power over others, rather than power from within. I don’t say this to say that all facets of Western Gynecology are “wrong.” I say it because origin stories often help us connect the dots for our own experiences, validating an inner knowing that was there all along. 

Vaginal steaming is an accessible and universal medicine. However, I do not believe the revival of steaming in the US would be possible without the leadership and remembrance of Black and Indigenous healers. I am deeply grateful for the generosity of their shared wisdom and leadership. 

As a white cisgender woman in this space it is my daily practice to explore my privilege and find ways to use it for good or dismantle it from the inside out. I do not take the support and trust of Kitara’s BIWOC community lightly. I am thankful and it inspires me to walk more boldly, each day. 

Our mission statement sincerely concludes: 

As our business grows, so will our activism.

With love + gratitude,

Kit