If you’ve been on the Internet at all in the last few years, you’re probably aware of Goop. Gwyneth Paltrow’s lifestyle and wellness brand has been the subject of criticism since it came into the public eye, from jokes about their luxury vaginal jade eggs to more serious allegations of scientific misinformation. Paltrow’s critics liken her to a snake-oil salesman for the #girlboss generation, promoting pseudoscientific and capitalistic-minded answers to the very real gaps in women’s health care.
Each episode starts with a disclaimer that The Goop Lab is designed to entertain, not to give medical advice. It’s a pretty blanket “get out of jail free” card, but one that aptly evokes the frustrating philosophy of Goop, which is to try these trends with curiosity and an open mind. While a bit naive, it’s a harmless sentiment on the surface. It becomes a problem, though, when that blissful ignorance is turned towards women’s health care. Not only is women’s pain routinely underidentified and undertreated, but alternate solutions often come in the form of expensive cure-alls and dangerous health fads.
