Cofounders of O Positiv, Brianna and Bobby Bitton, are making strides in breaking down the barriers ... [+]
Today is National Vagina Day. More than just a day of recognition, it’s a movement aimed at breaking down taboos, fostering open dialogue and promoting empowerment and inclusivity surrounding women’s reproductive health and sexuality. Even today’s woke generation struggles to acknowledge the lack of resources and funding for this area of health. The topic of vaginal health goes beyond sex—it encompasses menstrual cycles and menopause. According to the New York Post, 58% of women feel embarrassed when they are on their periods, and 42% of women have experienced period shaming.
Enter O Positiv, a company that prioritizes and advocates for women’s health by providing effective solutions for health concerns that have been historically overlooked. Through various supplements and products, the team is paving the way for equality in the women’s health sector.
“We are so excited about National Vagina Day,” Brianna Bitton, cofounder of O Positiv states. “The overarching theme of O Positiv is that we want to talk about these subjects that have been so previously taboo. And weirdly, unfortunately, the word vagina and talking about women’s vaginas openly has been so taboo. The significance of this day is making women feel heard and seen, giving them a platform to talk about their health and be advocates for their health, and just coming out and saying the word vagina and not being afraid to.”
Interior designer by trade, Bitton’s father instilled an entrepreneurial spirit in her. Watching him design buildings as an architect and working with him on projects, she always wanted to have her own company. Additionally, witnessing her mother’s success as a creator, Bitton thrived in the innovation space.
Bitton served a stint as an Imagineer at Disney. That role became the foray into the corporate world. She took what she learned from that experience and applied it to her leadership style, launching O Positiv with her brother, Bobby, in 2018 while dealing with crippling PMS and PCOS.
According to the New York Post, 58% of women feel embarrassed when they are on their periods, and ... [+]
Together, they founded the company to challenge the wellness industry with research-backed, plant-based products to fill gaps in feminine nutrition and lifestyle. After years of tasting, testing, and consulting with numerous doctors and scientists, the sibling duo landed on the winning formula for FLO, the first-ever PMS support supplement on the market. They’ve now cultivated a team that addresses issues others overlook: perimenopause, PMS, vaginal health and ovarian problems. The platform accompanies a woman from her first period to well beyond her last.
Bitton suffered immensely from women’s health issues. Her doctors advised her to deal with it and use Advil. As she and Bobby researched the market and found very few items that addressed women’s issues orally and from a community standpoint, they took it upon themselves to create a solution.
The sibling duo built a medical advisory board with top OBGYN practitioners, including Dr. Jessica Shepherd. She shares, “Women in general have had stigma against who they are, what they represent and their progress. When you look at something as poignant, it [National Vagina Day] gives a statement to the actual reproductive organ. Removing the stigma can give women the ability to step into their reproductive power, also their sexual identity and awareness, without feeling like it’s so taboo.”
Dr. Jessica Shepherd joined O Positiv’s medical advisory board to advance R&D on women’s health ... [+]
O Positiv continues to push barriers beyond the conversation. This year, they are posting billboard ads with the word “vagina” on them. National television networks have given them a hard time running commercials because they use the word, where the commercials are designed for educational and empowerment pieces. However, Bitton and the team don’t care what others think; they understand that being bold is the only way for others to pay attention and listen.
As Bitton expands the company, she shares the following advice:
- Unless you try, you’ll never know if your idea is a million-dollar idea or not. Sometimes, you just have to do it and allow it to guide you in the right direction.
- Establish an accountability partnership with someone who won’t tolerate your excuses.
- Be comfortable with experiencing a waiting period. Nothing happens overnight. It could take years before you start to see success.
“We’re giving women this platform in this space to openly talk about their issues and their problems and things that you would maybe only whisper to each other over brunch or in the bathroom,” she explains. “Like, ‘Hey, do you have a tampon?’ But now, because women are seeing our ads on Instagram and Facebook or our content on TikTok, it’s allowing them to feel more comfortable talking about it. We realize we’re all going through this together, and there’s no reason to whisper about it.”
