Her Discussions by Dr Faye Women’s Health Expert: It Took Me 30+ Years To Realise This
35 snips
Sep 17, 2025 
Dr. Nighat Arif, a GP, broadcaster, and author, shares her journey from Pakistan to the UK, breaking taboos around women's health. She emphasizes the importance of open conversations about women's bodies and health, revealing cultural challenges faced in her community. Nighat discusses the need for education on issues like menstruation and menopause, advocating for both genders to engage in these critical topics. She highlights systemic biases in healthcare and encourages self-awareness for empowerment, aiming to dismantle stigma and foster understanding.
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Immigration As Liberation
- Nighat described arriving in the UK at nine, loving the new freedom and escaping restrictions back home.
- She recalled farm life in Pakistan, running through fields, and feeling liberated by going to school in England.
Child Interpreter In Medical Settings
- As the eldest child Nighat became the family's interpreter and translated medical issues from age 12, often without understanding them fully.
- She still translates for her community and wants to change that dependency through education.
Language Shapes Shame
- Cultural language gaps create shame because Punjabi/Urdu lack neutral words for vulva, vagina, ovaries and menopause.
- That lexical void entrenches stigma and prevents open conversations about women's bodies.
