---
title: Let's spit hormones @ /ETC
tags: Weizenbaum
---

# /ETC
## Let's spit hormones.


#### Bio
Marie & Marie, both feminist researchers fighting for diversity in tech and design, do what they like the most: looking at bodily liquids.

#### Description
Hormonal changes within our bodies are a constant in our lives, when we grow up and old, when some menstruate or get pregnant, when some are sick. The levels of the hormone estrogen are changing throughout menstrual cycles and our saliva (YES) changes accordingly. With our smartphones and self-made lens we are well equipped to look at our saliva to watch out for different levels of estrogen. At the end we will gather for a final round of discussion and compare our findings.

#### Target audience
Anybody interested in self-observation of the body is invited to join, no matter if you're bleeding once in a while or not.

#### Goal of the session
Self observation for self sovereign bodies

#### Desired outcome
Having fun watching ourselves, understanding bodily changes through their visualization,

*************************
## Outline of workshop

#### 15.00-15.20h
Introduction, presentation of slides

- Who are we, what are we usually doing
- Short presentation round of everyone:
- Names and backgrounds and/or interests
- What we have been researching so far and why
- Mini Hack
- Ovulation tests
- Building Menscups
- Theoretical framing aka contexts (see gitlab issues; https://gitlab.com/marie-marie/weizenbaum-residency/issues/6, https://gitlab.com/marie-marie/weizenbaum-residency/issues/7)
- Why observing saliva (as one option among other bodily fluid) -> https://gitlab.com/marie-marie/weizenbaum-residency/issues/12
- How did we do it -> image of salivary ferning
- How to work on it in the workshop, what to see

Refs:
- https://www.babyhopes.com/blogs/fertility/saliva-ferning-ovulation
- https://gitlab.com/marie-marie/weizenbaum-residency/issues/6
- https://gitlab.com/marie-marie/weizenbaum-residency/-/boards/1235812

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#### 15.20-15.40h
Mini Group phase (groups of 3-5) come together and observe saliva and discuss/ compare what they are seeing
*for everyone who wants to keep the material, we invite to donate ~3€ (?)*

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#### 15.40-15.55h
Come together --> back to all-hands

- Input on what we plan to do next: How to build an everyday object to integrate the process of self observation into a regular routine at home or somewhere else?
- Presentation of small boxes for every group, what's in there
- What's the task of the following 50 mins, question for the groups "How can we build objects that integrate self observation differently into our private space and / or everyday life?"

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#### 15.55-16.45h

- Mini group phase work on tool boxes

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#### 16.45-17.00h

- Presentation of mini groups
- Final discussion
- Hugs

#### Wrap Up

Input on
- background of the research group,
- Sexual health and free tech as potential for self sovereign bodies

- Setting in groups was not quick enough, we needed more time to get everyone together.
Recaps on outcome:
There were two things that needed to be happening during the workshop. (At least) several realizations/Thought-works which were to gain in such few time
-> next time longer workshop +/or split in smaller Bites.
- comprehending qualitative self observation as counter idea to a tracking narrative. A quantified narratives that gives output that acts as being „precise“.
- Marie K note on precision question „how precise is it“ „important if something is precise or not really is about the question you want to answer: in a way of ‚you made 15000 steps today‘ what question does it answer.“ You might have a Erschütterungssensor or a temperature sensor that gives you dates and perfectly cut slides of information but the question is: information what for? They are out of context and in many ways out of connection
- Idea of self observation as counter argument to tracking
- The microscope working (a workshop on how t get a great image. On different phones… etc trying this out)
- then again when I see workshops like „build a mircrsocope“ I don’t see a connection a necessity on „Why“ why is it important to build this microscope myself, why would I need it what could the empowering aspect of it be?
- Contextualizing it with an idea of self observation, with an action or even political statement adds value and opens discussion on artifacts as medium of knowledge and perspective
- And then jump to creative, artistic, political motivated result/tool/ is a step that was too fast taken.
- Participants weren’t able yet to really get into the „what is my image saying, am I seeing something here or is it only blobs“ this is already taking a lot time BUT also has great potential and a lot of „A-HA“moments in itself.
- Idea would be to build upon the microscope try out phase and THEN jump to political visions. Maybe a two day workshop

adhoc Feedback:
- Problematic (yet constructive) that this observing is mainly contextualized in menstrual cycle, essentializing fertility
- MK reaction: of course here in the framing of this hardly graspable moment of ovulation, yet it is more about an observation so it can also be important for people not having their cycle at all, people after menopause, people getting hormonal treatment.
- more focus on access to ones own body without being dependent upon tech/products. Here we see a chance of avoid exploitative products, systems and the „middle man“ and access information selfsouvereign to then make decisions to see health-experts as nurses, doctors, voluntary-run health institutions etc. to get help
- moving from trying out the clip, the own microscope was too short, not everyone was able to sea anything right away, not enough time to play with figurations to actually see if there is an image or not.
- many attendees might not have expected to become „creative“,
- „fear in the moment the boxes were put on the tables“
- Clear announcement before so that people can get into the mood of what it is about