Opensource Gynaecological Instrument
A speculum is a gynaecological tool used commonly by medical practitioners to open the walls of the vagina, to check for any problems with the cervix and other reproductive organs. The GynePunk 3D-printed speculum is associated with the work of the feminist activist group, GynePunk. At the time of the speculum’s release, Klau Kinky (also known as Klau Chinche), Paula Pin and Urs Gaudenz were activists and makers of GynePunk, living and working between Spain, Germany, Switzerland and Mexico. The 3D Speculum is in the the collection of the curatorial department of ‘Design, Architecture and Digital’, Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A), London.
About GynePunk
The GynePunk collective around radical bio-hackers and TransHackFeminists Paula Pin and Klau Kinky are out to reclaim gynecological medicine and decolonize the female body. Paula is building tools for DIY diagnosis such as a first-aid care—centrifuges made from old hard drive, microscopes from computer web-cams and a pink PCR thermo-cycler that fits in an old suitcase. Klau Kinky, researching the history of gynecology, found that female body parts were named after gynecologist experimenting untested methods on African-American. Enraged the GynePunks moved to rename the Skene gland after the name of one of the three slaves to the Anarcha Gland. The 3D printable speculum, designed by Urs Gaudenz, demonstrates how to democratize medical instruments through open sourcing designs. Although cheap speculums are available on the internet the release of the design files for GynePunk speculum inspired people to think beyond the traditional use in gynecology and new uses were quickly found. By adding a webcam the speculum was transformed into a self inspection device where images could be easily viewed on a computer monitor. With the GynePunks even giving public workshops on how to use it and where participants could see the inside of their body projected in full resolution. In an other workshops called ‘dildomancy’, woman would build organically shaped sex toys inspired by microorganisms, make natural lubricants and treat vaginal diseases from plants.