Women's health is feminism in action

There exists a trauma of not being seen. I felt it in the resounding hope that swelled when hearing Oprah. It’s in the veins of Time’s Up.

It’s also with us in the doctor’s office when we’re frustrated, tired and sick of being sick.

It’s time. Let’s get real with the rumble. .

To the maddening cycle of being dismissed or ignored. To being told it’s in our heads. That we should stop being “difficult.” That we should just take the pill and stop asking questions. That it’s the only option. That we should learn to deal with it. That our bodies can be reduced to a mechanistic understanding with no sensitivity to our broader selves and lives. That our pain is considered anxiety instead of true pain. That somehow our story is less believable or serious.

We want our health story to be held and acknowledged. In this momentous time, I hope we do not forget the power of a listening ear. Of an open heart. Of care and kindness. And time.

They’ve always been the best medicine.

May we know that our voices and our truth are resilient. May we stand and demand more of the status quo in medicine. And may we know we get to choose a different and more whole way to come home to ourselves. We can be, we must be, we are the tide of change.

Additional reads: 
Sexism in the ER
Feminization of madness
Untreated thyroid disease and feminism
Bias against women in pain treatment