Nineteenth International Conference on New Directions in the Humanities

Abstract

Although endometriosis impacts about 176 million people with female reproductive anatomy between the ages of 15 and 49, it takes an average of ten years between the onset of symptoms and medical diagnosis of endo patients. This ethnographic report addresses the question of why delayed diagnosis occurs through interviews with people that self-identify as having endometriosis. The report focuses on cultural factors such as the normalization of women’s pain and relationships of (mis)trust that result in (mis)diagnosis that contribute to the delayed diagnosis of endo. Additionally, the report details the role of self-education and self-advocacy in relationship to diagnosis and achieving positive outcomes for endometriosis warriors. It is not until endo warriors disrupt the expectation of their gender, often repetitively or for many years, that they might finally convince their doctor to reconsider their menstrual related complaints. Endometriosis impacts female reproductive anatomy, thus complicating each respective diagnosis with cultural expectations of gender. I consider endometriosis warrior’s delayed diagnosis through work that centers the voices and accounts of those who are living with the condition in order to extend our understanding of endometriosis, gendered illness, and the road to treatment in a system plagued by medical sexism.