Violent Delights, Violent Ends: ISSUE TWO

PART TWO: MIND THE (GENDER HEALTH) GAP Let’s take a closer look at the kinds of adverts that inspired this series, and what thoughts their messages aim to debunk, provoke, or inspire.

One of the most prominent fertility campaigns is Hertility, a UK-based company that specializes in measuring female fertility, attempting to shed some light on the gender research gap more generally, as highlighted in their slogan in one of their many tube-posters: ‘mind surrounding women’s pain in general.

This leads to reportedly painful the gender health gap.’ procedures to reportedly painful The ‘gender health gap’ relates to the procedures such as cervical and skewed amount of clinical research endometrial biopsies, colposcopies, conducted on men’s bodies versus IUD insertions and more to be executed females. Eight out of ten women have without anesthesia, where standard reported that they ‘do not feel listened procedure advises women to just take to’ by healthcare professionals in the some standard painkillers a few hours UK. This is reflected by the diagnosis prior to the surgery. rates of illnesses such as ADHD and autism, where 80% of women with Moreover, misdiagnosis and undereither condition are likely to be diagnosis rates for conditions as misdiagnosed in their adolescence. common as endometriosis, PCOS, breast Henceforth, this also has a major impact and ovarian cancer are extremely high, on women’s access to healthcare. When reaching over 75% within the last three looking at reproductive health, these years. Multiple factors contribute to gender inequalities are once again this problem, including the dismissal exacerbated. With women already of women’s pain when reported and largely being dismissed for their barriers to healthcare. Furthermore, symptoms by doctors, they are also these subjects are often not discussed in 25% less likely to receive pain relief for public spaces. surgeries and medical procedures than men, their pain often being dismissed Women are not aware of their existence, as ‘emotional’, ‘psychogenic’, and ‘not let alone know to check for symptoms.

This dangerous problem does not even real’, perpetuating negative stigma 20 | 11 SECONDS MAGAZINE