Thank you for writing this as I literally lay in bed 36 hours out of a procedure to finally treat my endometriosis. I honestly don’t think we can get the visibility on women’s issues until they have women and uterus owners on these boards and in these discussions in a greater number. One person on the board is nothing but 3, 4, 5, 7 are what we need to see to give this discussion the visibility and importance it needs. It always been those with these problems that have been forced to do the work. And it’s no surprise when all current medical projects lean to male needs and advancements because throughout history the male body and concerns have been the most focused on. We’re just now studying female response to heart attacks and strokes seriously and realizing the differences. There is so so so much work needing to be done and it’s sadly going to have to be queer and female led startups that get things moving.
Sage, thank you for sharing this while still recovering. You are right. These issues stay invisible until women like you speak out. Sending strength, and yes, let’s keep shifting the boardroom conversations too.
It’s hard to sit by and watch the erasure of a whole entire part of humankind just because of how are bodies are different. I so hope we see this turn sooner rather than later. These female and femme owned medical offices and start ups and these girls growing up seeing people like them in STEM will be the change we need. They just need the support and voices bolstering them and you provide that here so beautifully.
Thank you Maryann for another great article that flips the script and points out the blind spots of the society we live in. You astutely wrote, "Capital follows what it values." I would extend this to say that capital does not see what it does not value. Through awareness of our blindspots we can begin to see more fully.
Thank you, Sara. You’ve articulated it so powerfully. Capital follows what it values, and often what it values reflects decades of structural bias. I believe the first step toward changing the system is seeing the blindspots clearly, and you’re right: awareness is a form of resistance. Grateful for your reflection and your voice in this conversation. 🙏🏽
Great article! I don’t have a medical background, but I am a woman, and I have lived in this system and had my needs dismissed is inconvenient or unprofitable. It’s similar to how fitness research has until only recently treated women as “smaller men” when in reality our physical bodies perform much differently than men’s, even on a cellular level. How our blood carries oxygen, for instance is often quite different and explains some of the differences in athletic performance. And I can lift much more weight with my legs than my husband can, even though he is almost twice my size. Thanks for this article, I was excited to stumble across your stack recently and look forward to reading more!!
Yes! I’m actually planning a future piece on the ‘smaller men’ problem in sports science. Your comment captured it perfectly. Mind if I quote you (anonymously)?
Thank you for this article. Many years ago as my husband and I were trying to conceive, I was told by several doctors that I had endometriosis and that I would need a complete hysterectomy.
Thankfully, I found a fertility specialist who helped me, and, miraculously, I became pregnant.
Now that I’m a grandmother, I see numerous TV ads for men with erectile dysfunction. So, where are the ads for menopausal women who have lost libido, are advised not to take estrogen as it may cause breast cancer, and who suffer from a myriad of other side effects??
Thanks so much for addressing this. We women need to have our voices heard!!
Gail, your story says it all. Men get ads and medication. Women get silence, stigma, and side effect warnings. It’s not just a media gap. It’s a capital gap. Thank you for raising your voice. We need more of this. Women’s health is not optional. It’s investable.
Thank you Aisha for your feedback. Appreciate you being here. You’ll love our upcoming book - the billion dollar blind spot. Get early access here https://blfpmucc6od.typeform.com/to/wb5PfpWt
Thanks for bringing focus on vital yet neglected areas. As a tech enabler, its motivating to read about many different areas that need solutions but also sad that women have been denied of research and solution tailored to their bodies.
Thank you, Shruti. I really appreciate your perspective as a tech enabler because you are right, the sadness and the urgency coexist. These neglected areas don’t just need awareness; they need tailored solutions designed for women’s bodies, not adapted from defaults.
As a friend to several women with endometriosis, they wanted kids sooo bad. Took to long for testing, diagnosis, treatment. Now they can’t. Maybe framing it that way will help? Births are in decline. Endo & PCOS, both detrimental to getting pregnant & staying pregnant, are on the rise. Are the two related? Possibly. But noooo men need more sperm when they can keep fathering children until they die, unlike women who are frickin’ born with all the eggs they’ll ever have!! I have PCOS & we were told we had secondary infertility due to PCOS when we lucked out & had our second child 5 years after our first. Many women do not luck out.
Thank you for writing this as I literally lay in bed 36 hours out of a procedure to finally treat my endometriosis. I honestly don’t think we can get the visibility on women’s issues until they have women and uterus owners on these boards and in these discussions in a greater number. One person on the board is nothing but 3, 4, 5, 7 are what we need to see to give this discussion the visibility and importance it needs. It always been those with these problems that have been forced to do the work. And it’s no surprise when all current medical projects lean to male needs and advancements because throughout history the male body and concerns have been the most focused on. We’re just now studying female response to heart attacks and strokes seriously and realizing the differences. There is so so so much work needing to be done and it’s sadly going to have to be queer and female led startups that get things moving.
Sage, thank you for sharing this while still recovering. You are right. These issues stay invisible until women like you speak out. Sending strength, and yes, let’s keep shifting the boardroom conversations too.
It’s hard to sit by and watch the erasure of a whole entire part of humankind just because of how are bodies are different. I so hope we see this turn sooner rather than later. These female and femme owned medical offices and start ups and these girls growing up seeing people like them in STEM will be the change we need. They just need the support and voices bolstering them and you provide that here so beautifully.
Thank you Maryann for another great article that flips the script and points out the blind spots of the society we live in. You astutely wrote, "Capital follows what it values." I would extend this to say that capital does not see what it does not value. Through awareness of our blindspots we can begin to see more fully.
Thank you, Sara. You’ve articulated it so powerfully. Capital follows what it values, and often what it values reflects decades of structural bias. I believe the first step toward changing the system is seeing the blindspots clearly, and you’re right: awareness is a form of resistance. Grateful for your reflection and your voice in this conversation. 🙏🏽
Great article! I don’t have a medical background, but I am a woman, and I have lived in this system and had my needs dismissed is inconvenient or unprofitable. It’s similar to how fitness research has until only recently treated women as “smaller men” when in reality our physical bodies perform much differently than men’s, even on a cellular level. How our blood carries oxygen, for instance is often quite different and explains some of the differences in athletic performance. And I can lift much more weight with my legs than my husband can, even though he is almost twice my size. Thanks for this article, I was excited to stumble across your stack recently and look forward to reading more!!
Yes! I’m actually planning a future piece on the ‘smaller men’ problem in sports science. Your comment captured it perfectly. Mind if I quote you (anonymously)?
Feel free to quote me!!
Will do thanks Michaela
Thank you for this article. Many years ago as my husband and I were trying to conceive, I was told by several doctors that I had endometriosis and that I would need a complete hysterectomy.
Thankfully, I found a fertility specialist who helped me, and, miraculously, I became pregnant.
Now that I’m a grandmother, I see numerous TV ads for men with erectile dysfunction. So, where are the ads for menopausal women who have lost libido, are advised not to take estrogen as it may cause breast cancer, and who suffer from a myriad of other side effects??
Thanks so much for addressing this. We women need to have our voices heard!!
Gail, your story says it all. Men get ads and medication. Women get silence, stigma, and side effect warnings. It’s not just a media gap. It’s a capital gap. Thank you for raising your voice. We need more of this. Women’s health is not optional. It’s investable.
Thank you, Maryann
Thank you for writing this and your advocation!
Thank you for being here!
The work you are doing is so important. Thank you.
This is so educative🌸
I want more of these💙
Thank you Aisha for your feedback. Appreciate you being here. You’ll love our upcoming book - the billion dollar blind spot. Get early access here https://blfpmucc6od.typeform.com/to/wb5PfpWt
Show me your checkbook and I'll show you what you care about! Boom!
absolutely. could not agree more Lara!
Thanks for bringing focus on vital yet neglected areas. As a tech enabler, its motivating to read about many different areas that need solutions but also sad that women have been denied of research and solution tailored to their bodies.
Thank you, Shruti. I really appreciate your perspective as a tech enabler because you are right, the sadness and the urgency coexist. These neglected areas don’t just need awareness; they need tailored solutions designed for women’s bodies, not adapted from defaults.
Bingo. Thx for another well-thought-out and documented post!
thank you so much Mary Anne!
It never ceases to amaze me how strong and durable is the self preserving power of patriarchy
As a friend to several women with endometriosis, they wanted kids sooo bad. Took to long for testing, diagnosis, treatment. Now they can’t. Maybe framing it that way will help? Births are in decline. Endo & PCOS, both detrimental to getting pregnant & staying pregnant, are on the rise. Are the two related? Possibly. But noooo men need more sperm when they can keep fathering children until they die, unlike women who are frickin’ born with all the eggs they’ll ever have!! I have PCOS & we were told we had secondary infertility due to PCOS when we lucked out & had our second child 5 years after our first. Many women do not luck out.