Gender bias is alive and well in the treatment of patients. Women face longer wait times for treatment and are reportedly less likely to be believed or have their pain taken seriously. Equally damaging is the cultural stigma that sickness and “feminine” vulnerability are weaknesses to remain unspoken.
I am looking for instances of oppression, discrimination, sexism, disbelief, or any negative gender-specific dialogue you have experienced as a female patient in the healthcare system.
This project was originally conceived of for a performance at the opening of Coming to the Table: An Intersection of Feminist Voices curated by the Association of Hysteric Curators at the Angels Gate Cultural Center. At the time I received over 50 stories and read them aloud in succession. The performance lasted approximately 90 minutes. It was then re-performed in a shortened version at Her Story: Maria and Waldeth, an evening of performances and readings at The Blue Orchard. It also exists on Our Prime Property, a virtual curatorial platform as a part of (Tekst), a project curated by Christine Dianne Guiyangco.
I envision this as on ongoing project, that may eventually grow into something larger and with a greater audience and impact. With this sharing of stories, including my own, women’s historical invisibility will be addressed and our experiences voiced.
Guidelines for story submissions:
-Submit stories using the form below
-Any self-identifying woman is encouraged to submit her story
-Any healthcare setting in which you were the patient
-Experiences can be any time in which you felt you were treated differently because of your gender. There is no minimum threshold to these experiences. They can be any instance including, but not limited to everyday sexism, aggressive discrimination, ignorant misconceptions, a gut feeling that you were mistreated, etc.
-Stories can be any length
-There is no limit to the number of stories you may submit
-Submissions are gratefully accepted on an ongoing and indefinite basis