as love is blind The dating reality TV show returns to our screens, this time with contestants from the UK, and it reveals an important question Health issues for many women and AFAB (assigned female at birth) people.
Demi, one of the show’s contestants, sat down in a podcast room with a range of eligible men to talk about her pursuit of love, and she opened up about her experience with endometriosis and how it’s impacted her past dating life.
One particular conversation with her fellow contestant Ollie is an important story and example of how the disease is represented both within and outside of the show’s romantic storylines.
What is endometriosis?
According to the charity Endometriosis UKEndometriosis “is the name of a disease in which cells similar to those found in the lining of the uterus are found elsewhere in the body.” This can lead to inflammation and scar tissue formation, which can lead to a range of unpleasant symptoms symptom: Pelvic pain, menstrual pain, pain during or after sexfatigue, increased risk of pregnancy difficulties, and more.
How to make sex fun when you have endometriosis
In the UK only, approx. 1.5 million women AFAB people currently suffer from the disease. demi, contestant British love is blindis one of them.
love is blind uk Making space to talk about endometriosis
In the third episode, when Ollie asked Demi what was stopping her from emotionally connecting with him, she explained how her endometriosis had been a roadblock in past relationships.
“I always wanted to have a family and be a good mother,” she told him. “I had a hard time conceiving naturally because I have endometriosis.”
“Sometimes I feel like I’m not enough and it’s really scary,” Demi added. “You’re struggling every month — physically, mentally.” She went on to explain that the fertility issues she faced due to endometriosis “really destroyed relationships.”
Demi spoke about endometriosis in the third episode of Love Is Blind UK.
Image source: Netflix
These life-changing symptoms of endometriosis are important to discuss with your partner and get support. this is a well known fact Endometriosis is also under study – making its representation on television even more important in raising awareness and demanding change.
“The latest research shows Only 54% know what endometriosis isFaye Farthing, director of communications at Endometriosis UK, told Mashable.
Specifically, love is blind ukShining a spotlight on endometriosis and how it affects people’s dating and relationship experiences is an important step in raising awareness. But it’s also crucial to educate people without endometriosis about the romantic and intimate difficulties that people with endometriosis can face.
Popular stories that can be mixed and matched
Dating with endometriosis can mean challenging conversations
“Endometriosis can have a significant impact on people’s relationships,” Fassin said. “Starting to talk about your condition with a new partner can be difficult and it’s encouraging that this will be focused on in the new series love is blinddemonstrate how to have an open discussion and emphasize the importance of your needs with your partners.
“This can be a very difficult conversation and challenging for both the person with endometriosis and their partner.”
Orgasm Triggered My Endometriosis: Sex Life with Endometriosis
She added that many endometriosis patients say they feel isolated because of their condition and “frustrated by having to cancel social plans, and having an understanding partner can be very helpful for people with this condition.” Very important.”
“Dating with endometriosis doesn’t always get the attention it deserves, and bringing attention to the issue will not only help remove the taboos associated with the disease and its symptoms, but will hopefully highlight how to have open conversations with your partner. and the importance of understanding endometriosis.
“Dating with endometriosis doesn’t always get the attention it deserves.”
Another wonderful example of endometriosis in pop culture right now is author Coco Mellors’ latest novel blue sisters. Published in May 2024, the book explores the lives of four sisters, one of whom tragically dies after an accidental overdose while trying to treat endometriosis (before the novel begins, so don’t worry, no spoilers). Mellors has spoken openly about why she incorporated endometriosis so significantly into the storyline, which has to do with representation and highlighting the need to invest more time and money into addressing health issues for women and non-binary people.
“In my first book, I had a character with epilepsy, and that was because my best friend had epilepsy, and I’ve never seen anyone in any work act in a way that didn’t define their life. Dealing with reality, but this is their life, and I feel like endometriosis is a very similar disease in some ways,” Mellors told metropolis in interview.
“To me, this is just an example of how the medical industry today is still male-centric and how much pain women have to endure physically. It’s a lonely disease and I think that’s true of the world. one of the sororities [endometriosis]”.
It has never been more important that endometriosis is talked about and recognized as a serious and legitimate health condition – watching storylines on TV and reading books about people and figures dealing with endometriosis only can further emphasize this point.
Don’t call it “benign”
Endometriosis UK is calling on healthcare professionals to stop using the word “benign” when referring to the disease and other gynecological conditions. This term can mean that very real, often debilitating symptoms are underestimated, ignored, and ignored. Calling endometriosis “benign” smacks of medical misogyny and diminishes the perceived impact of a disease that affects so many women and non-binary people.
We see the impact of lack of awareness of endometriosis in author Sally Rooney’s debut novel talk to friends and its television adaptation. The main character, Frances (played on screen by Alison Oliver), suffers from endometriosis and struggles throughout the series to receive proper diagnosis and treatment. Frances experienced debilitating pain and excessive bleeding, which she thought was “just her period.” Then, when she consulted a medical professional, she was accused of having unprotected sex and dismissed with a prescription for birth control pills – a common story. Eventually, she was diagnosed with endometriosis, but not after a few wrong turns caused her symptoms to last longer. talk to friends Perfectly sums up the importance of representing the reality of misdiagnosis and/or delayed diagnosis when it comes to conditions like endometriosis.
“Endometriosis care urgently needs to improve,” Fassin said. “Not only does a diagnosis in the UK take an average of eight years and 10 months, but in percentage terms the UK gynecology waiting list is growing faster every month than any other elective specialty and is now more than twice its size before the pandemic. “
Endometriosis UK is calling on the UK government to commit to a mean time to diagnosis target for endometriosis, recognize it as a common chronic condition, and adapt menstrual health education to reflect this. Not only that, but more research and funding is needed “as part of an investment in women’s health” to discover better treatments, pain management and cures.
Depictions of endometriosis on television and in books…can help raise much-needed awareness and demand change.
Sharing endometriosis stories on screen and in other ways can help create real change, Fassin said. “We often hear from patients who feel ignored and ignored, and seeing other people’s experiences can be incredibly validating and show that you’re not alone in what you’re going through, which is something that can speak to people. A disease that has a huge impact on your life.”
As a result, depictions of endometriosis on television and in books—both in love is blind uka best-selling novel, or another form of pop culture—can help raise awareness of much-needed change.
“Stories about endometriosis on screen can go a long way in raising public awareness,” Fassin said. “Raising public awareness is key to ensuring everyone recognizes the symptoms of this disease and how to seek help.”
How to watch: love is blind uk Now streaming on Netflix.
