Just in time for Endometriosis Awareness Day, observed on 1st March, FLP welcomes back Alekszandra Rokvity - our endo expert - for a live lecture that shines a light on this chronic illness…
CLASS DESCRIPTION
Endometriosis is a chronic illness which is estimated to affect one in ten biological women. It’s an inflammatory systemic illness which has been recognized by the NHS as one of the world’s twenty most painful conditions. Affecting around 200 million biological women worldwide, with symptoms ranging from debilitating menstrual cramps to respiratory issues and neuropathy, dubbed the “silent epidemic”, it’s an illness that you would think is getting a lot of attention, with the hunt for a cure being ongoing and urgent. You would be wrong to think that. Endometriosis is instead an extremely under-researched condition, with severe neglect visible both in the mistreatment of patients and the lack of education provided to the doctors. How is this possible? Well, the illness is… “a female problem”.
In this class, we will take a look at the barriers to endometriosis research and care and distinguish between medical and cultural roadblocks. We will tackle concepts such as medical gaslighting, the gender pain gap, and gender bias in medicine. As we dismantle each issue, what will become apparent is that endometriosis lends itself as a case study for gender-based medical injustice: by understanding how endometriosis treatment, care, and research have come to be a poster child for medical neglect and medical misogyny, you will begin to understand the deeply rooted sexism which is at the core of the medical system, affecting you whether you realize it or not. A fight for endometriosis care is a fight for equal care. Medical misogyny is a feminist issue. Whether you have endometriosis or not, this class will provide you with the tools to navigate the healthcare system with more awareness and better ability to fight for your rights to be seen, heard, believed, and taken seriously by your healthcare provider independent of your sex or gender.
ABOUT OUR LECTURER
Alekszandra Rokvity (she/her) is a PhD candidate working on her doctoral dissertation in the field of medical humanities with a focus on endometriosis. Alekszandra’s academic work was born out of a passion for patient advocacy, as she herself suffers from endometriosis. An avid endo activist in her free time, Alekszandra is currently leading the In/Visible Endometriosis: Menstruation, Menopause, and Narrative Medicine project at the University of Graz, Austria. A former teacher, she uses every opportunity to educate and organize around feminist issues both in her local and online communities.
INSTAGRAM: @rokvity and @sick_storiez
SPRING TERM 2025
Monday 20th January
Margot Mifflin (she/her)
Beauty Pageants and National Identity
Monday 27th January
Verity Babbs (she/her)
Divergent Minds: Female Neurodiversity in Art and Art History
Monday 3rd February
Vex Ashley (she/her)
The Body And The Screen - Sexuality Against The Machine
Monday 10th February
Luisa-Maria MacCormack (she/her)
Holy Hags: Sinners and Sheela Na Gigs - RECORDING ONLY
Monday 17th February
Dr. Kimberley Baltzer-Jaray (she/they)
Women Who Kill: Gender Bias And Murder
Monday 24th February
Alekszandra Rokvity (she/her)
Endometriosis: A Feminist Issue
Monday 3rd March
TBC
Monday 10th March
Jennifer Anyan (she/her)
The Madonna Whore Dichotomy: Motherhood And Sexual Agency
Monday 17th March
Alyssa Velazquez (she/her)
Spawn: The Fantasy Of Women's Right To Choose
Monday 24th March
Leanne Yau (she/they)
Radical Connection Through Relationship Anarchy
Monday 31st March
Dr. Noam Yadin Evron (she/her)
Abortions: A Complicated History From The Middle Ages To Today
Monday 7th April
Lucy Cooke (she/her)
Bitch: On The Female Of The Species
Monday 14th April
Anna Souter (she/her)
Plant Parenthood: A Potted History Of Vegetal Reproduction And (M)Otherhood
Monday 21st April
Luisa-Maria MacCormack (she/her)
Feminism And The Ice Age - RECORDING ONLY
Monday 28th April
Elora Shehabuddin (she/her)
Feminism And Islam: A History Of Muslim Feminism
RECORDING
A recording of the lecture will be sent out by The Feminist Lecture Program after the event finishes, within 2 hours of the end of the class. This email will also contain any resources/reading list the lecturer shares.
Please add hello@feministlectureprogram.com to your email contacts to ensure you receive the recording as expected.
Please note that the recording will expire 7 days after sending.
PAY WHAT YOU CAN
Everyone is welcome to join this Pay-What-You-Can class. We suggest a donation of £20, however, we understand that may not be possible for everybody. Please be honest and pay what you can afford so that we can continue to offer our sessions on a donation basis.
MORE FLP…
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And that's it!
We're really looking forward to you joining us x