Believe it or not...I don't have endometriosis. People are always shocked that I would create a piece to raise awareness for something that hasn't directly affected my life. When I was about 20 years old, I had a whole bunch of bizarre health issues. I had every uncomfortable test in the book run on me over the course of two years. Then a physician’s assistant mentioned that it might be endometriosis and referred me to a good GYN. I had never even heard of endometriosis. I started researching it and was shocked to find that this disease of which I had never heard affected 10-15% of women. I was shocked to find such a discrepancy between the prevalent nature of the disease and my complete ignorance on the subject! However I would learn that I was not alone. Conducting a simple survey showed I was part of the overwhelming majority. The results were disturbing and caused me to wonder why, as a whole, we were so ill-informed. That question would eventually drive me to create Female Trouble.
A laparoscopy would show that I did not have endometriosis. Even though it was not my diagnosis, I still felt outraged that such a prevalent problem is kept quiet and even many doctors were ignorant about the issue. I felt compelled to say something about it as an artist. Through my work I have tried to scratch the surface of the bigger picture and explore the taboos surrounding this disease, the cultural views of women and fertility in general throughout time, and the politics of the medical community. Ossie Davis once very wisely stated, "Any form of art is a form of power; it has impact, it can affect change - it can not only move us, it makes us move." I really believe that to be true. Art can give a voice to an otherwise silenced issue. The shift from being moved from tears to outrage to action is a natural one. The best art provokes thought which in turn evokes change. It is my deepest hope that my work will bring this issue into the light, honor the women struggling with endometriosis, and encourage progress and empathy.
