At Endometriosis UK, our EDI (Equality, Diversity and Inclusion) Committee is made up of a group of dedicated trustees. It exists to provide direction to our EDI work and ensure that our work to support and drive much needed change for those from marginalise groups is taken forward.
This Pride Month, our EDI Committee shared this statement:
“Pride is a celebration of identity, diversity and difference, but it’s also a protest against ongoing discrimination, bigotry and ignorance. This Pride, we want to recognise and celebrate the whole LGBTQIA+ endometriosis community, including our wonderful supporters, volunteers and staff. This is a perfect time of year to reflect on what we’ve achieved and what’s still to come.
But we also want to highlight the specific challenges LGBTQIA+ people with endometriosis face.
In 2022, we ran a research project including focus groups, one-to-one interviews and an online survey, to understand the experiences of LGBTQIA+ people with endometriosis.
It was found that barriers faced included heteronormative assumptions, including the use of non-inclusive language such as ‘boyfriend’ or ‘husband’ and a focus on fertility and having children without taking sexuality into account. Trans and non-binary people reported being misgendered, or professionals not recognising their gender. Whilst some professionals were more inclusive (for example, asking about pronouns), this was often not the norm.
All too often, those from LGBTQIA+ communities deal with stereotypes, assumptions and misgendering when accessing care and support. This is something we want to change. We are committed to working with the LGBTQIA+ communities to improve our services and provide inclusive health information. We look forward to keeping you updated on this.
For more information on what we’re doing and our ongoing plans to support those from LGBTQIA+ with endometriosis, please read our blog post here.
Meet the Committee:
Cassia Rowland, Sanchia Alasia and Veena Rao
