TW: This article features medical gaslighting, medical cPTSD and discussions of the mirena coil IUD procedure that many who have experienced it may find traumatic.
This week, I sat in the GP’s surgery with my son as she explained his care in child-friendly language; “Pain is the body’s way of letting you know it thinks something isn’t quite right.” The simplicity of such a statement was striking.
Our bodies are complex, yet they have yet to evolve to override pain that has positive outcomes – we still ache after exercise, bleed after vaccinations and wince with the dental hygienist. We generally accept a degree of pain in exchange for our health and bodily autonomy and contraceptive control are undeniable health benefits.
But how can we make informed choices, when pain experienced by AFAB people is minimised, scoffed at or completely denied?
