Welcome! Thank you for finding your way to our blog. Come sit down, grab some tea, get comfy. There is a lot we need to discuss.
Today, the I Hear You web series began filming in Halifax, Nova Scotia. This medical drama is a film project by creator Amy Trefry, and it started in the way that most good ideas do – over a friendly cup of coffee in someone’s kitchen. In the ensuing discussion, two friends shared their struggles with their respective health issues, and their feelings of frustration and hopelessness as they were confronted by a medical system that was dismissive and unhelpful.
These kinds of stories are, sadly, plentiful. Most people have a story about being dismissed by their health care provider – but women, especially so. The show’s creators conducted hundreds of interviews with women and femmes, and found they were facing a growing tide of voices seeking to be heard and acknowledged.
This blog is intended to create a safe space to break open those taboos about women’s sexual health, and start shining a light on some serious issues that need to be acknowledged and addressed. We’ll present some evidence-based information on women’s health and some statistics, sure. But there are stories in them thar’ numbers.
Here, you’ll read about women and femmes and their lived experiences with sexual health issues. You’ll discover how the medical system’s response is creating barriers to safe, prompt, inclusive, accessible care. Every couple of weeks, you’ll read about topics that branch from the seeds planted in the episodes of the show:
A child-free person who has all but given up asking the medical professionals to grant their desire for a tubal ligation.
A woman whose diagnosis of multiple sclerosis didn’t become the defining feature of her life, or stop her from achieving her goals.
How medical professionals can help women and femmes who are survivors of sexual assault, and how best to navigate the minefield of a routine pelvic exam.
We all have stories, or have heard stories, like these. We want to tell these stories, and we want to hear your stories. Our goal is to create a safe space, to provoke discussion and start having these important conversations. It’s time for all of us to listen – really listen – to the lived experiences of women who are vulnerable and seeking help.
People start to heal, once they feel heard.