How to Dismiss Women’s Pain
A satirical comic about how women's pain gets dismissed in clinical settings, and the research behind why it happens.
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About This Resource
This comic is about women’s pain and the hurtful myths that too often get in the way of caring for it. It uses satire to get there: the dismissive lines so many women know by heart. The research behind each panel is real — women’s pain is taken less seriously, treated less adequately, and studied far less often (like how chronic pain affects 70% of women, yet 80% of pain studies are conducted on mice or human men). We made this comic to spark conversation about how women’s pain is treated, and to help change it. For the research and references, read “But You Look Fine…”: Gender Bias And Pain Care by Dr. Grace Kao, a brilliant pain psychologist and writer. Also shout out to the Meg Foundation Creative Director and Illustrator, Ben Claassen for his incredible work on this.
How To Use This Resource
Share it with the people who care for women’s pain: providers, students, friends, and family. Post it, print it for the break room, or send it to anyone who could use the reminder that their pain deserves care and they deserve to feel seen. For more on how bad information creates more pain, our article on pain myths and facts is a good next read.
Who Is This For
Healthcare professionals, and every woman who’s ever felt like their pain wasn’t taken seriously.
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