Spenta
Voices
A collection of lived experiences shared by women navigating healthcare systems, bodies, and institutions. All stories are submitted anonymously to protect privacy and safety. These accounts reflect personal experiences, not universal truths, and are shared to foster understanding, awareness, and solidarity.
“As much as I don’t want to sound cliché, I hate when my pain is portrayed as normal. I hate that I went to the doctor for extreme period cramps to the point where I faint and throw up and all I hear is, ‘Oh, it’s normal. Just take some Advil.’ That is not normal. I don’t know what’s wrong with me, but if this level of pain were experienced by men, there’s no doubt we would already have a cure by now."
“Some people say sexism is a thing of the past, especially if you live in so-called ‘first-world’ countries. But misogyny hasn’t disappeared from everyone’s mindset. I remember being paired with a group of men for a biochemistry project, where I was the only woman. The only time I was taken seriously was when it came to decorating the poster. My ideas were consistently dismissed. I went on to finish the course with a 92, while they all finished with grades in the 80s or below."
"This isn’t about being neglected within the healthcare system, but my friends and I are a group of eight women. Throughout our university years, every single one of us experienced sexual assault in some form. It ranged from being inappropriately catcalled, to having our bodies grabbed at clubs, to saying no repeatedly and only being taken seriously when my friends physically pulled me away. Each of us has been affected.”