{"paper_id":"1e4dc7e9-7490-4ff5-a7ee-a0b0074d588d","body_text":"Abstract\nIn this article, I examine the uterus as an object in relation to endometriosis\nand the epistemological struggle of sufferers to have their pain taken seriously.\nDefined by endometrial-like tissue outside the uterus, endometriosis\naffects multiple organs, causes severe pain, and is often undiagnosed for\nyears. While outsiders frequently describe the condition, patient voices\nremain marginal. Using illness autoethnography and my experience in\nGermany, I show how delegitimized embodied knowledge shapes the identify\nwork of coping with endometriosis. Medical gaslighting, stigma, limited\nliteracy, and shame increase dismissal of symptoms and vulnerability.\nRecognizing the gendered framings of endometriosis can reshape how\npeople cope with it.\nand the epistemological struggle of sufferers to have their pain taken seriously.\nDefined by endometrial-like tissue outside the uterus, endometriosis\naffects multiple organs, causes severe pain, and is often undiagnosed for\nyears. While outsiders frequently describe the condition, patient voices\nremain marginal. Using illness autoethnography and my experience in\nGermany, I show how delegitimized embodied knowledge shapes the identify\nwork of coping with endometriosis. Medical gaslighting, stigma, limited\nliteracy, and shame increase dismissal of symptoms and vulnerability.\nRecognizing the gendered framings of endometriosis can reshape how\npeople cope with it.\n| Original language | English |\n|---|---|\n| Pages (from-to) | 1-18 |\n| Number of pages | 18 |\n| Journal | Medical Anthropology |\n| Early online date | 22 Jan 2026 |\n| DOIs | |\n| Publication status | E-pub ahead of print - 22 Jan 2026 |\nKeywords\n- Autoethnography, chronic living, endometriosis, gender bias, Germany, uterine vulnerability\nFingerprint\nDive into the research topics of 'Uterine Vulnerability: A Lived Experience Response to Endometriosis'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.Cite this\n- APA\n- Author\n- BIBTEX\n- Harvard\n- Standard\n- RIS\n- Vancouver","source_license":"CC0","license_restricted":false}