Queering gendered disabilities

Cara E. Jones, Jones CE
Journal of lesbian studies · 2020 · vol. 25(3) , pp. 195–211 · doi:10.1080/10894160.2020.1778852 · PMID:32567533 · W3036138796
article OA: closed CC0 ⤵ 12 in-corpus citations
View on OpenAlex View on PubMed View at publisher
⚙ AI-generated summary by gemini-2.5-flash-lite, 2026-06-06 ⓘ

This paper examines endometriosis as a gendered disability to decouple compulsory heterosexuality from compulsory able-bodiedness and proposes gender-neutral language for more inclusive discussion.

One-sentence paraphrase of the abstract; not a substitute for reading it. No clinical advice. How this works

Abstract

using endometriosis, a common chronic illness that can cause severe pain, fatigue, system-wide effects, and infertility. It affects at least ten percent of cisgender women as well as unmeasured numbers of cisgender men and transgender and gender nonconforming people, occurring more commonly than migraines or Crohn's disease. Endometriosis symptoms are often debilitating and can lead to un-/under-employment, reduced quality of life, and even suicide. Once nearly invisible, endometriosis has enjoyed recent public discussion, as major news outlets have reported the individual and social costs of endometriosis, and public figures have spoken out about their experiences. However, increased public spotlight has led to the proliferation of a narrative that endo is primarily a reproductive disease, a myth begun in medical literature nearly a century ago, which overlooks significant medical evidence and drives interventions that have high rates of failure and often cause further impairment. This paper examines locations where queerness meets gendered ableism, arguing that imagining endo as a gendered disability would be a first step toward decoupling compulsory heterosexuality from compulsory able-bodiedness. I also articulate gender-neutral ways to discuss endo and recommendations for more inclusive and accurate language and practices.

My notes (saved in your browser only)

Condition tags

endometriosisinfertility

MeSH descriptors

Disability Studies Homosexuality, Female Sexual and Gender Minorities Female Humans Male Persons with Disabilities Politics Women's Health

Citation neighborhood

Papers in the corpus that this work cites (lower rings, blue) and that cite this one (upper rings, green). Dot size scales with the paper's in-corpus citation count — bigger dot = more influential within the endo/adeno field. Click a dot to open that paper. [ expand to 2 hops ] — adds papers reached through this work's immediate citers/citees. Heavier; up to 60 extra dots.

References (59)

Cited by (13)

Source provenance

europepmc
last seen: 2026-09-10T06:15:44.054944+00:00
openalex
last seen: 2026-06-10T17:14:06.276822+00:00
pubmed
last seen: 2026-05-13T22:21:53.586419+00:00
License: CC0 · commercial use OK