Women with Endometriosis Reveal Systemic Misogyny in Healthcare and Workplaces

I hate to say it, but if this condition was happening to men, things would be very different,

says Gill Capewell.

Gill has endometriosis and is among several women who reached out following my January interview with businesswoman turned endometriosis campaigner Sanju Pal.

The women shared deeply personal experiences, medical records, photos, treatment details, and in one instance, a dismissal letter.

Beyond their diagnosis, they share a common goal: to have their stories heard so endometriosis can be better understood and, hopefully, cured.

I have had fibroids and endometriosis for over five years, been passed from pillar to post around the NHS, been in debilitating pain and bleeding so much that I became severely anaemic,

says Gill, from south-east London.

At points, I couldn't leave the house because the blood flow was so intense and yet I could not get an appointment on the NHS to get anything done about it.

It was ruining my life and yet not considered life-threatening.

Gill explains that although she wanted children, she has undergone a full hysterectomy.

It is obviously devastating in some ways but a massive relief in others.

Denied pain relief

Freya Bowen reports living with intense menstrual pain since age 14.

During her GCSEs, she repeatedly visited hospitals but was told cysts and growths found on ultrasounds would resolve naturally.

Just before turning 18, she was hospitalized for three days with a serious infection, experiencing what she describes as

such severe pain I thought I was going to die.

Yet I was repeatedly denied pain relief, to the point another patient across from me got up and looked for a nurse to treat me,

says Freya.

Scans revealed appendiceal endometriosis, likely present for years.

She was informed her appendix might have burst if she had delayed hospital admission.

Her appendix was removed and she was placed on a waiting list for a specialist women's hospital.

I am now 22 and have been waiting for over four years to leave that wait list, having had the referral lost and misplaced multiple times when it was almost the cause of my death,

she explains.

Despite ongoing pain, the only advice offered has been to take the contraceptive pill.

This is systemic misogyny playing out in our country's medical, professional and educational environments.

Impact on life and work

Endometriosis is not 'just bad periods', it is a serious, life-altering disease that affects every part of a woman's life, from her health to her career and fertility,

says Fahmida.

The 35-year-old from Newham experienced symptoms since age 14 but was not diagnosed until 2017.

At her worst, she was

bedbound for months at a time

and described the pain as feeling like

someone was trying to rip my organs out with barbed wire.

In 2019, an MRI revealed Stage 4 deep infiltrating endometriosis, the most severe form.

While my medical journey has been incredibly challenging, what has been even harder has been my experience in the workplace,

Fahmida says, having recently undergone surgery.

Instead of receiving support for a chronic and debilitating condition, I had often been made to feel like a burden.

She advocates for mandatory training for managers to better support employees with conditions like endometriosis.

No woman should have to fight this disease while also fighting to be believed at work. All we are asking for is understanding, dignity and the chance to continue working with the support we need.

Told I was too sensitive

Fern Dixon, who endured painful periods for 25 years, nearly died from peritonitis and sepsis in early 2025.

The reason I didn't seek any medical help until I was delirious with a fever is because the pain was nowhere near as bad as a regular period is for me,

she explained.

I was never believed, I was told I was too sensitive, or I was told I was just unlucky.

She waited four months before her appendix was removed. Endometriosis was found in her peritoneal sac.

I asked if it was found on the appendix, but the infection and scarring was so bad the doctor couldn't say for certain, but he suspected it was the underlying cause of the rupture,

she says.

I have since had one transvaginal ultrasound... I have not been offered any further treatment, despite the condition almost costing me my life.

Kayleigh Glendon, a single parent from Kent, spent about 14 years seeking a diagnosis before being diagnosed with Stage 4 endometriosis in 2022.

In 2023, I had surgery and found (endometriosis) was on my bladder, bowel, urethra, you name it, it was there,

she recalls.

In 2025, aged 38, I had hysterectomy surgery. The day before my surgery, a meeting was called with my managers and HR and even though I was a 'hard working, conscientious and valuable member of the team', I was dismissed, due to ill health.

She is awaiting laparoscopic cholecystectomy to remove her gallbladder.

My mental health has been at an all-time low, and losing a job I loved, due to my health issues, as you can imagine, has been soul destroying,

Kayleigh says.

Her former employer has been contacted for comment.

Rochelle, 27, from Hertfordshire, has experienced painful periods since age 13.

She was prescribed the pill at 14, which helped with bleeding, but by 20, her pain was severe.

She was given the Mirena intrauterine device, which helped for two years before the pain worsened.

Thanks to private healthcare and a supportive manager, an MRI in July 2025 confirmed severe Stage 4 endometriosis.

She has since undergone surgery.

Aside from physical pain, the mental side is just as tormenting. I have never felt so low mentally, due to the constant pain and suffering,

Rochelle says.

Campaigning for recognition

Sanju Pal, whose story inspired others to share their experiences, has had a busy start to 2026.

She has appeared on national and regional TV and radio and attended several parliamentary events during Endometriosis Awareness Month.

Sanju is campaigning to have endometriosis officially recognized as a disability.

Under the UK's Equality Act 2010, a disability is defined as a physical or mental impairment with a substantial and long-term negative effect on daily activities.

Although endometriosis can qualify as a disability, it is not automatically recognized as such.

There is currently not a single gynaecological condition listed as a recurring or fluctuating impairment in the guidance on the disability definition,

Sanju explains.

At the launch of the latest Endometriosis UK figures at Portcullis House, Westminster, Sanju expressed determination to effect change.

The report says that it takes on average nine years and four months to get a diagnosis,

she says.

That's why my campaign goes wider than endometriosis, it's for all gynaecological conditions that are fluctuating and recurring to be part of the definition of disability, so that women in the UK get their fair rights in the workplace.

That is something that needs changing and I'm here to do it.

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