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Speaking Up for Yourself

A doctor's appointment where you're being brushed off. Practise self-advocacy - calmly, clearly and on your terms.

🎭 Scenario⏱️ 8 min🌸 20 petals

💛 Gentle heads-up: Depicts feeling dismissed by a doctor.

Why women need to self-advocate

Research and lived experience both suggest that women’s pain and symptoms are more often brushed off, and that trans women, women of colour, fat women and disabled women can face this even more. Self-advocacy is how you make sure your concerns are heard.

The self-advocacy toolkit

  • Write it down. Symptoms, dates, what you’ve tried, your top questions.
  • Lead with your main concern. “The thing I most want help with today is…”
  • Acknowledge + add + ask. “I hear that it might be stress. It’s been six weeks and it’s affecting my sleep. Could we check my bloods?”
  • Bring a support person if you’d like.
  • Ask for it in writing, or ask the doctor to note your request in your file.
  • Second opinions are normal. You can always see someone else.

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