If Lili Reinhart Had to Push for an Endometriosis Diagnosis, What Hope Do The Rest of Us Have?

Two things can be true: Women can unilaterally face roadblocks on the path to securing effective health care...and women can also have vastly different levels of access based on privilege. Case in point: Lili Reinhart, a wealthy, white, famous woman with all the access in the world struggled to get an endometriosis diagnosis.

Reinhart certainly faces fewer barriers to healthcare than women who don't have her levels of privilege...but she still faces barriers because, well, that's what happens to women.

In an Instagram post announcing her endometriosis diagnosis — and reflecting on the road to get to that diagnosis — Reinhart sheds light on the importance of women advocating for their own bodies. 

"Last year, I saw a urogynecologist and was diagnosed with interstitial cystitis. I was told there was no cure—and no lasting relief—for my symptoms.
Three hospital visits. Multiple urologists and gynecologists. And not one of them seriously considered endometriosis as the underlying cause of what I was experiencing," she writes.

Which is so frustratingly common and relatable: Far too many women are told to just live with their pain and symptoms — and endometriosis in particular often takes years to be diagnosed. And of course, without diagnosis, there's no path to effective treatment.

Reinhart also writes about the importance of advocating for yourself in her post. And it's important to note: Yes, Reinhart has the type of access to healthcare that most women don't — but she also has the power to use her platform to spread awareness. And it's working: Take a look at the comments of her post. They're not just a space for women to thank her for using her voice and privilege to move the needle; they're also proof that Reinhart has created a space for other women to vent about the medical gaslighting they've faced.

Because let's face it: This is the thing that unites us, regardless of what our access looks like.