Hysteria

Artist Statement: “The mistreatment of women in the U.S. healthcare system has major historical ties and still continues today. One of the earliest examples is the “diagnosis” of Hysteria, which was a catch-all term used when doctors could not explain a woman’s symptoms. Women historically have been left out of medical research and studies, despite it being a well known fact that women have completely different reactions to certain medications and trials. According to Soliant’s 2024 state health report, women in the U.S. are 66.1% more likely to get misdiagnosed compared to men. Many women report feeling unheard and dismissed regarding their symptoms, often leading to delayed diagnosis and misdiagnosis. I chose to make a work on medical malpractice towards women due to my own experience with the healthcare system. I have experienced many health issues in my life often resulting in an ongoing cycle of doctors and hospital trips. I decided to sculpt myself on a hospital bed because of how impactful malpractice has been on my life, and I added one doctor to highlight that the one on one doctor-patient relationship that’s so important can end up being a positive or negative.”