In 2020 I suffered my first miscarriage. Over the course of the next few years I underwent many infertility treatments (including In Vitro Fertilization) as well as needed access to emergency abortion care. Throughout this time I have continued to make pictures of my experiences as a way to process emotions and locate a path towards healing.
Photography has given me control. It is an ineffable tool to discover more about myself through the relationships I cherish. The photographs I make examine personal and cultural stigmas associated with female infertility; an extremely common medical diagnosis, yet still lacking in visibility and effective educational outreach.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, In 2020 over 300,000 people underwent In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) cycles in the United States. Additionally, 19% of all birthing people 15-49 have difficulty becoming pregnant and need specialized reproductive care (1). The needs of this many people to access services which keep them healthy and help build their families is significant, yet we are also facing considerable setbacks and challenges.
In these pictures I use my own body as a tool to reposition conversations around women’s rights and to untangle the historical tether connecting women with their reproductive potential.
1.CDChttps://www.cdc.gov/art/artdata/#reports