{"id":19766,"date":"2025-03-26T12:00:00","date_gmt":"2025-03-26T12:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.canterbury.ac.uk\/sustainability\/?p=19766"},"modified":"2025-03-17T11:48:25","modified_gmt":"2025-03-17T11:48:25","slug":"my-pain-is-not-your-power-understanding-the-gender-pain-gap","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.canterbury.ac.uk\/sustainability\/my-pain-is-not-your-power-understanding-the-gender-pain-gap\/","title":{"rendered":"My pain is not your power – understanding the Gender Pain Gap"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Gender inequality is not a new issue, in fact it is something that has been around for longer than many may realise. Research suggests that male superiority over women started before written history was recorded. Although society has come along way, we are still far from equal, and it is predicted to take another 134 years until we reach gender parity: Global Gender Gap Report 2024: It will take 134 years to reach gender parity – United Nations Western Europe<\/a>. For many of us, it is a sobering thought to know we will not see a gender equal world in our lifetime, and with continued political turmoil across the globe, is it truly possible that the next generation will see it?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As a society, many of us have become stuck in our understanding of gender equality. For example, if you were asked to explain what women\u2019s rights were, what would you say? I have a hunch that many of us would speak about women\u2019s suffrage and achieving the right to vote. This is, by no doubtable means, an extremely significant and important event in history. This is an achievement that women in the UK will forever be grateful for. However, this happened in 1918 with the Representation of the People Act, and in 1928 with the Equal Franchise Act. Around a hundred years later and we are still fighting. Women secured the right to vote but what about the right to be listened to when we are in pain? The right to jurisdiction over our own bodies? How many of us must suffer in silence before the healthcare system takes us seriously? My pain is not your power, and it is time we understood the gender pain gap.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Image Description \u2013 Images of the Suffragettes protesting for the right to vote.<\/em><\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

What is the Gender Pain Gap?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Gender Pain Gap refers to the way in which women\u2019s pain is greatly misunderstood, mistreated and misdiagnosed in comparison to men. This is the result of gender disparity and biases in society, particularly healthcare. The popular pharmaceutical brand Nurofen launched a campaign called \u2018See My Pain\u2019 with the aim to ensure all pain is seen irrespective of gender.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Did you know?<\/p>\n\n\n\n