I am a Canadian photographer and a somewhat belated Irish mother. This blog is the sister to my visual foray into documentary photojournalism on Instagram and is inspired by my own complex relationship with the womb. Here is where I will share my own journey and those of others in the spirit of learning, discovery, connection, and de-stigmatizing the uterus and how it affects the lives of humans.
I aim to document stories including, but not limited to: menses/periods/menstruation; menarche; toxic shock syndrome; dysmenorrhea; amenorrhea (for whatever reason: as a result of intense physical activity/athleticism/other body stressors or even disorders like anorexia, etc); tubal pregnancy; tubal ligation; ovarian cysts; ovarian cancer; womb cancer; hysterectomy; reproduction; reproductive issues (that could include surgeries to prevent pain, prevent parenthood, pursue parenthood); fertility; infertility; IVF; ICSI; childless by choice; parenthood; LGBTQ2S parenthood; non-binary parenthood; parents facing physical challenges or disability; parents dealing with mental health; single parent by choice; involuntary single parenthood (via widowhood, divorce, etc); adoption (including people who have adopted, people who were adopted, people who gave up babies for adoption, whether by choice or not); parent(s) of multiples; people who are multiples; unplanned pregnancy; unwanted pregnancy; pregnancy loss; abortion; miscarriage; birth; cesarean section; vaginal birth; still birth; neonatal death; infant loss; adverse environmental effects on the womb (affecting pregnancy, effecting miscarriage); geological/socio-economic access to womb-related health/repro technology; social, cultural and/or religious taboos, rules, traditions, customs, and/or mandates surrounding the onset of menstruation (like those connected to virginity/coming-of-age rites, health/gender rights’ issues such as FGM, child marriage to traditions celebrating female empowerment/the feminine in any gender); gender; gender discrimination related to reproductive health; transgender reassignment; LGBTQ2 relationships to the womb; surrogacy; PMS; endometriosis; PMDD; peri-menopause; menopause; women’s health; women’s rights and the health and rights of LGBTQ2S and non-binary; Indigenous rights; Indigenous approaches to reproductive health/fertility/birth/gender; treatment of BIPOC relating to reproductive health; treatment of women of colour, transgender and non-binary relating to reproductive health; treatment of immigrant/refugee persons related to reprodutive health; cultural approaches, traditions, rites and practices surrounding fertility/barrenness/birth; relationship between reproductive health in humans and fertility of their environment/lands and effects of anthropogenic climate change on environment/land/humans; the earth as womb; and anything and everything in between that might be connected to the womb.
Do you have a complex relationship with the womb? Is your work related to the womb? If you live in Toronto/GTA/Waterloo Region and surrounding areas, rural and urban, and you’d like to participate and share your story, I’d love to connect. E-mail me at wombportraits@gmail.com.
As the saying goes, “what doesn’t kill us makes us stronger.” Thanks, in advance, for courage shared.
womb 