Five Female Musicians Who Have Struggled with Women’s Health Issues | Women’s Health Month

It is known that on average women typically live longer than men, but it isn’t as well understood that it is often at the cost of their quality of life. According to the CDC, 15.6% of women in the U.S. are considered to be in poor health. Therefore, it’s no surprise women have a higher likelihood of being diagnosed with lifelong conditions such as autoimmune disorders, cancers and mental health struggles in comparison to men.

There are multiple genetic and environmental factors that play into these diagnoses, but a prominent factor widening the gender health gap has included systemic sexism, lack of funding and diversity amongst research geared towards women’s health. Much like the little girls taught to hide tampons up their sleeves on the way to the school restroom, it is still hard for many women to speak up and be taken seriously about their health in a world that treats it like an afterthought, which is especially true for women specific health issues. That is why the month of May is recognized as Women’s Health Month!

Women’s Health Awareness Month is an initiative recognized every May as a reminder for women to take their health into their own hands. The purpose is to spotlight women’s health issues as a way to educate the public on how they can stay healthy, take action toward systematic change and make an effort to make their health a priority. In the spirit of women’s health month, here is a list of five female musicians who were brave enough to open up about their health struggles.

Bebe Rexha- PCOS

According to the World Health Organization, PCOS (short for Polycystic Ovary Syndrome) is estimated to affect 6-13% of women of child bearing age and Bebe Rexha is one of them. The condition can cause a range of symptoms including irregular periods, acne, weight gain, abnormal hair growth and even infertility due to the ovaries creating excess hormones.

In an interview with Gale King on Gale King in the House, Rexha goes on to talk about the complexities of getting diagnosed because there’s no specialized test for the condition. She opens up about how disheartening it has been to deal with the weight gain from PCOS in an industry that scrutinizes women’s appearance too. Although it must be hard to manage, Bebe Rexha is an inspiration to women everywhere for speaking out so others recognize when to get help.

Paloma Faith- Fertility

The World Health Organization estimates that 1 in 6 people are affected by infertility globally and Paloma Faith is someone who has struggled with it. She made an appearance on the How to Fail with Elizabeth Day podcast to describe her tragic miscarriage on the set of a movie she was filming. She then went on to discuss continued declining fertility when one of her fallopian tubes was damaged after another tragic ectopic pregnancy (when a fertilized egg implants somewhere outside the womb).

Despite the emotional turmoil she went through and the pressure to stay quiet about her fertility issues, Paloma Faith decided to keep talking about it. Thanks to IVF, she ended up with two beautiful daughters too!

Stevie Nicks- Abortion

Stevie Nicks somewhat recently recalled her choice to have an abortion in the 1970’s given the relevance of the topic in the political climate over the last few years. Despite the recent attacks on abortion, Stevie Nicks is holding firm that it was the right choice for her stating that being in the midst of a drug-filled, long-winded tour was not the right time and place to raise a child.

In an interview with Self, the singer was quoted discussing the empowering reason why she knew it was not time for her to have a baby. “I knew that the music we were going to bring to the world was going to heal so many people’s hearts and make people so happy. And I thought: You know what? That’s really important,” she said. “Two lead women singers, two lead women writers. That was my world’s mission.”

Melissa Etheridge- Breast Cancer

Melissa Etheridge shocked the 2005 Grammy stage after rocking a Janis Droplin tribute to “Piece of My Heart” right on the heels of her last day of chemotherapy for breast cancer. Her bald head became a beacon of strength and hope to the 13% of women who will develop cancer at some point in their lifetime that there is hope beyond the pain.

In an interview with CancerConnect, Melissa went on to say that the journey is hard and painful, but wants to be the inspiration for women to take their health into their own hands by checking for abnormalities often and staying positive. She says, “I want to emphasize to women that we are in charge of our own health,” she says. “We need to make health our goal. We have to do that ourselves and make our choices.”

Halsey- Endometriosis

Endometriosis is a condition in which tissue like the kind that lines the uterine wall grows outside of the uterus creating a slew of symptoms including painful periods, sexual intercourse and infertility amongst others. Since her miscarriage in 2016, Halsey has been very open about being part of the 10% of women worldwide that suffer from the condition.

In a story run by The Independent, Halsey revealed her frustration in how her body continues to suffer after multiple surgeries for endometriosis, the changes it’s gone through with two pregnancies and after being diagnosed with multiple autoimmune disorders. Even after all that, she continues to choose to share her story to help other women get early treatment and is determined to stay on that stage.

Together we can move the needle in the world of women’s health by making a conscious effort to take care of ourselves and our loved ones this May as well as continuing to share our stories! Support Women Who Rock concerts and merch to fund lifesaving research at Magee Women’s Research Institute and connect with us on social! We can’t wait to hear your stories!