Comedian Amy Schumer took to Instagram to respond to cruel online speculation about her "puffier" face in posts from her appearances on The Tonight Show and Good Morning America, where she was promoting the second season of her Hulu show, Life & Beth.
Schumer expressed mock gratitude for the feedback and discussions about her appearance, acknowledging that women often face scrutiny and commentary on their looks, acknowledging that her face is indeed "puffier than normal right now."
However, Schumer went on to share a more personal aspect of her health, revealing that she is dealing with endometriosis, a medical condition that affects many aspects of her life.
The Mayo Clinic describes endometriosis as a painful condition where tissue similar to the inner lining of the uterus grows outside the uterus. Symptoms include painful menstrual periods, discomfort during sex, and bloating, among others.
Schumer wrote:
"I have endometriosis an auto immune disease that every woman should read about. There are some medical and hormonal things going on in my world right now but I’m okay."
"Historically women’s bodies have barely been studied medically compared to men. The book 'All in Her Head' does a good job explaining this. I also believe a woman doesn’t need any excuse for her physical appearance and owes no explanation.
Acknowledging the ups and downs of her self-image, Schumer emphasized that, like anyone else, there are days when she feels confident and others when she doesn't but nonetheless highlighted the importance of feeling strong and beautiful:
"I wanted to take the opportunity to advocate for self love and acceptance of the skin you're in. Like every other women/person, some days I feel confident and good as hell, and others I want to put a bag over my head.”
"But I feel strong and beautiful and so proud of this tv show I created. Wrote. Starred in and directed. Maybe just maybe we can focus on that for a little."
You can see her post below.
Schumer's post also went viral on X, formerly Twitter, where its contents were shared by former NBCUniversal executive and progressive influencer Mike Sington.
Many have praised Schumer for speaking out.
Endometriosis, as described by the World Health Organization (WHO), is an intricate disease impacting women globally from their first period through menopause, irrespective of ethnic origin or social status.
Its development is believed to be influenced by various factors, with several mechanisms currently considered responsible for its onset.
These include retrograde menstruation, when menstrual blood, carrying endometrial cells, reverses its flow through the fallopian tubes into the pelvic cavity; cellular metaplasia, when cells outside the uterus undergo a change into endometrial-like cells, initiating their growth in ectopic locations; and stem cells and disease spread, since stem cells contribute to the spread of endometriosis throughout the body via blood and lymphatic vessels.
Beyond these mechanisms, additional factors may contribute to the growth or persistence of ectopic endometrial tissue. Notably, endometriosis exhibits a dependence on estrogen, intensifying inflammation, growth, and pain associated with the disease.
However, the relationship between estrogen and endometriosis is intricate, as the absence of estrogen does not consistently correlate with the absence of endometriosis.
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