Did you know our founder Ellamae has MRKH Syndrome?
If you didn't know already, I was born without a womb and vagina. I found out at 16 years old after not starting my period and having difficulty with penetrative sex. MRKH affects 1 in 5000 female born babies and every person with MRKH has a varying underdevelopment of their reproductive system.
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HAVE YOU HEARD OF MRKH?
Not until I saw this blog!
Yes
I've told my story lots online, after years of shame and secrecy. But what about the untold? What about the unheard? What about the silenced? I have learned to realise, although my grief and pain is totally valid, my MRKH story is one of privilege. As a white cis woman, in the UK, with internet access and the NHS - the letters MRKH entered my life fairly quickly after dedicated medical treatment and without any added cultural stigma (to that of society) a supportive network (when I did finally buck up the courage to talk about it). That doesn't mean to say MRKH comes without shame and stigma for most diagnosed, including me, but with any diagnosis - there are marginalised women and people living with the same thing as you, in a whole different world. MRKH bears different weights, for every person diagnosed. And that's why shedding a light on our stories is so important.
So after a few years of blogging and launching Mind Over MRKH, I started the Podcast where you can hear stories from around the world.
Elizabeth is an MRKH advocate in Nigeria, one of the first women with MRKH in Nigeria to raise awareness and form a support network. Elizabeth is 26 and was only officially diagnosed with MRKH last year. Read a short blog from Elizabeth she did for MRKH Connect here and listen to the full episode to hear her story!
Archana AKA Purbi is an MRKH warrior from India. She is the founder of Indian MRKHers Corner and MRKH India Facebook group. She is also a BYMRKH Ambassador representing India Globally. For a living she works at PepsiCo and has 13 years experience in social media analytics, consumer insights and strategic consulting with different companies and industries.
Find out more about Purbi over on Instagram @purbi_mrkh_india Sponsorship: This Podcast is receiving regular sponsorship from our friends and charity MRKH Connect.
Anri Labuschagne is 23 years old from South Africa and was diagnosed with MRKH in 2018! She is the founder of @mrkhsouthafrica and co-founder of @mrkhpartners! She is currently in her last year of her legal studies while still running the MRKH SA page! Anri is a coffee addict and her favourite show is friends!
Global Projects that paved the MRKH advocacy path
MRKH Connect are a UK Charity with a global impact. They have a map of MRKHers all over the world so you can see where people
Beautiful You MRKH have had a place in my heart for a long time now, I even have their logo tattooed on my leg! They are US based, again with a global reach thanks to this nifty thing called the Internet!
My good friend Ally Hensley, fierce Global MRKH advocate led this short film. I was in my fairly-secretive advocacy days but nonetheless, one of my proudest moments was being part of something this big for the MRKH community.
Check out the film here
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