Description:

As a female with Endometriosis, I have witnessed firsthand the lack of credible, up to date and educational resources available on female health. As a result, those close to me are unfamiliar with ways they can offer support. In the past, this heavily impacted my quality of life and intimate relationships. This led me to look into how I can generate easy to access, simple ways male peers can expand their knowledge on the topic of female health, as they’re typically the least educated on this subject.

With a lack of informative material and reliable resources available, how are male partners supposed to know how to offer support?

Insideher is a informative and interactive tool, targeted at the male demographic of Aotearoa. The journal is made to be gifted and personalised from her to him, so he can be educated on how to offer support to the special ladies in his life. Insideher serves as a male’s guide to becoming an insider, on what’s going on, inside her. The aim was to break away from stereotypical medical brochures and create something dudes would want to pick up and read, not feel like they have to.

Insideher includes a range of spreads serving different but equally important roles. Educational spreads provide insight into general information on menstruation as well as four common female medical conditions - Endometriosis, Polycystic Ovary Syndrome, Adenomyosis and Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder. Included is a personalisable spread she can fill out about her, and a simplified dictionary for dudes in case anything gets too complicated. The journal is presented in a lighthearted and playful manner through comic strips with an illustrative approach and provides important information on female health in an encouraging and friendly way.

Five posters were created to stimulate conversation, raise awareness and advertise Insideher; incorporating typical kiwi lingo, and turning it on its head. For example, “she’ll be right” and saying actually, no, “go chat to her.”

Posters will be displayed throughout hospitals, medical centres and appropriate public spaces. The Insideher journal will be available through doctors offices, online, and included in post surgery packs. The affected female can fill it out, then pass it onto the male of her choice.