The new documentary ‘End of the Cycle,’ featuring Amy Schumer, Julianne Hough, and others, suggests Marilyn Monroe’s life and legacy should be reconsidered in light of her hidden struggle with endometriosis.
According to the documentary, which can be watched on endocollective.org, the actress’ miscarriages, mysterious hospital trips, and “difficult” reputation may have been caused by the disease.
“If anyone mentions Marilyn Monroe in a negative way, you can revert back to this and know that she was going through [the disease] at a time when she couldn’t have said anything, and there wasn’t social media,” co-director Sammy Jaye said during a screening of the film on June 2.
Anthony Summers, author of the 1985 book ‘Goddess: The Secret Lives of Marilyn Monroe,’ says her doctor confirmed the diagnosis. He wrote: “The condition was so severe that it destroyed her marriages, her wish for children, her career, and ultimately her life. In days before effective conservative surgery or effective medical therapies, it led to progressively increasing use of strong analgesics, tranquilizers, and hypnotics—and drug dependency.”
Indeed, endometriosis is an extremely common yet underdiagnosed condition, often normalized as "just bad periods." Sadly, a lack of awareness among sufferers and healthcare professionals has resulted in the normalization of these symptoms, to the degree that many women don't get diagnosed for years. As a result, more and more celebrities are using their platforms to raise awareness about this highly prevalent but sadly neglected condition.
Click through this gallery to learn more about endometriosis and its famous female sufferers.