AUTOIMMUNITY AND THE
“GOOD GIRLS”™

THE FIRST SOCIOLOGICAL SURVEY EXPLORING THE INTERSECTION OF EMPOWERMENT AND AUTOIMMUNITY IN AMERICAN WOMEN

"We are fortunate that Sara has taken on this exploration to inform us all on these gender dynamics of empowerment and health."


—Dr. Richard Carmona, 17th Surgeon General of the United States

Presented by

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ABOUT

“During a relapse of my Hashimoto’s disease in 2019, I began researching my own health and empowerment timelines and patterns emerged. Many of us were raised as “good girls," conditioned to quiet and betray our own needs for the good of others. I began to wonder if this girlhood pattern around suppressed identity could have been a contributing factor to my immune system learning to betray itself in womanhood. I wanted to study empowerment, and the lack thereof, as a potential missing modality in women’s health, in hopes of possibly supporting other women like me. Because when I started to give myself permission to self-prioritize, I changed the course of my own health.”


— SARA HIRSH BORDO, Autoimmune-Diagnosed Researcher, Speaker, Founder and 15x Award-Winning Documentary Filmmaker

The Backstory

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ABOUT WOMEN RISING

Women Rising® is an 11x award-winning empowerment and media company, founded by former Hollywood executive, Sara Hirsh Bordo. With documentary films addressing women and girls’ issues including the SXSW-winning “A Brave Heart: The Lizzie Velasquez Story,”  “ProtectHer,”  and “Tightly Wound,”  Women Rising’s events include TEDxAustinWomen, The 2017 Women’s March of Texas, the Official Women in Football Party at Super Bowl LIII, Prevention Magazine’s R3 Health and Wellness Summit, and The United State of Women Summit headlined by Michelle Obama. With strategy and storytelling work for clients including TOYOTA, ESPN, Warner Bros’ WONDER WOMAN franchise, Paramount Pictures, Sony Pictures, Farmhouse Fresh, Hiring Our Heroes, and ConnectHER International Film Festival, Women Rising’s work has been featured in The New York Times, Variety, The Hollywood Reporter, People Magazine, and The Washington Post.

About The Survey

THE SURVEY

The AUTOIMMUNITY AND THE “GOOD GIRLS”™ survey was fielded by the independent research firm PROOF Insights from November 2nd to November 9th, 2023, to 2,525 U.S. general population women 18 or older and to 1,000 women who have received at least one autoimmune disease diagnosis. 

The sample of women screened into the study aligns demographically with the U.S. census across age, region, ethnicity, income, marital status, and presence of children in the household. Any statistically significant differences among subgroups are noted at the 90% confidence interval with a margin of error +/- 3.9%. 

ABOUT PROOF INSIGHTS

PROOF Insights is a research and insights firm based in Frederick, MD since 1989. For over 30 years they have worked with some of the world’s greatest brands, including The New York Times and People Magazine, Sony, and Marvel to gather insights and provide strategic recommendations about their target market and consumers. 

www.proof-insights.com

More than 6 in 10 women with Autoimmune diseases said they were either the oldest or only daughter in their families, and 52% of women with Autoimmune say their girlhood role involved being their family caretaker.

What Women with Autoimmune Disease Shared

SURVEY FINDINGS

“If I could not be likeable, I could at least be helpful and 'good'. Being good meant being unnoticeable, invisible. If they can't see you, they can't hurt you.”


- 58, Fibromyalgia

“I recently realized that I do an instant judgement when someone asks me something and I respond in alignment with what I assume they want instead of what I may want.”

- 36, Lupus, Mixed Connective Tissue

“I felt at the only way I would be loved as if I was constantly doing good things.”

- 39, Endometriosis

“If I asked for something growing up, I was told I didn't need something, and to stop asking for so much all the time or I was blamed for the reason we didn't have any money. I got to the point where I stopped asking for anything I needed and would rather do without because I felt like nothing but a burden.”

- 29, Inflammatory Bowel Disease, Restless Legs Syndrome, and Bone Cancer

“You do what you’ve experienced. I’ve been a caretaker to my sister and led an independent life. It’s not natural for me to receive help.”

- 32, Psoriasis

“I've always had a hard time accepting help. Now that I need help at times, I won't ask even if I need it and instead try to do things on my own which can hurt me if I do.”

- 45, Crohn’s Disease, Transverse Myelitis

79% of women with Autoimmune diseases said they fear disappointing others, and 47% say they quiet their voice to not disappoint their doctors.

SURVEY REPORT

WHAT THE MEDICAL COMMUNITY IS SAYING ABOUT THE SURVEY:

“This survey is a call to action for allies and the medical community alike, inviting us to listen, learn, and advocate for a more equitable healthcare landscape for women. Lifting up women will affect their health outcomes and those of their families.”

— Dr. Richard Carmona, 17th Surgeon General of The United States

“Sara carefully presents the data from the survey of the women who often have been left out of our present healthcare system and shows how we could change things by asking the right questions and LISTENING.  This study can be the beginning of a change to empower women with autoimmune disease and to enlighten the medical community to deliver more effective care for these women.”

— Dr. Owen Winsett, MD

“As a board-certified professional in women's health, I enthusiastically endorse Sara Hirsh Bordo's groundbreaking study, ‘Autoimmunity & The Good Girls.’ This study represents a monumental leap forward in our understanding of the intricate relationship between gender, adverse experiences, and autoimmune health issues.

Sara astutely examines how societal pressures to conform to the archetype of the "Good Girl" can manifest in detrimental health consequences, unraveling the layers of self-sacrifice, repression, and societal expectations that often plague women's well-being.

This isn’t just a study—it's a catalyst for change, inspiring healthcare professionals, policymakers, and society to reevaluate existing paradigms surrounding women's health and autoimmune disorders.”

— Dr. Kimberlee Sullivan, PT, DPT, WCS, BCB-PMD

AUTOIMMUNITY AND
THE “GOOD GIRLS”™
KEY FINDINGS

DOWNLOAD REPORT

13 page PDF includes:

  • Introduction

  • Topline Survey Demographics

  • Autoimmune Disease and Female Population Overview

  • Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) Findings

    Plus

  • Topline Adverse Girlhood Experiences

  • Adverse Womanhood Insights

AUTOIMMUNITY AND
THE “GOOD GIRLS”™
FULL FINDINGS REPORT

43 page PDF includes:

  • Introduction and Conclusion

  • Expanded Demographics and Methodology

  • Autoimmune Disease and Female Population Results

  • Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) Findings

  • Expanded Adverse Girlhood Experiences and Adverse Womanhood Insights

    Plus

  • Insights for Women living with Autoimmune Disease

  • Insights for the Medical Community

  • Insights for Loved Ones

MESSAGE FROM SARA

FOR WOMEN LIVING WITH AUTOIMMUNE DISEASES

I would love for you to see this data as the permission slip you didn’t know you were waiting for. 

I would love to invite You, no matter your age, to see it is never too late to prioritize yourself.

I would love to invite You to begin acknowledging your body is your partner and not your enemy. 

I would love to invite You to befriend your inner little girl whose turn it never was, until now, to take her turn. 

I know how lonely this health journey can feel- but it doesn’t have to be.

We are developing a virtual monthly sanctuary and in-person retreats. 


If this would support you, join our waitlist here, and I’ll see you soon.

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SPEAKING

Events

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Sara Hirsh Bordo speaking at USIP. survey female empowerment and autoimmune disease among American women, such as lupus, fibromyalgia, multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis, Hashimoto's disease
photo of sara hirsh bordo on stage speaking at event in an auditorium photo of large audience in a fully packed large auditorium as sara hirsh bordo speaks the first sociological survey at the intersection of female empowerment and autoimmune disease

Sara Hirsh Bordo is available on a limited-basis to speak in the U.S. and internationally. Her AUTOIMMUNITY AND THE “GOOD GIRLS”™ presentation and conversation weaves story and survey statistics, as well as an interactive experience for the audience. 

To inquire, please email caroline@andoscia.com or click below.