11 - Intersectional Queer and Fat Chronic Pain with Erin Beckwell
In episode eleven, we speak to social worker and person living with pain Erin Beckwell about identity and how who you are can impact your pain experiences. Erin discusses her identity as a fat person and a queer person, and the importance of labels, self-advocacy, self-awareness, and holistic pain care.
In episode eleven, we speak with Erin Beckwell, a social worker and pain researcher who has her own 40+ years of lived experience with pain. Erin shared her experiences with how who she is impacts her pain experiences, including her identity as a fat person and as a queer person.
Opening up about her experiences with labels, like being labelled as someone with chronic pain, someone with a disability, and her self-imposed labels of “being okay” by not admitting her pain to other people, Erin talks about the complexity of living with pain and reconciling it with both the way she sees herself and the way other people see her.
Being in pain can create a contentious relationship with your body, and Erin talks about exploring the relationship with her body in relation to her size, as well as assumptions from health professionals and people in her life that her weight is directly tied to her health. Erin also elaborates on how being a part of the queer community and the diversity that is inherent to that community allowed her to accept being different and to love her body, pain and all.
Self-awareness and self-advocacy are also prominent themes in this episode, as owning who you are, with the limitations and strengths that come with that, are important parts of Erin’s journey in living well with her pain. She also touches on how important it is for doctors to be open to accepting people for who they are rather than just looking for a condition or diagnosis.
If you have any questions about today’s episode, or would like more resources on any of the topics covered, please email us at info@saskpain.ca
Additional Links and Resources
SaskPain Website
SaskPain Facebook
A thank you to our sponsors and supporters:
The Saskatchewan Pain Society
The Community Initiatives Fund
Our Editor, Chris Enns, of Lemon Productions
We happily welcome feedback on this podcast, and are always looking for guests to speak to! Contact us at info@saskpain.ca, or message us on our Facebook, Twitter, or LinkedIn pages if you would like more information or to get involved in the podcast.
Additional Links and Resources
SaskPain Website
SaskPain Facebook
A thank you to our sponsors and supporters:
The Saskatchewan Pain Society
The Community Initiatives Fund
Our Editor, Chris Enns, of Lemon Productions
We happily welcome feedback on this podcast, and are always looking for guests to speak to! Contact us at info@saskpain.ca, or message us on our Facebook, Twitter, or LinkedIn pages if you would like more information or to get involved in the podcast.