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The NYT Strands hints and answers you need to make the most of your puzzling experience.

If you’re reading this, you’re looking for a little help playing Strands, the New York Times‘ elevated word-search game.

By providing an opaque hint and not providing the word list, Strands creates a brain-teasing game that takes a little longer to play than its other games, like Wordle and Connections.

If you’re feeling stuck or just don’t have 10 or more minutes to figure out today’s puzzle, we’ve got all the NYT Strands hints for today’s puzzle you need to progress at your preferred pace.

NYT Strands hint for today’s theme: Not just for poking

The hint for the theme is the relative shape of the objects are relevant.

Today’s NYT Strands theme plainly explained

The answers are related to different kinds of sticks.

NYT Strands spangram hint: Is it vertical or horizontal?

Today’s NYT Strands spangram is horizontal.

NYT Strands spangram answer today

Today’s spangram is Sticks.

NYT Strands word list for August 10

Control

Hockey

Licorice

Sticks

Swizzle

Cinnamon

Memory

Looking for other daily online games? Find one you might like – or hints for another game you’re already playing – on Mashable’s Games page.

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Live stream France vs. USA in the basketball at Paris 2024 online for free from anywhere in the world.

TL;DR: Live stream France vs. USA at Paris 2024 for free on BBC iPlayer. Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

After two thrilling semi-finals, it’s France and the USA who will be going head-to-head for a gold medal at Paris 2024.

The semi-finals were incredibly close, with both teams winning by just four points. However, strong performances from both France and the USA meant Germany and Serbia will compete in the bronze medal match.

The final is set to be a great game, with the French team including names like Andrew Albicy and Frank Ntilikina, and on the US side LeBron James and Kevin Durant.

To watch France vs. USA at Paris 2024 for free from anywhere in the world, keep reading to find out all the information you need.

When is France vs. USA at Paris 2024?

France vs. USA at Paris 2024 takes place at 3:30 p.m. ET on Aug. 10.

How to watch France vs. USA at Paris 2024 for free

You can live stream France vs. USA at Paris 2024 for free on BBC iPlayer.

Unfortunately, BBC iPlayer is geo-restricted to the UK, but basketball fans from across the world can still access this by using a VPN. VPNs are helpful tools that hide your real IP address (i.e., your digital location) and connect you to a secure server in the UK. With this, you can unblock free streaming sites like BBC iPlayer from anywhere in the world, and watch the basketball final at Paris 2024.

Unblock BBC iPlayer for free by following this easy process:

Sign up for a streaming-friendly VPN (like ExpressVPN)

Download the app to your device of choice (the best VPNs have apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, and more)

Open up the app and connect to a server in the UK

Visit BBC iPlayer

Live stream France vs. USA from anywhere in the world

The best VPNs for streaming are usually not free, but most do tend to offer free trial periods or money-back guarantees. If you take advantage of these offers, you can unblock BBC iPlayer without having to spend any cash. This is obviously not a long-term solution, but it gives you time to stream the basketball final before recovering your investment.

What is the best VPN for BBC iPlayer?

ExpressVPN is the best service for streaming live sport on BBC iPlayer, for a number of reasons:

Servers in 105 countries including the UK

Easy-to-use app available on all major devices including iPhone, Android, Windows, Mac, and more

Strict no-logging policy so your data is secure

Fast connection speeds free from throttling

Up to eight simultaneous connections

30-day money-back guarantee

A one-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $99.95 and includes an extra three months for free — 49% off for a limited time. This plan also includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a generous 30-day money-back guarantee.

Live stream France vs. USA at Paris 2024 for free with ExpressVPN.

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Live stream the 2024 US Open for free in the UK.

TL;DR: Access free live streams of the 2024 US Open on 9Now and TVNZ+. Unblock these free streaming platforms from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

Novak Djokovic is yet to win a Grand Slam this year, which feels weird. The Serbian star is obviously used to winning, so he probably feels pretty weird about the whole thing as well.

The last Grand Slam that Djokovic won was the US Open, and he’s back to defend his crown. Standing in his way are the next generation of stars, including Carlos Alcaraz and Jannick Sinner.

If you want to watch the 2024 US Open for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

What is the US Open?

The US Open is a hardcourt tennis tournament held annually at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center within Flushing Meadows–Corona Park in Queens, New York. The US Open is the fourth and final Grand Slam tournament of the year, after the Australian Open, French Open, and Wimbledon.

The current singles champions are Novak Djokovic and Coco Gauff.

When is the 2024 US Open?

The 2024 US Open takes place from Aug. 26 to Sept. 8.

How to watch the 2024 US Open for free in the UK

These free streaming services are offering coverage of the 2024 US Open:

Australia — 9Now

New Zealand — TVNZ+

9Now and TVNZ+ are geo-restricted to Australia and New Zealand respectively, but fans in the UK can access these free streaming services with a VPN. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to secure servers in Australia and New Zealand, meaning you can unblock 9Now and TVNZ+ without hassle.

Access free live streams of the 2024 US Open by following these simple steps:

Subscribe to a streaming-friendly VPN (like ExpressVPN)

Download the app to your device of choice (the best VPNs have apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, and more)

Open up the app and connect to a server in Australia or New Zealand

Visit 9Now or TVNZ+

Watch the 2024 US Open for free from anywhere in the world

The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but top VPNs do tend to offer free-trial periods or money-back guarantees. By taking advantage of these offers, you can gain access to free live streams of the US Open without committing with your cash. This is clearly not a long-term solution, but it does give you time to watch every US Open match before recovering your investment.

What is the best VPN for the US Open?

ExpressVPN is the best service for bypassing geo-restrictions to stream the US Open for free in the UK, for a number of reasons:

Servers in 105 countries including Australia and New Zealand

Easy-to-use app available on all major devices including iPhone, Android, Windows, Mac, and more

Strict no-logging policy so your data is always secure

Fast connection speeds

Up to eight simultaneous connections

30-day money-back guarantee

A one-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for £82.12 and includes an extra three months for free — 49% off for a limited time. This plan also includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a generous 30-day money-back guarantee.

Live stream the 2024 US Open for free in the UK with ExpressVPN.

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Here’s the answer for “Wordle” #1148 on August 10, as well as a few hints, tips, and clues to help you solve it yourself.

Oh hey there! If you’re here, it must be time for Wordle. As always, we’re serving up our daily hints and tips to help you figure out today’s answer.

If you just want to be told today’s word, you can jump to the bottom of this article for August 10’s Wordle solution revealed. But if you’d rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.

Where did Wordle come from?

Originally created by engineer Josh Wardle as a gift for his partner, Wordle rapidly spread to become an international phenomenon, with thousands of people around the globe playing every day. Alternate Wordle versions created by fans also sprang up, including battle royale Squabble, music identification game Heardle, and variations like Dordle and Quordle that make you guess multiple words at once. 

Wordle eventually became so popular that it was purchased by the New York Times, and TikTok creators even livestream themselves playing.

Not the day you’re after? Here’s the solution to yesterday’s Wordle.

What’s the best Wordle starting word?

The best Wordle starting word is the one that speaks to you. But if you prefer to be strategic in your approach, we have a few ideas to help you pick a word that might help you find the solution faster. One tip is to select a word that includes at least two different vowels, plus some common consonants like S, T, R, or N.

What happened to the Wordle archive?

The entire archive of past Wordle puzzles used to be available for anyone to enjoy whenever they felt like it. Unfortunately, it has since been taken down, with the website’s creator stating it was done at the request of the New York Times.

Is Wordle getting harder?

It might feel like Wordle is getting harder, but it actually isn’t any more difficult than when it first began. You can turn on Wordle‘s Hard Mode if you’re after more of a challenge, though.

Here’s a subtle hint for today’s Wordle answer:

Healer.

Does today’s Wordle answer have a double letter?

There are no reoccurring letters.

Today’s Wordle is a 5-letter word that starts with…

Today’s Wordle starts with the letter M.

The Wordle answer today is…

Get your last guesses in now, because it’s your final chance to solve today’s Wordle before we reveal the solution.

Drumroll please!

The solution to today’s Wordle is…

MEDIC.

Don’t feel down if you didn’t manage to guess it this time. There will be a new Wordle for you to stretch your brain with tomorrow, and we’ll be back again to guide you with more helpful hints.

Are you also playing NYT Strands? See hints and answers for today’s Strands.

Reporting by Caitlin Welsh, Sam Haysom, Amanda Yeo, Shannon Connellan, Cecily Mauran, Mike Pearl, and Adam Rosenberg contributed to this article.

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Connections is a New York Times word game that’s all about finding the “common threads between words.” How to solve the puzzle.

Connections is the latest New York Times word game that’s captured the public’s attention. The game is all about finding the “common threads between words.” And just like Wordle, Connections resets after midnight and each new set of words gets trickier and trickier—so we’ve served up some hints and tips to get you over the hurdle.

If you just want to be told today’s puzzle, you can jump to the end of this article for August 10’s Connections solution. But if you’d rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.

What is Connections?

The NYT‘s latest daily word game has become a social media hit. The Times credits associate puzzle editor Wyna Liu with helping to create the new word game and bringing it to the publications’ Games section. Connections can be played on both web browsers and mobile devices and require players to group four words that share something in common.

Tweet may have been deleted

Each puzzle features 16 words and each grouping of words is split into four categories. These sets could comprise of anything from book titles, software, country names, etc. Even though multiple words will seem like they fit together, there’s only one correct answer. If a player gets all four words in a set correct, those words are removed from the board. Guess wrong and it counts as a mistake—players get up to four mistakes until the game ends.

Tweet may have been deleted

Players can also rearrange and shuffle the board to make spotting connections easier. Additionally, each group is color-coded with yellow being the easiest, followed by green, blue, and purple. Like Wordle, you can share the results with your friends on social media.

Here’s a hint for today’s Connections categories

Want a hit about the categories without being told the categories? Then give these a try:

Yellow: Red

Green: Available to work

Blue: Microsoft tools

Purple: Movies based on real people

Here are today’s Connections categories

Need a little extra help? Today’s connections fall into the following categories:

Yellow: Things that are Red

Green: Be in Commission

Blue: Microsoft Products

Purple: Biopics

Looking for Wordle today? Here’s the answer to today’s Wordle.

Ready for the answers? This is your last chance to turn back and solve today’s puzzle before we reveal the solutions.

Drumroll, please!

The solution to today’s Connections #426 is…

What is the answer to Connections today

Things that are Red: DEVIL, MARS, ROSE, STRAWBERRY

Be in Commission: FUNCTION, OPERATE, RUN, WORK

Microsoft Products: EDGE, OFFICE, TEAMS, WINDOWS

Biopics: BLONDE, JOBS, MILK, VICE

Don’t feel down if you didn’t manage to guess it this time. There will be new Connections for you to stretch your brain with tomorrow, and we’ll be back again to guide you with more helpful hints.

Is this not the Connections game you were looking for? Here are the hints and answers to yesterday’s Connections.

Are you also playing NYT Strands? See hints and answers for today’s Strands.

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As of Aug. 9, you can save $59.99 on ‘Madden NFL 24’ at Best Buy, just a few days before the release of ‘Madden NFL 25’ on Aug. 16.

SAVE $59.99: As of Aug. 9, you can get Madden NFL 24 on the Xbox Series X/S and PlayStation 5 for just $10 at Best Buy. Snag this deal and prepare for the launch of Madden NFL 25 on Aug. 16.

Look, we know that Madden NFL 25 is out in just a few days on Aug. 16, and under normal circumstances, there’d really be no point in hopping into the previous entry if you haven’t already done so. But, the circumstances have changed: Madden NFL 24 is a mere $10 on the Xbox Series X/S and PlayStation 5 ahead of 25‘s release. That’s $59.99 in savings, and more than enough reason to play the game for a few days in anticipation of the new one.

While you’re at it, you may even want to place your preorder for Madden NFL 25, which you can do right now for the Xbox Series X/S and PlayStation 5 (as well as their previous console generations), and PC. If you pre-order Best Buy, you’ll even get a fun little bonus in the form of a $10 Best Buy gift card. So, if you’re going to pick up a copy anywhere, we say do it there.

And if you really can’t get enough virtual football, we highly recommend picking up EA College Football 25 to round out your sports game collection, which we think is even better than the Madden titles. That’ll run you $69.99 for the Xbox Series X/S and PlayStation 5 versions.

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Indie game ‘The Crush House’ makes players reality show producers, but struggles to capture the magic of trashy TV.

There’s something sinister about much of reality television. So often these shows appeal to our most hedonistic desires, deliberately stoking discord amongst their cast in pursuit of spectacle and commercial gain. Yet despite this, we just can’t seem to stop watching.

Indie game The Crush House seizes upon this voyeuristic thirst for drama, positioning you as a reality show producer tasked with recording the flirting, fighting, and failed friendships synonymous with shows like Love Island, Big Brother, Too Hot to Handle, and the like. It also puts a menacing spin on such shows, lampooning our never ending craving for content. Even so, it unfortunately struggles to capture why people like reality television in the first place.

Welcome to The Crush House

Developed by UK studio Nerial, The Crush House is a self-described “thirst-person shooter” centering on a late ’90s reality television show of the same name. In it, four young singles are put up in a coastal Malibu mansion for five days, with the assumption that interpersonal drama will inevitably follow. Of course, this isn’t the only conflict transpiring in the deceptively bright and welcoming house.

You play as Jae Jimenez Jung, The Crush House‘s producer. You’re also the show’s casting director, props master, and advertising coordinator, though the vast majority of your time will be spent as the reality show’s cameraperson. In fact, aside from a lone production assistant delivering instructions via a walkie talkie, it seems as though you’re the only staff member working to ensure the show goes on.

Stave off cancellation for five straight days and you’ll have completed a season.

This responsibility doesn’t come with as much freedom as you might imagine. Unseen corporate powers monitor your daily performance, and will cancel The Crush House if you fail to satisfy enough audience groups by filming their preferred content. You also have to choose when not to record, so you can let ads run to earn money for props around the house.

Stave off cancellation for five straight days and you’ll have completed a season, winning you and the cast a trip down the Crush House’s swirly pink Success Slide. Then it’s time to do it all again with a new cast — and further The Crush House‘s ominous persisting story.

The audience is always right. Weird, but right.

The Crush House‘s audience demographics will vary each day, and have different preferences regarding the subjects, action, and cinematic techniques they like to see on screen. Most of them are fairly straightforward, though it isn’t always clear exactly what every demographic is after. While Foot Fans, Butt Guys, and Girls For Girls’ desires were obvious, I still have no idea what the Glitched or Libertarians wanted.

Fortunately, continuing to pander to an audience you’ve already fully satisfied will grant overflow points into all the other demographics watching. So if you film enough exercise equipment to make the Gym Rats happy, their contagious joy will begin to impact the Fish Freaks, Art Collectors, and Divorced Dads as well. Filming three or more audiences’ preferred content in the same frame also nets you a very satisfying bonus, helping you fill the gauges faster. As such, it didn’t matter too much that I never figured out what made the Activists or Cynics happy.

I found the best strategy was to satisfy my audiences as early as possible, then simply put the camera down and let ads run until night falls and the day’s episode ends. (Despite some discussion of voyeuristic sex, there isn’t any risque after dark filming. It’s all kept fairly PG-13, with nobody getting further than some enthusiastic kissing, while the residents sleep in unsexy pods kept in an off-limits area.)

Airing the same ad multiple times in one day does devalue it, making it pay out less. Even so, less cash is still cash, and there didn’t seem to be any benefit of continuing to serve audiences once my quota was filled. It was also fun to see ads nodding to other indie games such as Cult of the Lamb and Mars First Logistics. I was typically able to net over $1,000 per day, which I used each night to buy audience-satisfying props such as karaoke machines and butt-shaped pillows.

Rules are made to be crushed

Nighttime is also when you can break one of the only two rules you’re given as The Crush House‘s producer: Do not speak to the talent.

Cast members make requests regarding how you portray them on the show, creating an extra challenge on top of simply satisfying your audiences. Though never deep enough to stir up empathy or make you feel connected to the characters, these nighttime conversations further the game’s progression while providing your best glimpse into the cast’s personalities.

All 12 of The Crush House‘s rotating roster of sexy singles have individual profiles with separate likes and dislikes. Milo is the “volatile hippy kid,” Ayo is a “scary gym chick,” while Emile is described as a “French stud.” The game encourages you to consider how their traits might interact when choosing four cast members at the beginning of each season. However, aside from surface level behaviour, these profiles seemed to have minimal bearing on how the housemates actually interacted. 

The Crush House uses a “semi-procedurally generated dialogue system” which takes into account cast members’ character traits and relationships when creating conversations. Yet they all tend to repeat the same base conversations, asking each other about their opinion on birds, starting fights over whether or not it’s “margarita time,” and failing to confess their affections to each other. People swing suddenly from enemies to lovers and back again at dizzying speeds, with no clear rhyme or reason to these changes. They’d also occasionally have conversations while in completely separate rooms.

The result is that, instead of feeling like you’re in your favourite reality show, The Crush House feels more like watching chatbots talk to each other. I quickly stopped paying attention to relationships or trying to evaluate a cast’s chemistry, simply choosing whoever I felt like tossing into the house next. Half my audience would prefer I film flowers, plumbing, or a drink dispenser than the cast’s shenanigans anyway. In fact, I’d often ignore drama unfolding on the other side of the house in favour of filming a bush. What makes for well-rated television in real life in no way translates to The Crush House.

In a clever twist, the shallow and repetitive nature of the cast’s conversations did begin to take on new significance as The Crush House‘s larger plot developed. It’s always gratifying to see indie devs find clever approaches to managing their technical limitations, and in fact use such limits to enrich the narrative of their game. Even so, it still didn’t make me want to listen to these conversations, nor compel me to care about the speakers.

‘The Crush House’ suffers from shaky early season syndrome

The lack of coherent in-universe cast plotlines and personalities is where much of The Crush House‘s untapped potential lies. The fun of reality television isn’t just watching people fight or kiss. It’s in getting to know the people and following their storylines, so you’re elated when the couple you’re shipping finally kisses or shocked when they betray each other. 

While The Crush House‘s procedurally generated conversations do attempt to make each playthrough feel dynamic, they sacrifice such stories and audience connection. As a result even the most fiery exchanges had no significance or weight, with their participants easily interchangeable and their words meaningless. It made me wonder whether the game might have benefitted from a smaller cast with more curated, impactful dialogue and relationships. 

Lacking such interpersonal dynamics, The Crush House relies on its darker underlying plot to try engaging players. Unfortunately, while this does add some interest with a clear narrative, its obvious predictability fails to make up for the lost potential. It’s also difficult to become invested in the characters’ fates when they feel so two-dimensional.

It took me approximately nine hours to play through to The Crush House‘s credits, and I didn’t find much replay value unless you want to try rushing through a second playthrough to get the alternate ending. The game frustratingly auto-saves after you’re already locked into one ending, so you have to go through the whole game again to see the other.

I do think The Crush House is an interesting title, particularly for reality show fans. A video game about filming a reality show is a fairly unique concept with undeniable potential. Sadly, it’s such a big, fun idea that doing it justice is a difficult task. While the nature of reality shows is that they are largely unscripted, generated dialogue just doesn’t have the same effect. There’s a reason video game narratives and dialogue are typically carefully written and planned.

The Crush House is a short, sweet game that you can finish in a day, and reality show fiends will likely find it novel. But I can’t shake the feeling that it could have been more.

The Crush House is out now on PC.

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On Aug. 8, Annapurna Interactive announced that ‘Stray’ will be coming to Nintendo Switch consoles on Nov. 19. Preorders aren’t live yet, but they most likely will be soon.

Great news, cat lovers (and anyone who likes video games). The beloved dystopian feline adventure, Stray, is coming to the Nintendo Switch on Nov. 19. Announced by Annapurna Interactive on Aug. 8, which also happens to be International Cat Day, the award-winning game will be fully ported over to the popular handheld in all of its glory in just a few short months. It’s unclear if this version will launch with any bonus content or extras at the moment, but we don’t expect it to.

The debut title from BlueTwelve Studio released back in July of 2022 and was met with critical acclaim for its creativity, engaging puzzles, and overall cuteness. In it, you step into the paws of a nameless cat that is separated from its other cat friends and dumped into a cyberpunk-style city. Through exploration, platforming, and puzzle-solving, you’ll have to find your own way out if you want to be reunited with your buddies. Although the situation isn’t ideal, you’ll still have the opportunity to partake in plenty of relaxing cat activities along your journey, like scratching random objects and taking short-but-frequent naps.

When can you pre-order Stray on the Nintendo Switch?

At the time of writing, Stray‘s Nintendo Switch port is not yet available to pre-order. But, we assume it will be in the coming weeks ahead of the Nov. 19 release date. If you feel like you can’t wait until then and don’t absolutely need to play it on a handheld console, the game is currently available on PlayStation, Xbox, Steam, and MacOS.

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Pop culture representations of endometriosis are so important — and “Love Is Blind UK” made space for it.

As Love Is Blind makes its big return to screens, this time with UK-based contestants, the dating reality TV series has shone a light on an important health issue for many women and AFAB (assigned female at birth) people.

One of the show’s contestants, Demi — who sat in the pods talking to an array of eligible men on her quest for love — was refreshingly candid about her experiences of endometriosis and how it’s impacted her dating life in the past.

One particular conversation with her fellow contestant Ollie is an important story and example of representation of the disease, inside and outside of romantic storylines on the show.

What is endometriosis?

According to charity Endometriosis UK, endometriosis “is the name given to the disease where cells similar to the ones in the lining of the womb (uterus) are found elsewhere in the body”. This can lead to inflammation and the formation of scar tissue, and can cause a range of unpleasant symptoms: pelvic pain, painful periods, pain during or after sex, fatigue, an increased risk of having difficulty becoming pregnant, and more.

In the UK alone, around 1.5 million women and AFAB people are currently living with the condition. Demi, a contestant on Love is Blind UK, is one of them.

Love Is Blind UK makes space to talk about endometriosis

In episode 3, when Ollie asks Demi what’s stopping her from connecting with him emotionally, she explains how her endometriosis has been a barrier in past relationships.

“I’ve always wanted a family and to be a good mum,” she tells him. “It’s hard for me to naturally conceive because I’ve got endometriosis.”

“Sometimes I don’t feel like I’m enough which is really scary,” Demi adds. “You really struggle each month – physically, mentally.” She goes on to explain that fertility problems she has faced as a result of her endometriosis “really has ruined relationships”.

These life-altering symptoms of endometriosis are so important to talk about with a partner, and receive support for. It’s a well-known fact that endometriosis is also under researched – making its representation in TV shows even more crucial for raising awareness and demanding change.

“Latest research shows that only 54 percent of people know what endometriosis is,” Faye Farthing, head of communications at Endometriosis UK, tells Mashable. She adds that this directly impacts diagnosis times and awareness of symptoms — both crucial to improving treatment for and day-to-day experiences of the disease. 

Specifically, Love Is Blind UK’s spotlighting of endometriosis and how it can impact people’s experiences of dating and relationships is a fantastic step forward for raising awareness. But it’s also crucial for teaching people without it about the romantic and intimate difficulties that people with endometriosis may face.

Dating with endometriosis can mean challenging conversations

“Endometriosis can have a significant impact on people’s relationships,” Farthing says. “It can be hard to start a conversation about your condition to a new partner, and it’s encouraging that this will be spotlighted on the new series of Love Is Blind, to show how open discussions can take place and the importance of highlighting your needs with a partner.” 

“This can be a really difficult conversation, and can be challenging for both the person with endometriosis and their partner.”

She adds that many with endometriosis report feeling isolated by their condition, feeling “frustrated at having to cancel social plans, and having an understanding partner is so incredibly important for those with the disease”.

“Dating with endometriosis isn’t always given the spotlight it deserves and shining a light on this not only helps remove the taboo associated with the disease and its symptoms, but also hopefully highlights how to have an open dialogue with a partner and the importance of being in a supportive relationship,” Farthing says.

“Dating with endometriosis isn’t always given the spotlight it deserves.”

Another fantastic example of endometriosis representation in pop culture right now is author Coco Mellors’ latest novel Blue Sisters. Published in May 2024, it explores the lives of four sisters — one of whom sadly passes away (before the novel even starts, so don’t worry, no spoilers) after an accidental overdose from attempting to medicate the pain from her endometriosis. Mellors has spoken openly about her reasons for incorporating endometriosis so centrally into a storyline — and it has everything to do with representation and spotlighting the need for more time and money to be put into women and non-binary people’s health issues.

“In my first book, I have a character that has epilepsy, and that was because my best friend has epilepsy and I have never seen in any work someone dealing with the realities of it in a way that wasn’t defining their life, but it was in their life, and I felt endometriosis is quite a similar disease in some ways,” Mellors told Cosmopolitan in an interview. 

“It’s just such an example for me of how male-centred the medical industry still is today, and how much women are expected to endure physically. It’s a kind of lonely disease to be living with and I thought it felt true to this world that one of the sisters would have [endometriosis].”

It’s never been more important that endometriosis is talked about and recognised as a serious legitimate health condition — and watching storylines on TV and reading books about people and characters dealing with it can only further emphasise this.

Don’t call it “benign”

Endometriosis UK is campaigning for healthcare professionals to stop using the word “benign” when referring to the disease, as well as other gynaecological conditions. The term can mean very real, often debilitating symptoms are underestimated, deprioritised, and ignored. Calling endometriosis “benign” stinks of medical misogyny, and lessens the perceived impact of diseases that affect so many women and non-binary people. 

We see the impact of the lack of awareness around endometriosis in author Sally Rooney’s debut novel Conversations With Friends and its TV adaptation. Protagonist Frances (played onscreen by Alison Oliver) has endometriosis, and struggles to be diagnosed and treated appropriately throughout the series. Frances experiences debilitating pain and excessive bleeding that she dismisses as “just her period”. Then, when she does consult a medical professional, she is accused of having unprotected sex and is dismissed with a prescription of the contraceptive pill — a common tale. Eventually, she is diagnosed with endometriosis, but not after some wrong turns lead to her suffering from her symptoms for longer. Conversations With Friends perfectly encapsulates the importance of representing the realities of misdiagnosis and/or delayed diagnosis when it comes to conditions like endometriosis.

“Endometriosis care urgently needs to improve,” Farthing says. “Not only does diagnosis in the UK take on average eight years and 10 months, but gynaecology waiting lists in England have grown faster each month than any other elective specialty in percentage terms and are now over double the size they were prior to the pandemic.”

Campaigning for change, Endometriosis UK is calling for the UK government to commit to an average diagnosis time target for endometriosis, to recognise it as a common and chronic disease, and adjust menstrual wellbeing education to reflect this. More than that, more research and funding is needed “as part of an investment into women’s health” to discover better treatment, pain management, and a cure.

Representation of endometriosis on TV and in books…can help to raise much needed awareness to demand change. 

The sharing of endometriosis stories, on screen and otherwise, can help create real change, Farthing says. “We often hear from patients who have felt ignored and dismissed, and seeing other people’s experiences can be incredibly validating, and shows that you are not alone in what you are experiencing and that this is a disease that can have a huge impact on people’s lives.”

So, representation of endometriosis on TV and in books — whether it’s on Love Is Blind UK, a bestselling novel or another form of pop culture — can help to raise much needed awareness to demand change. 

“Onscreen stories of endometriosis can go a long way in improving public awareness,” Farthing says. “Driving public awareness is key to ensuring everyone recognises the symptoms of the disease and how to seek help.”

How to watch: Love Is Blind UK is now streaming on Netflix.

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Adam Pally performed famous movie lines while we gave him direction. What happened next was pure hilarity.

Adam Pally performed famous movie lines while we gave him direction. What happened next was pure hilarity.

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