A Hysterectomy Gift That's Funny AND True
- Jessica Levey
- Mar 22
- 4 min read
Updated: Mar 23
What do you give someone who's having a hysterectomy? How do you show them you support them, that you're proud of them, and that you'll be there every step (and every nap) of the way? Well, a cute zine to make them laugh, of course!
I’d never thought much about hysterectomies until they started popping up in my friend group. I knew what they were (like, in theory), but I didn't understand anything beyond the most basic hysterectomy facts when two close friends told me they were going in for surgery.
The first was a friend in her late 40s. She needed an emergency hysterectomy following the sudden discovery of Stage 4 ovarian cancer. She was diagnosed and sent to surgery only a couple days apart, so it was scary and surreal. While she recovered, I visited her at home in Seattle and she talked to me about how different she felt. But it wasn’t just physical changes, she was scared and grieving from the abrupt start of menopause too.
The second was a friend in their early 30s. They told me about their upcoming hysterectomy, which was part medical necessity and part gender-affirming care. (Though gender-affirming care is also medically necessary, actually!) After the surgery, they drove from Minneapolis to Richmond (Virginia, where I was living at the time), and we talked about how they were feeling. The pain sounded brutal to be honest, but there was also a lightness in their outlook that hadn’t been there before – a relief.
The same surgery, but for totally different reasons, and with totally different emotional impacts. I wanted to give them both something special, something that said: “I see you! I care about you! As hard as this is, it's going to be ok. Life can be wonderful without those annoying reproductive organs taking up so much space all the time. Good riddance to your uterus, adios to your ovaries, fare thee well to your fallopian tubes. Hello to your joyful future!”
It was a lot to fit into a greeting card. So, I made a cheerful little zine instead.
The Gift: A Funny Hysterectomy Zine With Colorful Illustrations & An Unexpected Question
That cheerful little zine was “Now That You’ve Had a Hysterectomy, What Will You Do With All That Extra Space?” It's filled with colorful illustrations that are funny and unexpected, much like the question itself! Plus some simple facts about hysterectomies, and a comforting reminder that we are so much more than the sum of our (body) parts.
Since I was making this zine for two people I loved, I included uterus and ovary-sized objects I knew they’d appreciate. For the friend who loved Star Trek (and with whom I’d spent a fun afternoon teleporting from planet to planet at Seattle’s MoPOP Star Trek exhibit), a perfectly-sized old-school Starfleet phaser. For my wanderlusting, train-hopping, punk friend, a harmonica steeped in the devil’s blues. Because a little drama relieves the boredom of recovery, a list of notable jerks. And as a reminder of the (even) brighter days ahead, some schemes and dreams for the future. There are a lot of other cute objects too.
I only printed copies of the zine for my friends at first. But within a couple weeks, they’d shown the gifts to other friends, who wanted their own copies! So I printed a few more and sent them out, along with a small batch for an indie bookstore in Seattle, which was already carrying a few things I'd made. (Hi, Ophelia's Books!)
Within weeks, the bookstore contacted me to order more – they’d sold out almost immediately! They ordered another batch of 5. A few weeks later, 10 more. Then, every couple months, they’d ask for a new shipment to replace the copies that sold.
It's been so cool to see people's reactions to this cute illustrated zine, a project that started as a gift for friends has given lots of other people something to smile about, too.
Consider this little zine a show of support – whether you need a morale boost during your own recovery, or are giving this to a friend to support them and make them smile after surgery. A lighthearted, sort of silly, mostly scientific, very cheerful way to say “I see you! And I’m so proud of you.”
Keep reading below to see some quotes and images from inside!
The Real: What is removed during a hysterectomy? How big is the uterus, and ovaries? (Aka, how much extra space are we talking about here?)
These details are included in the opening pages of the zine, and on the ***SECRET POSTER*** printed on the back, so you're giving a gift with both humor and helpful information.
The opening pages read:
"The average uterus is approximately 3 to 4 inches by 2.5 inches (8cm by 6cm), and can swell to twice its size. This means that you now have room for... this delicious bartlett pear, or this similarly sized avocado..." (and so on!)
The closing page reads:
"But in all seriousness, as you adjust to this new 'extra space,' remember that you're more than the sum of your parts. You're amazing! Enjoy your new uterus-free life!"
The poster reads:
“Congratulations on your HYSTERECTOMY! Hysterectomies remove the uterus, and sometimes the ovaries and fallopian tubes. The average uterus is 3 to 4 inches by 2.5 inches, and can swell to twice that size. Each ovary is about the size of a kiwi fruit. Now that these bits are out of the way, what will you do with all that extra space?”
The poster also includes an illustrated diagram of a uterus, ovaries, and fallopian tubes, plus the full collection of fun items (which are drawn individually throughout the pages of the zine... The phaser! The harmonica! The schemes and dreams and book of jerks!)
Thanks for reading. I hope you and your loved one LOVE this gift.
PS: All of my art is hand drawn by a human... me! I do not use AI to create my artwork.
