Dr. Rovito is a scholar with a Ph.D. in American Studies from The Pennsylvania State University in Harrisburg, specializing in medical humanities, literature, disability studies, and women’s and gender studies. Her dissertation, “Free Woman: An Autotheoretical and Feminist Disability Analysis of Endometriosis Pain in Medicine and Culture,” examines the history and stigmatization of endometriosis, challenging its misrepresentation as primarily an infertility issue rather than a chronic pain disorder. By utilizing autotheory, feminist disability studies, and archival research, Dr. Rovito highlights how gender bias in medical practices has prioritized reproductive roles over patient well-being, particularly affecting women of color and those from lower socio-economic backgrounds. Analyzing the archival writings of early-20th century gynecologists from the Welch Medical Library at Johns Hopkins University, the Historical Medical Library at the College of Physicians in Philadelphia, and the Center for the History of Medicine at Harvard Medical School, she tied the official recognition of endometriosis to eugenics and the common belief held by physicians that feminism, women’s careers, and education were leading to the decline of the white race in the post-World War II era. She has authored peer-reviewed journal articles and book chapters, including work on Sylvia Plath, suicide and self-harm, and the representation of mad girls in young adult literature. Dr. Rovito is also an active public intellectual, contributing to Ms. Magazine and Diva Cup on issues related to endometriosis and medical racism and presenting medical humanities research at public awareness events. Her conference presentations and invited talks address critical topics in feminist disability studies and women's health. Additionally, she has been recognized with the Alumni Association Dissertation Award at Penn State and the Northeast Modern Language Association Summer Fellowship. Dr. Rovito currently serves as the Board Representative for the Women’s and Gender Studies Caucus of the Northeast Modern Language Association.
Education
- PhD. American Studies, The Pennsylvania State University – Harrisburg, 2024.
- Title: “Free Woman: An Autotheoretical and Feminist Disability Analysis of Endometriosis Pain in Medicine and Culture.”
- Specializations: American literature, disability studies, medical humanities, women’s and gender studies.
- MA. English, Millersville University of Pennsylvania.
- BA. English, Millersville University of Pennsylvania.
Peer-Reviewed Journal Articles
- “Toward a New Madwoman Theory: Reckoning the Pathologization of Sylvia Plath.” Journal of Literary and Cultural Disability Studies, vol. 13, issue 4, 2020, pp. 317-332.
Book Chapters
- “The Bleeding Edge: Cutting, Mad Girls, and the Asylum in Young Adult Literature.” Madwomen in Social Justice Movements, Literatures, and Art, eds. Nicole Crevar and Jessica Lowell Mason, Vernon Press, 2023, pp. 205-217.
Public Works
- “‘Women’s Pain Is Less Important’: Documentary ‘Below the Belt’ Shows Why Endometriosis Is a Feminist Issue.” Ms. Magazine, https://msmagazine.com/2023/06/28/below-the-belt-reviewendometriosis-documentary/. June 28, 2023.
- “Medical Racism in Endometriosis Diagnosis & Care.” Diva Cup, https://divacup.com/endometriosis-research-study-medical-racism/. March 6, 2023.
Conference Presentations
- “Battle for Your Life: Rethinking the Endometriosis Warrior and Female Empowerment.” Modern Language Association, Philadelphia, PA: January 3-7, 2024.
- “A Manifesto of Pain; or, Can Disability Studies Be Used to Heal?” National Women’s Studies Association, Baltimore, MD: October 25-29, 2023.
- “Faulty Bodies, Faulty Women: Joe Vincent Meigs and the Rise of Endometriosis, 1861-1949.” Society of Menstrual Cycle Research, Bethesda, MD: July 22, 2023.
- “‘When Will My Case Be Considered an Emergency?’: The Problem of Misogynoir in Endometriosis Care and Activism.” National Women’s Studies Association, Minneapolis, MI: November 12, 2022.
- “When My Uterus Fights Back: Speaking My Endometriosis Pain.” Health Humanities Consortium: March 27, 2022.
- “I Want to Kill Myself: A Mad Reckoning of PMDD.” American Studies Association, San Juan, Puerto Rico: October 9, 2021.
- “On Being a Borderline Instructor: Thoughts on a Mad Border Pedagogy.” Society for Disability Studies: April 20, 2021.
- “Institutionalization in the Era of #MeToo: Reckoning Sexual Assault in Virginia Woolf’s Life and Work.” Northeast Modern Language Association: March 11, 2021.
- “From Bertha Mason to Girl, Interrupted: Reclaiming the Literary ‘Sad Queen.’” Northeast Modern Language Association, Boston, MA: March 6, 2020.
Invited Talks
- “The Patriarchal Underpinnings of Endometriosis.” The Endometriosis Summit, Orlando, FL: March 10, 2024.
- “Mad Feminist Dialogues.” Seneca Falls Biannual Convention, online meeting: October 23, 2020.
Honors and Awards
- Winner of the Alumni Association Dissertation Award, The Pennsylvania State University, Spring 2024.
- Northeast Modern Language Association Summer Fellowship, Harvard Medical School, July 2022.
Service to the Profession
- Board Representative for the Women’s and Gender Studies Caucus for the Northeast Modern Language Association, 2023-2026.