Hysteria – The Origin Story is an animated short that blends magic realism with real-life experience to explore the medical gas-lighting of women in Western healthcare. When Mabel’s treatment is abruptly taken away, her search for relief spirals into the surreal. What begins as a fight for survival turns into an uncanny transformation when Mabel discovers unexpected superpowers. Created using machinima, Hysteria – The Origin Story is a strong critique of how women’s bodies are controlled, and misunderstood.
Hysteria – The Origin Story is adapted from short story, Hysteria, released in Solo’s story collection Nature, Human (House of Zolo).
Background – In 2002, one methodologically flawed study associating HRT with cancer profoundly altered clinical practice, leading to the widespread denial of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) for millions of women. There were measurable declines in long-term health outcomes, including in cardiovascular, skeletal, and neurological health. This rapid translation of unsubstantiated findings into restrictive guidelines for women reflects the ongoing structural deficiencies in Western healthcare, where female physiology remains under-researched and disproportionately subject to risk-averse decision-making. The resulting harm underscores the consequences of gender bias embedded within medical knowledge production and practice.