Exclusive: Julianne Hough Opens up About Her Endometriosis Diagnosis

Julianne Hough has never shied away from talking about her endometriosis.The Dancing With the [...]

Julianne Hough has never shied away from talking about her endometriosis.

The Dancing With the Stars alum first revealed her diagnosis in 2008, and has been working to normalize talking about the incredibly common condition ever since, even partnering with the #SpeakENDO campaign to advocate for education and understanding.

Endometriosis, a condition in which the tissue that makes up a woman's uterine lining is present on other organs in the body, and can cause abdominal pain and fertility implications, according to UCLA Obstetrics and Gynecology.

"It's something that one in 10 women have and many don't even realize," Hough told PopCulture.com exclusively of her advocacy work in a recent interview.

She continued, adding that talking about issues around a woman's menstrual cycle traditionally has been largely taboo. "I think it's also something uncomfortable to talk about in the past," she told PopCulture, referencing people's complaints that "it's your period, it's a woman's issue."

"There should be nothing uncomfortable or weird about it," she continued. "The more women feel empowered, the more men feel empowered to talk about it too."

This isn't the only cause Hough has taken to heart. She and Laich are currently partnering their charitable organization, Love United, with the sports drink company Propel Electrolyte Water to raise money for clean water wells to in Africa.

"We wanted to do something mission-led, something to give back," Laich said.

"Love United is about uniting the world community," said Laich. "Propel, which is how Gatorade does water, is about uniting the fitness community through proper hydration and our first mission through Love United is about bringing clean drinking water to an underserved nation. It was just a natural fit for Jules and I to team up with them and we are so excited that they are donating a portion of proceeds from their Co:Labs Fitness Festivals this summer to Love United."

You can help support Love United and have the opportunity to work out with Julianne and one of her favorite trainers, Simone de la Rue, in Los Angeles this May. More information is available here.

Photo Credit: Instagram / @Julianne Hough

2comments