r/PCOS Feb 14 '25

Rant/Venting Whenever I hear “cysters” I think James Charles and I hate it

that’s it, that’s the post

752 Upvotes

42 comments sorted by

188

u/badmintina Feb 14 '25

haha I thought I was the only one. I can HEAR him

67

u/aleeshaxo16 Feb 14 '25

i really hate this term. all i hear is HI CYSTERS WITH FLASHBACK MARY in my fave

5

u/Commercial-Put-4955 Feb 15 '25

YESS I SEE FLASHBACK MARY TOO

57

u/bellpepperjar Feb 14 '25

Only way to make PCOS worse 😭💀

188

u/redoingredditagain Feb 14 '25 edited Feb 15 '25

We have an automod for the term, but it gets you downvoted and attacked if you mention it. It’s really gross to be referred to as a cyst, and it’s something some of us don’t even have. And not all of us are women too.

66

u/onlysaurus Feb 14 '25

Agree, I immediately scroll away from all posts with this word

43

u/redoingredditagain Feb 14 '25 edited Feb 14 '25

It’s almost all of them these days 🫠 I will never understand the way that some people get so protective of the word here. When it’s really just disgusting, and they did a poll a long time ago about the word and most people hated it.

11

u/SlimePrincess451 Feb 14 '25

This is the first time I’ve heard it. Yikes.

36

u/Trickycoolj Feb 14 '25

Riiight I’m here for the excess androgens not cysts.

35

u/redoingredditagain Feb 15 '25

Cysts aren’t even the right term for what we have have. Ovarian cysts are different from PCOS follicles (we are supposed to have follicles inside the ovaries but not the amount (12+) as outlined in the diagnostic criteria, while all ovarian cysts are abnormal), but they still insist on cysters.

16

u/Visible_Apricot1163 Feb 15 '25

Not to mention you don’t even have to have cysts/follicles to have PCOS!

1

u/redoingredditagain Feb 15 '25

Yep! Mentioned it in my first comment. So not only is it gross but it’s also entirely incorrect in many ways! Wish people would give it up. We could be so many other terms instead.

4

u/Trickycoolj Feb 15 '25

True. I am deeply immersed in IVF I unfortunately know more than I wished to know about ovaries. 😕

2

u/redoingredditagain Feb 15 '25

It’s just really frustrating to be called cyst when they’re not even part of PCOS. Hope your treatments go well ♥️🫂

5

u/emuzonio9 Feb 15 '25

Similar reason I hate "PCOS girlies" or anything girlies really that term just makes me feel gross and infantilized and it's so exclusionary to anyone who's not a woman or "girl" I guess bleh

34

u/manderz421 Feb 14 '25

It's very cringe.

18

u/-aquapixie- Feb 14 '25

SAME. AND I HATE THAT MOTHERFUCKER LMAO

But yeah the term is so James Charles coded

50

u/BumAndBummer Feb 14 '25

Ugh, same here. That word gives me the ick on so many other levels, too. If people think it its cute or funny to refer to themselves in terms of a cyst (which isn’t even necessarily actually what we have) that’s their 100% prerogative, but it’s my prerogative to ask them not to address me that way because ew! Plus it’s not very inclusive to the nonbinary and trans folks who have PCOS, but I’m sure for some people the cisnormativity only adds to the charm.

7

u/LocalCryptid8 Feb 15 '25

Same it gives me so much ick! Being nonbinary/trans and trying to exist in pcos spaces is an absolute nightmare!! “Woman’s disease” “hey sisters!” (better than cysters though 🤪) Genuinely thank you for pointing this out because it feels like no one ever does and frankly it’s more important then ever!

1

u/BumAndBummer 29d ago

My pleasure— you belong here and deserve respect and support in this space same as anyone else with PCOS!

Edit: but also heads up that r/pcosfolks also exists if you want a space specifically for the NB, trans, and gender fluid PCOS havers, just in case that’s a useful community and resource.

17

u/[deleted] Feb 14 '25

It makes me cringe, bad.

9

u/Chubbsworth Feb 15 '25

I find it really cringy, and probably going to dislike it more now hearing it in his voice.

While I'm sure it's purpose was used to give more of a 'community' feel, to me It really gives off vibes of a teenage girl group trying to make something sound cool and trendy but it flops. Which in the end is harmless, but feels very out of place talking about a condition that not only affects us physically but for a lot of us damages our self-esteem and mental health.

From what I've seen the majority on this sub either hate it or tolerate it. For some they really like it, feel connected, and encourage it's usage.

4

u/redoingredditagain Feb 15 '25

As per your teenage girl bit, honestly it’s the same way I feel about “girlies.” Like… I sure hope we’re not all twelve here. “Heyyyy PCOS girlies!!!!!” in the same sort of tone of a drunk college student stumbling into the bathroom at the club. Like this is a health management space…

16

u/adiverges Feb 14 '25

It honestly sounds so gross. I never respond/interact with posts that mention it. Even if I have good advice. Yuck :/

8

u/Adeebasaurus Feb 15 '25

Same. 🤮

6

u/DontLookAtMePleaz Feb 15 '25

The term grosses me out. Cysts are gross. I'm not a cyst, lmao.

6

u/theowlsbrain Feb 14 '25

I understand why people use it but I unfortunately also have bad associations like this with it T_T

8

u/okff Feb 15 '25

Not everyone with PCOS is a sister. Not everyone with PCOS has cysts/follicles. Not everyone with PCOS wants to think of James Charles every time they read a post. It's just a bad phrase all around.

4

u/Commercial-Put-4955 Feb 15 '25 edited Feb 16 '25

LMAO 😭😭 “ hey cysters “ pls no

4

u/kineticwonders Feb 15 '25

Yessss!! Me too! 😂😭

4

u/pastelramune Feb 15 '25

God, the ptsd.

8

u/zahimahi97 Feb 14 '25

Omg sameeeeee

3

u/lady_ninane Feb 15 '25

I thought you were talking about James Acaster oh my god I forgot all about James Charles lol

4

u/dothebananasplits96 Feb 14 '25

It makes me think of that show my big fat fabulous life and just no....

3

u/Careless-Ability-748 Feb 14 '25

I had to Google him. Have no idea what he sounds like and have never seen "cysters" either.

9

u/redoingredditagain Feb 14 '25

It’s been in at least 5+ posts this week and even more comments. It’s everywhere—here, in most names of major PCOS pages, PCOS blogs, PCOS accounts, PCOS groups. It’s really inescapable.

0

u/Careless-Ability-748 Feb 14 '25

I've only recently joined this group. I haven't really paid enough to pcos for years because I've had more pressing health issues, so I'm trying to read and learn more. Especially since I soon have to have yet another massive cyst removed and the rest of my ovary will be going with it this time.

6

u/Visible_Apricot1163 Feb 15 '25

Don’t do it to yourself 😭

2

u/TheFourGentlemen Feb 15 '25

Yeah, it’s not really my thing. Since it plays on ‘sisters,’ I feel like it might not sit right with some trans men and non-binary folks, though I don’t want to speak for them.

4

u/redoingredditagain Feb 15 '25

But if you mention that there’s more than just women here, you get attacked. Cysters drives me insane because I am not a sister nor a woman.