Taking shame out of being in treatment one selfie at a time.

Meet Karolyn Gehrig, the queer disabled artist who's transforming her frequent hospital visits into artwork, a hashtag, and a social movement.

Going to the doctor's for anyone can be at best a dull experience and at worst -- a traumatic one. Since being diagnosed with Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS) in 2003, Gehrig's been navigating her experience with illness on social media with humor, lip gloss, and her chin held high.

Courtesy of Karolyn Gehrig / Via hospitalglam.tumblr.com

Ehlers Danlos Syndrome is a genetic connective tissue disorder in which bodies can't regenerate collagen. This results in frequent joint dislocations, organ rupture, and other issues that can lead to frequent hospital visits: being sick becomes a regular thing. For Gehrig, it's a daily dilemma.

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Gehrig started out doing this project to feel good about her body while going through treatment — her body, her rules, no shame allowed.

"I want everyone who goes into a doctors office to feel empowered, and that they can be themselves," she told BuzzFeed Life. "There's nothing about being disabled that I should be ashamed of. Taking care of yourself is really important."

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Taking the photos is a way for Karolyn to feel powerful in a space that most people often feel powerless.

"The act of taking the photos reasserts my agency over my body in a space that is otherwise uncertain," she said. "Sharing them transforms it into a way to normalize the experience of living with illness and hopefully lessens the stigma of taking care of yourself."

Karolyn's finger splits look a lot of regular finger jewelry — can you really see much difference?

Courtesy of Karolyn Gehrig / Via karolyngehrig.com

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