Why Halsey Showing Her IV Port Implant on Tour Is a Big Deal

Going on tour can be brutal on the mind and body, but going on tour while being chronically ill can make things that much harder.

Fans, including this writer, are thrilled to see someone with as much influence and talent as Halsey, who just so happens to have chronic illness, being able to tour and live out their career ambitions while publicly sharing their medical struggles.

Specifically, Halsey has been open about the challenges they've faced getting diagnosed and treated for Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS), Mast Cell Activation Syndrome (MCAS), Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS), Sjögren's syndrome, lupus and a rare T-cell disorder.

While on her headlining For My Last Trick Tour, eagle-eyed concertgoers noticed Halsey's stage costumes reveal her medical port—an implantable device used to administer fluids, drugs and transfusions, or even take blood samples, reducing the need for repeated needle sticks.

While the choice not to cover the port may seem like a small one to some, it's had a meaningful impact on many of Halsey's fans, some of whom also have chronic illnesses and disabilities.

A fan named Casey, who attended one of Halsey's concerts, posted a TikTok thanking the pop star for de-stigmatizing the visibility of personal medical devices, writing,"I hope Halsey knows knows that showing their port made me so much less ashamed of how prominent mine is."

Meanwhile, during the artist's packed concert in Los Angeles on May 14, Halsey took time to thank the healthcare workers they're treated by, some of whom were in the audience.

"The last time I played The Hollywood Bowl, I had a guest list full of friends that I do not speak to anymore. And tonight, tonight I have a guest list full of doctors, nurses, my son's teachers, my neighbors, my friends. The people who make things like this possible, who make it possible for me to get on stage. I am absolutely nothing without them and I am nothing without you. So thank you for letting me do this," the singer shared.

In addition to embracing the visibility of her medical device and the thoughtful, public shout-out to her healthcare providers, Halsey has been outspoken about her experiences with chronic illness via social media.

"On tour with a 3-year-old, a puppy, and a chronic illness. Don't ever say I'm not the fun mom," they captioned a selfie on their Instagram Stories this year, writing in another, "Lupus + rain = not for the faint of heart."

As someone who also has a chronic illness, when I saw Halsey's Instagram Stories about her experiences as a chronically ill, actively working, high-profile musician, my mouth dropped. I have yet to personally see many artists of her caliber chronicle the realities of their lives while touring on the road—something that I personally had to stop doing because of my health.

Now, imagine a world where Halsey didn't have to "see, like, 100,000 doctors" to finally get a proper diagnosis after being dismissed for so long; a world where people with chronic illness are normalized, and it's common to see successful people with health conditions go about their daily lives. Is it even possible to quantify Halsey's potential impact on awareness and research funding for chronic health conditions? Or their impact on the lives of fans with similar medical conditions?

Thank you, Halsey, for helping break stigmas and challenge biases surrounding chronic illness. I see and hear you, and in turn I feel seen and heard.