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missb_reads's review against another edition
4.25
Moderate: Ableism, Chronic illness, Misogyny, Rape, Sexism, Sexual violence, Terminal illness, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Medical content, Medical trauma, Abortion, and Classism
gellyreads's review against another edition
5.0
Graphic: Ableism, Chronic illness, Misogyny, Sexism, Medical trauma, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
charbookchar's review against another edition
4.0
Graphic: Ableism, Misogyny, Racism, Sexism, Sexual violence, Antisemitism, Medical content, Medical trauma, Abortion, Pregnancy, and Classism
Moderate: Death
catherineleigh's review against another edition
4.5
Graphic: Body horror, Misogyny, Sexism, Medical content, and Medical trauma
Moderate: Ableism, Chronic illness, Racism, Forced institutionalization, Abortion, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, and Classism
Minor: Cancer, Infertility, and Rape
nialiversuch's review against another edition
4.5
Graphic: Ableism, Addiction, Body horror, Body shaming, Cancer, Child death, Chronic illness, Confinement, Death, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Infertility, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Racism, Sexism, Sexual assault, Terminal illness, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Medical content, Medical trauma, Abortion, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders and Suicidal thoughts
faduma's review against another edition
4.25
Graphic: Ableism, Body horror, Misogyny, Sexism, Terminal illness, Medical content, Religious bigotry, Medical trauma, and Abortion
burdasnest's review against another edition
5.0
Moderate: Ableism, Body shaming, Chronic illness, Domestic abuse, Infertility, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Medical content, Medical trauma, Abortion, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail
josephinecatherine's review against another edition
5.0
I make no attempt to mirror any of the eloquence with which Elinor Cleghorn writes, but I hope I can at least succeed in my effort to convince every person to read this book.
I have written about this issue, I have debated about this issue, I have listened to this issue, and most importantly - I have lived this issue and this life.
Cleghorn set herself the task to discuss the history of unwell women in detail, applying knowledge from professional and personal experience. I understand the gravity of this self-assigned challenge of hers and appreciate that other people may find additional ways of strengthening the work, but I welcome anyone to discredit the success that is this book.
My gratitude to Elinor is something I will bring with me throughout my whole life. This book takes away the burden of having the verbalise my experience, and the experiences so much like mine, to others and to myself.
The detail, the compassion, the conviction, and the honesty which has been bled into this book is breathtaking. This is a beginning to a conversation, the continuation of a battle cry, and the solace to the loneliness that comes from being an unwell woman.
Graphic: Ableism, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Medical content, Medical trauma, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Pregnancy
gabyrachel's review against another edition
5.0
Graphic: Ableism, Cancer, Chronic illness, Mental illness, Misogyny, Medical content, and Medical trauma
allisonwonderlandreads's review against another edition
4.0
Cleghorn's dry humor was much appreciated throughout this journey to balance the horrific nature of the trends and stories she shares. I found the ancient history amusing, with the Greek concept of "the wandering womb" especially hilarious. But the lived realities of these experiences are far from funny. Seeing medical knowledge peeled back to reveal the insidious tentacles of patriarchy creeping through everything was somehow both liberating and disheartening. Women have survived some horrible shit, sometimes with no help from doctors, and others in spite of the very medical attention meant to cure their ills.
Of the many topics covered, here are just a few that will stay with me:
• hysteria, hormones, and the other excuses to dismiss women's pain altogether or root it in psychology
• abortion, forced sterilization, birth control, eugenics, and all the ways women's reproduction is more valued than her own well-being and decided by the medical apparatus
• the way medical knowledge has been accrued without female input or consent in so many cases -- I was especially horrified by accounts of research done on enslaved Black American women and the more recent trials of The Pill on Puerto Rican women without knowledge of the risks
• the lack of knowledge, empathy, and support for women with chronic pain conditions
This is far from a complete history, but I don't think that's feasible for one book, anyway. It's largely focused on the US and UK, but I was relieved that the author addresses race, class, and gender identity as intersectional factors in women's health. I will carry these thoughts into my own experiences as a patient, and I want to learn even more about this topic and advocacy.
Graphic: Ableism, Chronic illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racism, Sexism, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Police brutality, Medical content, Medical trauma, and Gaslighting
Moderate: Cancer, Infertility, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Rape, Sexual assault, Slavery, Terminal illness, Torture, Religious bigotry, Abortion, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Pregnancy, and Sexual harassment