Scan barcode
faduma's review against another edition
4.25
Graphic: Ableism, Body horror, Misogyny, Sexism, Terminal illness, Medical content, Religious bigotry, Medical trauma, and Abortion
marybsimp's review against another edition
5.0
Graphic: Cancer, Chronic illness, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Fatphobia, Incest, Infertility, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Racism, Rape, Sexual content, Suicide, Terminal illness, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Abortion, Pregnancy, and Injury/Injury detail
arachan's review against another edition
5.0
This is a book that baffles and outrages me. So much that could have been done differently, if the dominant culture was willing to value women and so much of what women got diagnosed was 'I can't be bothered'.
Graphic: Misogyny, Racism, Sexism, Terminal illness, Medical content, Medical trauma, and Gaslighting
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