issylapearson's review
4.5
So informational, very scary. Reaffirmed my lack of desire to give birth.
libraryoflyssa's review
5.0
I think this was one of the hardest books for me to read because I didn't think I would be able to relate, but unfortunately, found my own stories on many of these pages. I went into this book believing that I had always had positive experiences in healthcare as a woman, but the testimonials in The Pain Gap made me reflect on times when I could not advocate for myself. I've spent a lot of time since thinking about moments where I wasn't believed, didn't feel comfortable advocating for myself as a woman, and was told "it's not that bad" in response to my symptoms and/or pain. This book is incredibly well-researched and flushed out in its subject matter, including the chapters discussing the impact of COVID-19 on women and mothers.
As stomach-churning and horrific as these stories and statistics are, this is a must-read. Please research trigger warnings before diving into this book, but the information in The Pain Gap that Anushay Hossain shares are crucial to women's safety and well-being. The Pain Gap sheds light on the horrors faced by expecting mothers, women who undergo surgeries and wellness exams, BIPOC women, and the history of racism within healthcare, and what we can do to advocate and keep ourselves safe in doctor's offices. I really appreciated the alternatives and evidence to support the choice of at-home births, midwives, and doulas. I highly recommend this book to anyone, whether you or a loved one who has been impacted by sexism and/or racism in healthcare.
As stomach-churning and horrific as these stories and statistics are, this is a must-read. Please research trigger warnings before diving into this book, but the information in The Pain Gap that Anushay Hossain shares are crucial to women's safety and well-being. The Pain Gap sheds light on the horrors faced by expecting mothers, women who undergo surgeries and wellness exams, BIPOC women, and the history of racism within healthcare, and what we can do to advocate and keep ourselves safe in doctor's offices. I really appreciated the alternatives and evidence to support the choice of at-home births, midwives, and doulas. I highly recommend this book to anyone, whether you or a loved one who has been impacted by sexism and/or racism in healthcare.
danicapage's review
informative
sad
fast-paced
3.5
My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️.5 out of 5 stars.
My Overall Thoughts/Impressions: This one has been on my list for a long time, and I had high expectations. The beginning of the book was also really strong, which quickly reinforced those high expectations. The author's personal story and what drew her to the work she's done was extremely compelling.
I also loved the topics and themes the author chose to address. After reading Invisible Women a while back, I've been looking for a book that is a deeper dive into that topic. The title/subtitle of this one seemed promising. This is the third book I've read now, and after reading this one, I still haven't found quite what I'm looking for.
However, what this book does extremely well:
-takes an intersectional lens throughout the whole book, which was very welcome.
-features interesting and timely stories, anecdotes, stats, and stories.
-discusses how Covid-19 has affected women's health (a lot of this book is about effects of covid-19
I really appreciated this book for these points. I wish it had taken a deeper dive and got into the weeds a bit more. This one fell a bit short of my expectations, but I still really enjoyed it and am glad I read it.
Love,
Danica Page
My Overall Thoughts/Impressions: This one has been on my list for a long time, and I had high expectations. The beginning of the book was also really strong, which quickly reinforced those high expectations. The author's personal story and what drew her to the work she's done was extremely compelling.
I also loved the topics and themes the author chose to address. After reading Invisible Women a while back, I've been looking for a book that is a deeper dive into that topic. The title/subtitle of this one seemed promising. This is the third book I've read now, and after reading this one, I still haven't found quite what I'm looking for.
However, what this book does extremely well:
-takes an intersectional lens throughout the whole book, which was very welcome.
-features interesting and timely stories, anecdotes, stats, and stories.
-discusses how Covid-19 has affected women's health (a lot of this book is about effects of covid-19
I really appreciated this book for these points. I wish it had taken a deeper dive and got into the weeds a bit more. This one fell a bit short of my expectations, but I still really enjoyed it and am glad I read it.
Love,
Danica Page