thebevinsclan's review against another edition
4.0
This book should be a must read for anyone with a vagina. There is so much good information in this book about periods, sex, ob gyn, etc. There's a lot of facts that often women are afraid or ashamed to ask about. Even though it is from Thinx, they do not push any agenda for their products other than mentioning what it is during a section describing products to be used for your period.
I received a free copy of this book from Netflix
I received a free copy of this book from Netflix
kalynwoodbury's review against another edition
3.0
Welp, I guess I’m not as period positive as I thought— more period neutral. Is that a thing? I think menstruation shouldn’t be shamed and it shouldn’t be the taboo topic it is, but it *is* blood coming from your genitals. It’s bio-hazardous waste, and it should be disposed of properly.
With that in mind, I’m sure you can imagine my shock when a woman proudly writes about the time where, as a child, she’d leave used, bloody pads “on the back of the toilet, on the floor, or in my white canopy bed” because she was a “rebel” and “doesn’t hide anything.” (Imagine a child leaving feces-covered or urine-soaked toilet paper everywhere, and then speaking about it proudly as an adult? NO bodily function should be shamed— they’re natural, vital to our survival as a species, and we can’t stop them— but that doesn’t prevent the fluids or solids from those functions from being unsanitary and needing proper disposal.) The book also mentions free-bleeding, which I’m not a fan of, for reasons stated earlier. In your house? Sure, you do you, but please don’t do it in public where your blood (if it soaks through your clothing and onto things other people will touch) poses a risk to others.
At the end of the period sex segment, they mention how only you know your body and to do what makes *YOU* comfortable, completely ignoring the other party— or parties. They need to be fully willing, too. It’s okay for a partner to not want to engage in sex when blood is involved, for whatever reason. It’s okay for them to feel uncomfortable and to say no because of the blood. No, they’re not shaming you for having a period just for declining and no, it isn’t The Patriarchy™’s fault.
I would’ve liked to go over the modern options for hygiene products and how to use them, including reusable cloth pads that are often overlooked. There’s a spread about the history of period products, but not a list of current options with explanations, pros and cons, and tips on how to choose what’s best for you which I think would’ve been super helpful.
As for positives:
While my childhood was pretty traumatic, I feel very fortunate that I had very sex-positive parents who made sure I knew I could ask them about anything. I also recall having pretty in-depth sex-ed, which makes me feel even luckier— this (unfortunately) isn’t the norm. Although this book didn’t teach me much personally, I’m certain it'll help a lot of people learn more about their bodies and its sexual/reproductive functions.
A couple things that it did teach me, though, was about menopause. As I’m a few decades away from that I never really looked into it, but I now feel like I have a better understanding of the women I love and what they’re going through or have gone through. I love the tips on how to survive it, and I’ll definitely spread the info! :-)
Even though I didn't agree with everything, I think books like The Vagina Book are important and I do recommend reading it.
A big thank you to the publisher, Chronicle Books, for allowing me to read this title in exchange for an honest review.
With that in mind, I’m sure you can imagine my shock when a woman proudly writes about the time where, as a child, she’d leave used, bloody pads “on the back of the toilet, on the floor, or in my white canopy bed” because she was a “rebel” and “doesn’t hide anything.” (Imagine a child leaving feces-covered or urine-soaked toilet paper everywhere, and then speaking about it proudly as an adult? NO bodily function should be shamed— they’re natural, vital to our survival as a species, and we can’t stop them— but that doesn’t prevent the fluids or solids from those functions from being unsanitary and needing proper disposal.) The book also mentions free-bleeding, which I’m not a fan of, for reasons stated earlier. In your house? Sure, you do you, but please don’t do it in public where your blood (if it soaks through your clothing and onto things other people will touch) poses a risk to others.
At the end of the period sex segment, they mention how only you know your body and to do what makes *YOU* comfortable, completely ignoring the other party— or parties. They need to be fully willing, too. It’s okay for a partner to not want to engage in sex when blood is involved, for whatever reason. It’s okay for them to feel uncomfortable and to say no because of the blood. No, they’re not shaming you for having a period just for declining and no, it isn’t The Patriarchy™’s fault.
I would’ve liked to go over the modern options for hygiene products and how to use them, including reusable cloth pads that are often overlooked. There’s a spread about the history of period products, but not a list of current options with explanations, pros and cons, and tips on how to choose what’s best for you which I think would’ve been super helpful.
As for positives:
While my childhood was pretty traumatic, I feel very fortunate that I had very sex-positive parents who made sure I knew I could ask them about anything. I also recall having pretty in-depth sex-ed, which makes me feel even luckier— this (unfortunately) isn’t the norm. Although this book didn’t teach me much personally, I’m certain it'll help a lot of people learn more about their bodies and its sexual/reproductive functions.
A couple things that it did teach me, though, was about menopause. As I’m a few decades away from that I never really looked into it, but I now feel like I have a better understanding of the women I love and what they’re going through or have gone through. I love the tips on how to survive it, and I’ll definitely spread the info! :-)
Even though I didn't agree with everything, I think books like The Vagina Book are important and I do recommend reading it.
A big thank you to the publisher, Chronicle Books, for allowing me to read this title in exchange for an honest review.
smorrison4's review against another edition
4.0
I requested and received an e-ARC of this book from Thinx, DR. Jennifer Conti, and Chronicle books through NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion.
I found this book to be very informative and my younger self would have appreciated a book like this very much. I like most girls taught myself how to use tampons, I think my sister and I had our periods for two or three years before our parents figured out we were menstruating. There was no conversation about which products were best or how we felt it was just acknowledged and end of conversation.
I would have liked a little bit more information about the products that are available today and how to choose the one that is right for you. As we all know choosing feminine hygiene products for the first time can be overwhelming and you can never have too much information.
Overall, I think this book did a great job of de-stigmatizing female health and will hopefully start a lot of great conversations.
I found this book to be very informative and my younger self would have appreciated a book like this very much. I like most girls taught myself how to use tampons, I think my sister and I had our periods for two or three years before our parents figured out we were menstruating. There was no conversation about which products were best or how we felt it was just acknowledged and end of conversation.
I would have liked a little bit more information about the products that are available today and how to choose the one that is right for you. As we all know choosing feminine hygiene products for the first time can be overwhelming and you can never have too much information.
Overall, I think this book did a great job of de-stigmatizing female health and will hopefully start a lot of great conversations.
annarau's review against another edition
4.0
This is a book sponsored by Thinx, a brand for period underwear. And it‘s a fantastic ressource for anyone with a vagina. I found myself alternating between wishing I had owned this book when I was a teenager and looking forward to giving a manual this helpful to my daughter.
pagesofmilkandhoney's review against another edition
5.0
Imagine: I go back to school, study astrophysics, become the world's most experienced astrophysicist, invent the world's first time machine, take this book, go back in time, and shove it in front of every person with a vagina on their thirteenth birthday. I LOVE this book so much. It was absolutely thrilling, which, believe me, is not what I expected to say about a book about vaginas. The amount of information they have included this book makes me giddy and so, so, SO excited for young girls everywhere. Hell, even young adults. Proper, fully-grown adults. I've been on this planet for 25 years, and I learned so much from this book. It's incredibly reaffirming. Every page made me feel immeasurably comfortable by simply reminding me that I am NOT ALONE. We are NOT ALONE. There is an incredible group of people out there that should exist to support one another, and throughout history, we NEVER HAVE. From periods and vaginal health, to sex & contraception and wellness & self-care, this book covers everything you have ever wanted to know. Everything you ever NEEDED to know. Everything you didn't even know you wanted or needed to know. EVERYTHING!
Bonus things that particularly made me happy while reading this INCREDIBLY HELPFUL AND RESOURCEFUL BOOK:
-"we must understand that virginity is an idea formulated eons ago by people concerned with policing bodies with vaginas"
-"we must combat the bullsh*t around virginity and replace it with inclusive, healthy, and medically accurate sex education; we must do this because virginity simply does not exist"
-"if you find you're uncomfortable with some of your desires or their origins, or if there are certain practices that start to overwhelm your life, it's worth taking a look at what's driving you"
-the very concept of cultural orgasms
-the fact that not in a single instance did they reference girls or women (although I know I did, above), but instead PEOPLE WITH VAGINAS
-filmed pornography was invented almost at the same time as film, which means humans are kinky af
-"learning how to ask for, recognize, and give consent requires communication and emotional maturity"
-"the idea that sex is something men try to 'get' and women have to protect against, for example, takes away agency from both parties, and ignores queer identities altogether"
-"there are three parts of a person's gender: body, identity, and expression. All these parts operate independently"
-the fact that they included talking about sex workers and their rights!!!
-this sentence: "opt for slower, low-impact exercise [while on your period] like yoga, Pilates, or walking to the store that's kinda far from your apartment but carries the ice cream you like (it counts, OK?)"
-this sentence, also: "and hey, maybe anyone who thinks they deserve an opinion on your pubes doesn't deserve access to your vagina, just a thought"
-advice on finding a therapist to work on your mental health, which is a huge part of owning a vagina!! (and life, in general)
-of course, like any good non-fiction book, including a list of other reading resources for further information
Things that Did Not Bring Me Joy that I learned:
-reminding me that free healthcare does not exist in Some Parts of the world, and lack of access is often the most debilitating thing when it comes to taking care of yourself
-the fact that I was never once introduced to the concept of a female condom in school
-SIX different American states (Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi, Oklahoma, South Carolina, and Texas) all have laws that PROHIBIT the mention of homosexual relationships apart from teaching that gay sex is associated with AIDS (particularly horrifying, imho)
-There is some underlying tones when you consider that the same states that try to implement "heartbeat bills" and other similar cutthroat laws are typically the same states that formed the Confederate States in the attempt to prolong slavery
Overall, an EXCELLENT book and resource for absolutely everyone. EVERYONE. I would happily read a book titled "The Penis Book" because everyone should know about human bodies. There is just SO MUCH TO KNOW and SO LITTLE that we learned. Learn it, appreciate it. Love it.
I received an advanced copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Bonus things that particularly made me happy while reading this INCREDIBLY HELPFUL AND RESOURCEFUL BOOK:
-"we must understand that virginity is an idea formulated eons ago by people concerned with policing bodies with vaginas"
-"we must combat the bullsh*t around virginity and replace it with inclusive, healthy, and medically accurate sex education; we must do this because virginity simply does not exist"
-"if you find you're uncomfortable with some of your desires or their origins, or if there are certain practices that start to overwhelm your life, it's worth taking a look at what's driving you"
-the very concept of cultural orgasms
-the fact that not in a single instance did they reference girls or women (although I know I did, above), but instead PEOPLE WITH VAGINAS
-filmed pornography was invented almost at the same time as film, which means humans are kinky af
-"learning how to ask for, recognize, and give consent requires communication and emotional maturity"
-"the idea that sex is something men try to 'get' and women have to protect against, for example, takes away agency from both parties, and ignores queer identities altogether"
-"there are three parts of a person's gender: body, identity, and expression. All these parts operate independently"
-the fact that they included talking about sex workers and their rights!!!
-this sentence: "opt for slower, low-impact exercise [while on your period] like yoga, Pilates, or walking to the store that's kinda far from your apartment but carries the ice cream you like (it counts, OK?)"
-this sentence, also: "and hey, maybe anyone who thinks they deserve an opinion on your pubes doesn't deserve access to your vagina, just a thought"
-advice on finding a therapist to work on your mental health, which is a huge part of owning a vagina!! (and life, in general)
-of course, like any good non-fiction book, including a list of other reading resources for further information
Things that Did Not Bring Me Joy that I learned:
-reminding me that free healthcare does not exist in Some Parts of the world, and lack of access is often the most debilitating thing when it comes to taking care of yourself
-the fact that I was never once introduced to the concept of a female condom in school
-SIX different American states (Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi, Oklahoma, South Carolina, and Texas) all have laws that PROHIBIT the mention of homosexual relationships apart from teaching that gay sex is associated with AIDS (particularly horrifying, imho)
-There is some underlying tones when you consider that the same states that try to implement "heartbeat bills" and other similar cutthroat laws are typically the same states that formed the Confederate States in the attempt to prolong slavery
Overall, an EXCELLENT book and resource for absolutely everyone. EVERYONE. I would happily read a book titled "The Penis Book" because everyone should know about human bodies. There is just SO MUCH TO KNOW and SO LITTLE that we learned. Learn it, appreciate it. Love it.
I received an advanced copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
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