Reviews tagging 'Body shaming'

Unwell Women: Misdiagnosis and Myth in a Man-Made World by Elinor Cleghorn

6 reviews

thebechdelbitch's review against another edition

dark informative medium-paced

5.0

Wow. This book was so much to take in, and I'm so impressed by how readable it also was. Such a broad scope of history and yet still retains a really personal touch throughout. It filled me with quiet rage, and incredulity at how recent some of our meagre progress has been - it put everything into easy-to-understand context and historical framing with so many examples and a strong narrative voice. 

The final chapters made me cry and also want to vomit. 

Approach with caution - triggers abound. 

An excellent, enraging read. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Abortion, Mental illness, Pregnancy, Blood, Cancer, Chronic illness, Medical trauma, Miscarriage, Body shaming, Gaslighting, Misogyny, Sexism, Sexual assault, Slavery, Death, and Forced institutionalization

antoniamshmmr's review against another edition

challenging informative inspiring reflective

4.5

The book shines light on the way women have historically been treated in medicine and how it affects women to this day. A very informative summary of the wide history of western medicine is given throughout the book, while explaining all the systemic problems such as racism, sexism, etc. that women and non-binary people had to face. 

One thing I would‘ve liked to see in the book would be a comparison or  simply some information about the medicine of non-western society as this book mainly focuses on USA/UK and partly some other western countries. To keep a red lining I understand that this might be difficult to include though.

Overall a very good read – painful sometimes – seeing that so many aspects of inequality retain to this day. I am positive this book helps a lot of (unwell) women to focus on what doctors are telling them and how historical inequalities may be hidden within those words.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny, Classism, Medical trauma, Body horror, Abortion, Body shaming, and Gaslighting

Moderate: Death, Colonisation, Rape, Sexual violence, Ableism, Child death, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Mental illness, and Pregnancy

Minor: Suicide

chronically_theo's review against another edition

emotional informative sad

3.75

This book was incredibly hard to read. Reading about how people like you have been violated and dismissed never gets easier. It is interesting though if you are in the right headspace 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Medical content, Xenophobia, Rape, Racism, Misogyny, Ableism, Terminal illness, Suicide attempt, Suicide, Slavery, Sexual harassment, Self harm, Classism, Chronic illness, Body shaming, Medical trauma, Violence, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexism, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Pregnancy, Physical abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Miscarriage, Gaslighting, Forced institutionalization, Fatphobia, Death, Confinement, Child death, and Cancer

radfordmanor's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective medium-paced

4.75

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Slavery, Gaslighting, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Infertility, Injury/Injury detail, Blood, Infidelity, Medical content, Pregnancy, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Terminal illness, Classism, Emotional abuse, Medical trauma, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Violence, Homophobia, Mental illness, Sexism, Sexual harassment, Transphobia, Abortion, Rape, Self harm, Suicide attempt, Body shaming, Cancer, Child death, Chronic illness, Colonisation, Sexual content, Drug use, and Miscarriage

nialiversuch's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative reflective sad medium-paced

4.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Blood, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Infertility, Injury/Injury detail, Terminal illness, Body horror, Abortion, Drug use, Cancer, Medical content, Racism, Gaslighting, Death of parent, Sexism, Forced institutionalization, Death, Misogyny, Pregnancy, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Sexual assault, Medical trauma, Child death, Chronic illness, Body shaming, Classism, and Addiction

Moderate: Suicidal thoughts and Panic attacks/disorders

burdasnest's review against another edition

informative reflective slow-paced

5.0

 This book made me feel seen and connected to all of the women in our time and the past who suffered medically because of their sex. Cleghorn acknowledges intersectionality and inequity well, but keep in mind that this is focused on western medical history and knowledge and cisgender women. She also emphasizes the absolute importance of the myriad issues we have before us as unwell women. I feel called to advocate and act by this book, and think that it should be required in health curriculum in higher education from physiology to public health. 

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Infertility, Pregnancy, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Ableism, Abortion, Miscarriage, Blood, Body shaming, Forced institutionalization, Mental illness, Rape, Chronic illness, Domestic abuse, Sexual assault, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Misogyny, Medical trauma, Gaslighting, and Slavery