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A review by the_sunken_library
Unwell Women: Misdiagnosis and Myth in a Man-Made World by Elinor Cleghorn
informative
reflective
sad
medium-paced
3.5
I found this to be a fascinating conversation and exploration, albeit not a deep dive, into women's health throughout the ages. Cleghorn's writing style is very accessible and compelling, making for an easier read.
As someone who has suffered chronic back pain and had it take 10 years to be offered a solution (late enough to guarantee further health complications), as well as repeatedly suffered the indignation of being ignored, belittled and dismissed in the doctors office - by both male and female medical professionals - it's a relief and also a complete tragedy to appreciate how widely sexism effects female health. How indoctrinated it is alongside racism.
My main point of contention is the choice to not include trans women. This is addressed very briefly and unsatisfactorily at the start. Non binary is briefly touched upon in the narrative, so I am unsure why there wasn't more inclusion. I have also seen others criticise the author's representation of certain diseases, and some claims to be provenly false - I cannot speak to those things but they must be considered, alongside the fact Cleghorn's background isn't in medicine. This is a book spurred on by her own health as opposed to an academic pursuit - nothing wrong with that, but it does mean a bias comes into play throughout the narrative of this book.
As someone who has suffered chronic back pain and had it take 10 years to be offered a solution (late enough to guarantee further health complications), as well as repeatedly suffered the indignation of being ignored, belittled and dismissed in the doctors office - by both male and female medical professionals - it's a relief and also a complete tragedy to appreciate how widely sexism effects female health. How indoctrinated it is alongside racism.
My main point of contention is the choice to not include trans women. This is addressed very briefly and unsatisfactorily at the start. Non binary is briefly touched upon in the narrative, so I am unsure why there wasn't more inclusion. I have also seen others criticise the author's representation of certain diseases, and some claims to be provenly false - I cannot speak to those things but they must be considered, alongside the fact Cleghorn's background isn't in medicine. This is a book spurred on by her own health as opposed to an academic pursuit - nothing wrong with that, but it does mean a bias comes into play throughout the narrative of this book.