Submitted October 24, 2007, 9:55 AM
What year did you first read Our Bodies, Ourselves?
Which edition did you read? [Women and Their Bodies, newsprint edition published by New England Free Press (1970); Our Bodies, Ourselves (1973, 1976); The New Our Bodies, Ourselves (1984, 1992); Our Bodies Ourselves for the New Century (1998); or a foreign translation or adaptation?]
How old were you at the time?
Who brought the book to your attention?
No one really brought it to my attention. My mother had the book in the house and it was not a "secret" next to (or in) the nightstand. It was almost like a coffee table book.
I was told I could read it or look at it any time I wanted to.
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What, if anything, surprised you about the book? (such as graphic photos, or particular themes such as masturbation or lesbianism)
Being so young, I loved the pictures! The topics like masturbation and lesbianism were really beyond my congitive development at the time, as was most of the text, actually.
I guess I got a feeling out of the book about my body and about being female more than anything else at the time.
It was sort of normalized as a part of my life...just like having Harold and the Purple Crayon home from the library.
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What had the biggest impact?
I think being exposed to this so young had the greatest impact. I picked things up somewhat by osmosis, from continued exposure. For that reason, nothing ever was shocking or surprising. Being an adult and a parent now, I am shocked about what I read that didn't affect me at the time! I, of course, am very open (as is my husband) with our children, and I wonder how much they really understand about what we talk about and have around for them to read and view.
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Did it influence your choice of doctor or your relationship with your doctor?
Well, considering that I decided to have homebirths with midwives for my two children...I'd say I certainly had a different relationship with my doctor, as well as my choice of doctors throughout my adult life.
I will only work with physicians (primary care or ob/gyn, etc.) who are partners in health care with me. I will not be "treated" for anything. I have even had to have some invasive test procedures and minor surgery that I chose local anesthetic for rather than anesthesia or sedation of any kind. I want to be THERE and an active participant in even surgical care!
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Did you use the book as a resource to learn about particular issues of healthcare or sexuality? If so, in what areas?
Since this book was "around" for my entire literate life, I sought it out for different things at different times. It is a good healthcare resource and also a resource that is accurate and honest and "plain" about sexuality. There are no value judgments, just lots of information, which is WONDERFUL!
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Were you completely satisfied with the book, or did you disagree with any of the content? If so, in what area(s)?
I have not revisited the book for some time now, even though I have a current copy in my home. Overall, I think I am quite satisfied with the book.
The way things are presented, I do not think there are things that are disagreeable. I think information is presented through some story in applicable areas, that show different viewpoints and I think the health and birth control information is factual, and so, undeniable.
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Did you find that there were any important topics left unaddressed?
Since I have not revisited the text recently, I cannot say for certain. I don't remember a big section on choice in maternity care, per se. And, a section on "general self-advocacy" would be helpful. I realize the entire book is about self-advocacy...but I know plenty of women who would benefit from the plain statement of this kind of thing.
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Did it affect the way that you understood your own body or your health?
Absolutely. While I credit my mother with raising me to feel happy and healthy in my skin, Our Bodies, Ourselves went a long way toward giving me a concrete way of understanding my body and my health. OBOS gave me "words" for the attitude with which I was raised.
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How did the book\'s information contribute to or contrast with what you had learned in school about women\'s health and sexuality?
In school, there was no learning about women's health or sexuality. The "movie" was nothing in comparison to the education I got from my mother, other books and OBOS.
And, the information drastically contrasted with what I knew other girls were hearing/learning...or not learning, as the case often was!
OBOS contributed significantly to my understanding of women's health and sexuality by offering information and stories from the voices of other women. This made me feel like I could trust my own voice on these issues.
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Did you give or recommend the book to anyone else? If so, who and why?
I have given this book many times over the years and I recommend it for inclusion in every home library! I think it is a historically significant text, as well as valuable for its own information and original in the presentation of that information.
Friends have gotten this book from me. Also, I have the new version in the house for my son and daughter to explore as they'd like.
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Did you ever contact the authors with additional comments or questions?
Not to date, I have not. However, I have dreamed our a maternity companion book something along the lines of "Our Bodies, Our Babies."
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Have you read any other BWHBC publication? (including Ourselves and Our Children (1978), Changing Bodies, Changing Lives (1998), Ourselves, Growing Older (1987), Sacrificing Ourselves for Love (1996). Do you have any comments about these books?
No, I have not read these texts.
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Did you ever seek medical treatment or advice from a feminist health clinic? If so, did your decision to do so have anything to do with reading Our Bodies, Ourselves?
I do not believe I have sought care from a feminist health clinic.
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Were you ever actively involved in the womenís health movement? If so, in what capacity?
I have been actively involved in promoting self-advocacy in medical care. Specifically, I have been a breastfeeding counselor for mom's returning to work through La Leche League in the past. I also served on the Massachusetts Friends of Midwives Board of Directors for many years and produced three editions of their Directory of Birthing Resources, the 7th, 8th and 9th.
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How did you get to this webpage? How did you find out about this study?
I visited the Our Bodies Ourselves webpage. My reason for visiting is because I am exploring my literacy history as part of my graduate coursework in adult learning. Since Harold and the Purple Crayon and Our Bodies, Ourselves are my two first books that I read independently...I am doing research into these publications.
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