Submitted November 26, 2007, 7:11 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?]
the new our bodies, ourselves
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How old were you at the time?
Who brought the book to your attention?
an acquaintance at my college.
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What, if anything, surprised you about the book? (such as graphic photos, or particular themes such as masturbation or lesbianism)
the frank tone-- i was looking for information on contraception but ended up reading the entire book. it was illuminating and useful without being condescending or judgmental in any way.
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What had the biggest impact?
the section on childbirth-- it was demystifying in a good way.
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Did it influence your choice of doctor or your relationship with your doctor?
my feminist mother always took me to female doctors where feasible, and encouraged me to be outspoken with them so this wasn't really an issue. however, 'our bodies, ourselves', made me realise that this sort of upbringing was, sadly, not the norm!
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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?
i did and continue to do so now. i find, these days, the discussions of childbirth and identity are even more relevant as i contemplate motherhood.
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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 would have been interested in a more detailed discussion of sexual health, just as a useful guide, but on the whole i found the book to be useful and illuminating.
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Did you find that there were any important topics left unaddressed?
perhaps the most recent update has addressed this issue, but i find the discussion of life immediately following the birth of a child, incomplete. probably this is due to my current fears on the topic!
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Did it affect the way that you understood your own body or your health?
it reinforced the fact that taking responsibility for your own body is of paramount importance and also highlighted masculine biases in the healthcare system-- something which, especially as a 17 year old, i hadn't thought much about.
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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?
my school was thorough when it came to discussing sexually transmitted diseases and pregnancy but had a strong abstinence message. i had already had discussions about sex with my mother but there were always a few questions i was too embarrassed to ask-- 'our bodies ourselves' provided the answers! it was great to see a positive sexual message with no media association.
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Did you give or recommend the book to anyone else? If so, who and why?
the girl in my dorm who owned the only copy of 'our bodies ourselves' was lovely about lending it out-- even to strangers. my circle of friends referred to it simply as 'the book' and recommended it to everyone we knew who wanted an easy reference point without going straight to the college health center.
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Did you ever contact the authors with additional comments or questions?
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?
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?
Were you ever actively involved in the womenís health movement? If so, in what capacity?
How did you get to this webpage? How did you find out about this study?
i was curious about the existence of a new edition of 'our bodies, ourselves' as i am still reading the 1998 edition.
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