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Unwell Women

A Journey Through Medicine and Myth in a Man-Made World

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Unwell Women

By: Elinor Cleghorn
Narrated by: Hanako Footman
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About this listen

Medicine carries the burden of its own troubling history. Over centuries, women's bodies have been demonised and demeaned until we feared them, felt ashamed of them, were humiliated by them. But as doctors, researchers, campaigners and most of all as patients, women have continuously challenged medical orthodoxy. Medicine's history has always been, and is still being, rewritten by women's resistance, strength and incredible courage.

In this ground-breaking history Elinor Cleghorn unpacks the roots of the perpetual misunderstanding, mystification and misdiagnosis of women's bodies, illness and pain. From the 'wandering womb' of ancient Greece to today's shifting understanding of hormones, menstruation and menopause, Unwell Women is the revolutionary story of women who have suffered, challenged and rewritten medical misogyny. Drawing on Elinor's own experience as an unwell woman, this is a powerful and timely exposé of the medical world and woman's place within it.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.

©2021 Elinor Cleghorn (P)2021 Orion Publishing Group Gender Studies History & Commentary Medicine & Health Care Industry Social Sciences Medicine

Critic Reviews

"Seamlessly melding scholarship with passion, Unwell Women is the definition of unputdownable." (Telegraph)

"A richly detailed, wide-ranging and enraging history.... Unwell Women is not just a compelling investigation, but an essential one." (Observer)

"A passionate and indignant history." (The Times)

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If you don't come away from reading this book, a feminist, I don't know what to say. This was a fantastic book. I learnt so much about how women's health has been viewed throughout history and have already recommended this to people.

Feminism 101

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An incredible, vital, and shocking yet not surprising truth of ingrained misogyny in the medical industry and social psyche.
As someone with trauma as a result of medical sexism, this book so aptly unveils the horrific history that had brought us to where we are today. Inspite the density of research in this book, it is so beautifully and creatively written that it never feels like a slog of information. I can't even fathom the amount of work this must have taken to research and write, but I thank Elinor from the bottom of my heart for doing the work to lay out the historical implications.
It is harrowing to hear how so many women have suffered, yet empowering to know that my experiences of a woman in the medical industry is mirrored through so many other stories. It is not in my head, I am not being sensitive.
The narration and pace is also just so engaging, ai adore Hanako, just an incredible book to listen to all round.
I highly recommend this book to absolutely everyone, anyone with a uterus or without.

Medical misogyny beautifully dissected

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This book was totally fascinating, especially if you’re a lover of all things health sociology.

The reading lacked feeling and expression and some words were pronounced incorrectly, but otherwise, everyone needs to read/listen to this book.

Fascinating history

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As a medical student, and as a woman, this book is absolutely brilliant in understanding how women have been (and are still) treated (or not treated) in medicine. Beautifully written, and an empowering piece of literature.

LISTEN TO THIS BOOK

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Elinor Cleghorn has done the work to succinctly outline the way the medical institution has failed and harmed women due to a world view that sees men as normal and women as somehow subversive.

Such an important work!

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Very insightful book about women and their symptom histories. Doctors egos being more important than truely listening to patients stories. The gaps still present in modern day medicine and research around women's health and wellbeing.

Medicine still has a long way to go towards equality

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A very informative and engaging account of Women's Health history, I'm a proud survivor of many health and trauma related issues. Thank you for bringing this book to light and I wish the author all the best for her future 😁

A book I've always felt I needed to know about

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Interesting insight to the origins of many women's focused medical treatments, associations, assumptions and discriminations.

Evidence Based Slay of the Medical Industry

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I agreed with so much of what this book was talking about. I do not think that gender ideology belongs in a book about women’s health though. This book spoke at length of the biological reality and socialization and oppression faced by women so that felt like a slap in the face.

I did enjoy the rest of the book and feel it’s an important topic to explore though.

Almost Excellent

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The book is about how women (females) have been oppressed because of their biological sex by imposing sexist stereotypes and assumptions (gender) on them. It articulates how women have erased and ignored in medical knowledge and research and asserts that females are biologically different to males and require different health care. However, the book is scattered with inconsistent and contradictory terminology that conflates sex with gender and refers to women as 'people with vaginas'. The book also does not address the current wave of experimental medicalisation of young women who do not conform to gender stereotypes. This is a failed opportunity because what is happening now is clearly underpinned by the historical misogyny described in the book.

Cognitive dissonance spoils a good book

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