Unwell Women audiobook cover - Misdiagnosis and Myth in a Man-Made World

Unwell Women

Misdiagnosis and Myth in a Man-Made World

Elinor Cleghorn

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Categories:
HistoryHealth & NutritionSociety & Culture

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Unwell Women
Historical Foundations of Bias+
The Wandering Womb Myth+
Dismissal of Women's Pain+
Policing Female Sexuality+
The Birth Control Movement+
Demystifying Gynecology+
Pathologizing Social Oppression+

Quiz — Test Your Understanding

Question 1 of 7
According to the text, what has historically been considered the standard for human anatomy in the medical field?
  • A. The female reproductive system
  • B. Male anatomy
  • C. A gender-neutral composite
  • D. Ancient Greek philosophical ideals
Question 2 of 7
How did the eleventh-century physician Trota of Salerno challenge the prevailing medical beliefs of her time?
  • A. She proved that hysteria was a neurological condition rather than a reproductive one.
  • B. She asserted that the womb could not move freely within the body, contradicting the 'wandering womb' theory.
  • C. She pioneered the use of surgical intervention to correct wandering wombs.
  • D. She argued that women's ailments were divine punishments rather than physical conditions.
Question 3 of 7
How did nineteenth-century medical professionals view pain sensitivity in women across different demographics?
  • A. They believed that all women experienced pain equally due to their 'feeble structure.'
  • B. They assumed wealthy white women were exceptionally delicate, while poor women and women of color were more resistant to pain.
  • C. They thought working-class women were more sensitive to pain due to their harsh living conditions.
  • D. They believed women of color experienced heightened pain during childbirth compared to white women.
Question 4 of 7
Why did the invention of the speculum face fierce opposition from nineteenth-century medical critics?
  • A. It was considered less accurate for diagnosing tumors than traditional abdominal palpation.
  • B. It was too expensive to be widely distributed in public hospitals.
  • C. Critics feared it would destroy the hymen, provoke hysteria, or encourage masturbation.
  • D. Doctors believed it caused physical trauma that directly led to cervical cancer.
Question 5 of 7
What troubling historical reality about the early twentieth-century birth control movement is highlighted in the text?
  • A. The movement was entirely funded by pharmaceutical companies seeking to profit from women's health.
  • B. Early birth control clinics refused to treat women unless they had permission from their husbands.
  • C. Leaders like Margaret Sanger and Marie Stopes viewed birth control as a way to limit reproduction among poor, disabled, and non-white families.
  • D. The movement actively campaigned against the use of anesthesia during childbirth to promote 'natural' motherhood.
Question 6 of 7
What did pioneering researcher Clelia Duel Mosher discover about women's supposedly 'natural' shallow breathing?
  • A. It was a biological adaptation to accommodate pregnancy.
  • B. It was actually caused by the wearing of restrictive corsets.
  • C. It was a symptom of undiagnosed autoimmune diseases.
  • D. It was the primary cause of severe menstrual cramping.
Question 7 of 7
In the 1950s, how did the medical establishment typically respond to the anxiety and chronic fatigue experienced by many housewives?
  • A. By prescribing minor tranquilizers like Miltown to pathologize and medicate their discontent.
  • B. By accurately diagnosing these symptoms as early indicators of autoimmune diseases like lupus.
  • C. By encouraging women to re-enter the workforce to alleviate domestic isolation.
  • D. By developing specialized exercise regimens to strengthen their physical and mental endurance.

Unwell Women — Full Chapter Overview

Unwell Women Summary & Overview

Unwell Women (2021) traces the historical misunderstanding and misdiagnosis of women’s bodies throughout medical history. Drawing from historical research. it reveals how medical knowledge has been shaped by gender bias and chronicles the stories of women who have challenged and transformed medical orthodoxy.

Who Should Listen to Unwell Women?

  • Medical professionals who want to understand historic and current biases
  • Women with chronic illnesses struggling to be heard in clinical settings 
  • Feminists ready to unravel the patriarchal history of medicine

About the Author: Elinor Cleghorn

Elinor Cleghorn is a British feminist cultural historian and author who completed her PhD in humanities and cultural studies at London Consortium (Birkbeck) before turning her academic focus to medical history and gender studies. After her own experience with misdiagnosed lupus led her to research the history of gender bias in medicine, she wrote her debut book, Unwell Women, which became an international best seller and has established her as a leading voice in discussions about gender bias in healthcare.

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