Our Bodies, Ourselves For The New Century (1998) - Plot & Excerpts
Our Bodies, Ourselves by The Boston Women’s Health Book Collective, claims to have “served as a way for women, across ethnic, racial, religious and geographical boundaries, to start examining their health from a perspective that will bring about change”. This may ring true through most of the chapters in this text. However, on the topic of abortion, a political firestorm against religious fundamentalists and anti-abortion groups is unleashed. Unplanned pregnancies follow birth control methods, and sexually transmitted diseases, appropriately. Only seven pages are devoted to making a decision. Brief entries on counseling, adoption, abortion and preparing for the birth are the entire contents of this section. The following section on abortion rights and methods covers twenty-nine full pages. The chapter begins, “Unless women can decide whether and when to have children, it is difficult for us to control our lives or to participate fully in society”. The author then states that for this reason, “women have always used abortion as a means of fertility control”. My answer – control your sex drive, practice abstinence. Rather inappropriately, the text finishes up with pregnancy and childbirth, followed by growing older, selected medical procedures and the politics of women’s health and medical care. The text spurs on the politically motivated fight for “choice” (i.e. murder of an infant) through and through. Until mainstream feminism can disengage itself from supporting such a horrid practice and battle cry, many women like me will be left disgusted by the one-sided tirades of so-called feminists. Abortion as birth control should not be so commonplace. It should be a last resort and it should not be taken so lightly. In this “choice”, a human life is destroyed – that is the bottom line. Making abortion rights a rallying cry of the feminist movement is a mistake.
I've had this book forever, or at least what feels like it: the mid-'80s, at least. When I pulled it off the shelf today to add it here, I was greatly amused to discover, tucked in the back, the syllabus from my 1988 Human Sexuality class in college. Although I am sure that there are more modern, more up-to-date, references on women's health out there, this title remains for me a (no pun intended) seminal work. Because I discovered it when I was coming of age both sexually and emotionally, and because it is written from such an empowering perspective, it will always be a touchstone and my jumping-off point when looking for knowledge about health.
What do You think about Our Bodies, Ourselves For The New Century (1998)?
I'm sure I haven't read -every- chapter in this book, but I think that's the idea. It's meant for every stage in a woman's life. I first heard of this book in a collegiate Women's History class and bought my own copy of it over break. While my parents never seem to particularly withhold information from me, I was something of a "late bloomer" and have found this book very useful for filling in the gaps. To this day, I cannot help but pore over the section on Childbirth; I cry every time. What I like most is the language, the spirit in which it is written: "This is the way things are, but this is how they -can- be."
—autumnthing
When I entered Grinnell College a copy of the precursor to what became Our Bodies, Ourselves was placed in front of my door in Loose Hall--and in front of every other dormitory door on campus presumably--along with information about services available from the nearest Planned Parenthood and the Dean of Students' Office. Still a virgin and very, very concerned about sex, I read all the material immediately, finding the booklet more informative than anything I'd ever seen before and appreciating its feminist approach.In subsequent years I've purchased every new incarnation of this book, both for my own reference and for the sake of others. It makes a great gift for both females and males--indeed, so inculturated are many women with its values nowadays that it may be particularly helpful for young men.
—Erik Graff
When I was in the 5th grade my brother and I repeatedly snuck this book outside and had our minds GREATLY expanded. I have to give some credit to my current ability with and deep and abiding love for the topic in question to this book ;) Many times this knowledge has been found useful to my partners as well for more than just anatomy trivia. Sure it may not be perfect, and I believe the edition I had wasn't quite as large, but ANY book that allows one to try and understand the reality and viewpoint people other than one's self faces is well worth 4 stars. I only wish I could've understood and committed more of it to memory; being naive is OK but being a tool isn't; funny what a difference a little education can make.
—Sam
