Our Bodies, Ourselves: A Book by and for Women

1976, but with a reference to a recent event in '77, so probably a later printing of the 2nd edition
The Boston Women's Health Book Collective
Our Bodies, Ourselves: A Book by and for Women
Original price unknown, purchase price $5.25
Very worn paperback
B-

Even at the time I bought this book, in the late '80s or early '90s, it was already dated, but that's not to say there's not still useful information about anatomy and health.  There are of course later editions, including the ninth in 2011.  This, the second edition, offers glimpses of left-of-center feminism at its height, and for a nonparous woman (never borne a child) it's especially interesting to see the rebellion against inhumane medical attitudes towards mothers and babies, as shown in fiction like A Proper Marriage and The Group, both in the 1950s, and to a lesser degree in Small Changes.  We'll revisit this topic when we get to A Midwife's Story (1988) and The American Way of Birth (1999), both nonfiction, but I can say now that I knew during my more fertile years that if I ever had a baby, it would have to be a home birth.  This book also convinced me to rely on birth control with the fewest side effects, condoms and a diaphragm, although condoms were not often used in the 1970s.

On the other hand, I can't say that I ever ate any healthier because of this or any other book.  Although most of the book understandably concentrates on sexuality and reproduction, including acknowledgment of alternatives (the section on "dykes" is pretty well done, and there's sympathy for women who choose not to have children), there are chapters on diet, exercise, and self-defense.  I wish that there was more on menopause, but that's probably partly due to the oldest woman in the collective being only 41.  I'm sure this is something that's been expanded on in later editions.

As I said, there's a lefty bias, but they do try to recognize that each woman needs to do what works for her, at each stage of her life.  One change from the earlier edition is that Roe v. Wade happened in the interval, so they talk about not only abortion but the "right-to-life" movement.  It's strange to see Herpes mentioned so little, and not under Venereal Disease.  And of course, AIDS wouldn't be discovered for another five years.  The era of relatively safe sexual experimentation was still in full flower when this edition of the book came out.  In the discussion of open relationships, they admit that jealousy and other issues must be addressed.  They don't pretend to have the answers, or the best "liberated" lifestyle, but they share their stories and encourage other women to as well.

Each chapter ends with a list of resources on that particular topic.  Although these are of course terribly out-of-date, I enjoyed reading their appraisals, with not everything getting a glowing review but its merit recognized.  It's probably not a good idea to read the book cover to cover, particularly since some of the subjects are heavy, although they do try to keep a friendly, readable tone.  There's a lot of text here, partly due to the font and partly due to the dimensions.  But that's not the only reason I was grateful for the photographs.  It's lovely to see the women-- sometimes with men, sometimes with each other, sometimes with children, and sometimes alone-- almost all delighting in their bodies and in life.