Book - For Her Own Good: 150 Years of the Experts' Advice to Women

by Barbara Ehrenreich and Dierdre English Paperback, 370 pages, published 1989. Good used condition. The first quarter of the book has a good bit of highlighting, a few notes, and an owner's signature in the front, but this copy is sturdy. Virtually no wear on the cover, spine and binding are tight. If you're looking to broaden your understanding of Women's Studies, you can't go wrong with Ehrenreich. This is a solid & well-researched read. 🤓💪 "From the author of 'Nickel and Dimed' and a former editor in chief of Mother Jones, this women's history classic uncovers the constraints imposed on women in the name of science. Since the 19c professionals have been invoking scientific expertise to prescribe what women should do for their own good. Among the diagnoses and remedies: menstruation was an illness requiring seclusion; pregnancy was a disabling condition; higher education was a threat to the long-term health of the uterus. From taming women’s behavior to portraying mothers as castrators in the 1950s to clitoridectomies, male doctors have not hesitated to intervene in women’s sexual, emotional, and maternal lives. Ehrenreich and English never lose faith in science itself, but insist that we hold those who interpret science to higher standards. Women are entering the medical and scientific professions in greater numbers, yet experts continue to use pseudoscience to tell women how to live. This book provides readers with an indispensable dose of informed skepticism."