Immaculate Forms Uncovering the History of Women's Bodies

''Delightful, timely and critical'' Cat Bohannon ''Expertly weaves science, history and culture to illuminate the most misunderstood parts of our bodies'' Dr Jennifer Gunter Throughout history, religious scholars, medical men and - occasionally - women themselves, have moulded thought on what ''makes'' a woman. She has been called the weaker sex, the fairer sex, the purer sex, among many other monikers. Often, she has been defined simply as ''Not A Man''. Today, we are more aware than ever of the complex relationship between our bodies and our identities. But contrary to what some may believe, what makes a woman is a question that has always been open-ended. Immaculate Forms examines all the ways in which medicine and religion have played a gatekeeping role over women''s organs. It explores how the womb was seen as both the most miraculous organ in the body and as a sewer; uncovers breasts'' legacies as maternal or sexual organs - or both; probes the mystery of the disappearing hymen, and asks, did the clitoris need to be discovered at all?

Product details

• Authors: HELEN KING, King Helen, Helen King
• Publisher: Profile Books
• Content: Book
• Product form: Paperback / Softback
• Publication date: 01.06.2025
• Subject: Natural sciences, medicine, IT, technology > Medicine > General; Non-fiction book > Politics, society, business > Society; Non-fiction book > History > Miscellaneous
• EAN: 9781788163880
• ISBN: 978-1-78816-388-0
• Pages: 448
• Dimensions (packing): 13 x 19.8 x 3.6 cm
• Subjects: Social & cultural history, MEDICAL / Reproductive Medicine & Technology, SOCIAL SCIENCE / Feminism & Feminist Theory, HISTORY / Women, History of Medicine, Ancient World, Hysteria, Feminism and feminist theory, Gender studies: women and girls, Popular medicine and health, Women's Studies, lindsey fitzharris, Hippocrates, Women's bodies, Women and medicine, Gillian Anderson Want, Gail Kern Paster, Marieke Bigg, The Once and Future Sex Eleanor Janega, womb leah hazard, unwell women elinor cleghorn, Pain and Prejudice Gabrielle Jackson, history of gynaecology