40th Anniversary of "Our Bodies, Ourselves"

[MountainLaurel]

From the Washington Post, a look at the impact and staying power:

When it comes to women’s sexuality and reproductive health, I’ve come to believe that the world divides into two camps: those who know something about hand mirrors and those who don’t.

My sister Julie, solidly in the first camp, recently went to a 30-something female gynecologist, who’s in the second. At Julie’s first mention of hand mirrors, she told me, her doctor was more than a little taken aback.

You did what?” she asked.

“I went into a classroom at Hampshire College with six or seven other women in the fall of 1980,” Julie explained from the examining table.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/our-bodies-ourselves-taught-women-about-sexuality-and-reproductive-health/2011/09/22/gIQAdkV6IL_story.html

[MineralMan]

1. I highly recommend that men read that book, too.

I did, 40 years ago, and learned a great deal that has proven to be helpful to me over the years.

[no_hypocrisy]

2. "Our Bodies, Ourselves" replaced "Everything You Wanted to Know About Sex*

* But Were Afraid To Ask". More definitive towards women and their sexuality. Wish they had new edition with a larger section on Menopause and Post-Menopause.

[prairierose]

3. This was a ground-breaking book....

It provided accurate information to women about their bodies and empowered them to speak up for themselves. I will never forget reading that book the first time and buying my first copy. Which reminds me, I have given away my last copy and really need to buy a new one.

Young women today would do well to find a copy of this important book.

[Dulcinea]

4. I had a copy in college.

I learned so much from that book. I need to get an updated copy for my daughters.