The Story of Woman S1 E5. Woman and Medicine part 1: Elinor Cleghorn, Unwell Women
This episode is Part One of my conversation with feminist historian Elinor Cleghorn about her book, Unwell Women - we had so much to chat about that the interview is split into two parts!
Going to the doctor and seeking medical advice can be a big deal in and of itself, but what about being misdiagnosed, misunderstood, or simply not believed about your own body? These are all too common experiences for women today, and Elinor Cleghorn helps us understand how we got here, arguing that medicine is every bit as social and cultural as it is scientific.
In part one, we discuss:
- How we see medicine’s painful legacy manifest today
- Elinor’s story as an unwell woman and her diagnosis of lupus
- The 'wandering womb' of ancient Greece
- Why women were positioned as inferior when their “special” organ is the very one that gives life to all humans (read: power)
- Witch trials in Medieval Europe
- The “debilitating disease” of menstruation and how its still surrounded by misunderstanding and prejudiced beliefs
And more!
The quotes you will hear read during the interview are taken directly from the book, Unwell Women.
Transcription is available here
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