Wow! This book was eye opening and enraging to say the least. The book traces the history of medicine and how historical cultural and societal gender Wow! This book was eye opening and enraging to say the least. The book traces the history of medicine and how historical cultural and societal gender bias was legitimized by physicians of the time and is woven into contemporary medicine and healthcare law and policy. The book included information that totally shocked me. For example, the American Plan (look it up), the exclusion of women patients in clinical research or drug trials, or if included, gender is ignored, and the fact that machines (like EKG and ventilators) are calibrated to white males. This all affects diagnosis and proper treatment. The resonating theme that women encounter in medicine is one of invisibility and dismissal.
Women need to read this book! As Dr. Comen writes: “Among my greatest hopes in writing this book is that it will give women the tools they need to demand the care they deserve.” ...more
Wow! This book was enlightening and empowering. It's a book I wish I could gift every woman in this Country, especially young women. I found the book Wow! This book was enlightening and empowering. It's a book I wish I could gift every woman in this Country, especially young women. I found the book a response to the current feeling of anger, frustration and powerlessness that women and other minority groups are facing right now. I learned a lot about the political and legal fights that largely go on behind the scenes and without fanfare.
My words don't do this book justice because I'm still processing much of what I read. I highly recommend this book. Oh and my new favorite catch phase: "Constitutionally sanctioned mansplaining."...more
Dr. Shew's book resonated with me on so many levels as a person with a disability. She articulates so well many ideas and concepts that I have had thrDr. Shew's book resonated with me on so many levels as a person with a disability. She articulates so well many ideas and concepts that I have had throughout my life. And I absolutely love how she is unapologetic yet methodical in explaining important concepts in the disability community. I learned so much from this book as is evidenced by my many, many highlights.
Dr. Shew uses the example of technology to demonstrate how society focuses on "fixing" disability rather than accepting and celebrating differences. This idea of technology curing disability is ableist at its core. It's using the nondisabled way of life as the norm or standard to measure all others. A critical point is the idea that this technology is created without the input of disabled persons - the real experts. Dr. Shew also gives an excellent overview of the Disability Justice movement and the history of disability. Her chapter on neurodiversity was eye-opening.
This is a topic I'm obviously very passionate about so I apologize for the scattered thoughts in this review. This book reinforces the idea that disability is not tragic. It feels good to read a book about disability, written by a person with a disability that reinforces the idea that disability is an intrinsic part of me. I highly recommend this book!...more
I really enjoyed this book and consider RBG one of my mentors. I really don't get some of the negative reviews left by some readers. This book is liteI really enjoyed this book and consider RBG one of my mentors. I really don't get some of the negative reviews left by some readers. This book is literally filled with excerpts from RBG's writings and speeches throughout her life. Ok, so it's not a traditional biography. The book is titled "My Own Words" and that's literally what you get with commentary/introduction from two other writers. Nowhere on the cover of the book does it claim to be a biography.
I would recommend this book to any young woman, especially a woman considering a law career. I would also recommend this book to anyone with an interest in the law, politics, or history. The book gives you a unique perspective of the Court from the eyes of a one of its justices. It also provides an overview of the Feminist Movement and gender discrimination law. RBG gives the reader many words of wisdom about the role of the Court, its justices, and the Constitution. Advice that many of its current justices should take note of. ...more
It's my wish that everyone could read this book. For those of us in the disability community, it reminds us to be more aware of the diversity that exiIt's my wish that everyone could read this book. For those of us in the disability community, it reminds us to be more aware of the diversity that exists within the community and to embrace, not exclude those differences. And obviously, for the nondisabled community, the book serves as a great introduction to becoming more aware of the stereotypes and stigmas attached to disability that exist in our society. I found this book was a great balance between educating the reader without being too dry or accusing. I related to this book on so many levels. Being born in the early 1970's with a physical disability, I have experienced much of what was discussed in the book. I highly recommend this book! ...more
“This is a book about girls who had a ton of fear and personal flaws and faced insurmountable obstacles but did amazing things anyway. . . To be a bad“This is a book about girls who had a ton of fear and personal flaws and faced insurmountable obstacles but did amazing things anyway. . . To be a bad girl is to break any socially accepted rule. Anything we do outside the lines is immediately up for persecution.”...more
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