Immaculate Forms: Uncovering the History of Women's Bodies

Immaculate Forms explores the history of women's bodies, examining how medicine and religion have played a gatekeeping role over their organs. It uncovers the womb's miraculous and sewer-like nature, the legacy of breasts as maternal or sexual organs, the mystery of the disappearing hymen, and the question of whether the clitoris needed to be discovered.

Format: Hardback
Length: 448 pages
Publication date: 05 September 2024
Publisher: Profile Books Ltd

Illuminating, thoughtful, and scholarly, "FINANCIAL TIMES" offers a captivating exploration of the history of women's bodies. GREG JENNER praises the publication for its mind-blowing and fascinating content, while BBC WOMAN'S HOUR describes it as delightful, timely, and critical. CAT BOHANNON, author of EVE, commends the book for its ability to weave historical knowledge of medicine, anatomy, literature, art, and religion into a narrative that surprises, informs, excites, and frequently amuses. ADRIAN THATCHER, author of VILE BODIES, highlights the importance of understanding the complex relationship between our bodies and our identities.

Throughout history, religious scholars, medical men, and occasionally women themselves have shaped our understanding of what constitutes a woman. She has been referred to as the weaker sex, the fairer sex, and 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 intricate connection between our bodies and our identities. However, contrary to what some may believe, the question of what makes a woman remains an open-ended one.

"Immaculate Forms" delves into the various ways in which medicine and religion have played a gatekeeping role over women's organs. It explores how the womb was perceived as both the most miraculous organ in the body and as a sewer, uncovers the legacies of breasts as maternal or sexual organs - or both - probes the mystery of the disappearing hymen, and asks whether the clitoris needed to be discovered at all.

Through a combination of historical research, personal anecdotes, and scholarly analysis, "Immaculate Forms" offers a comprehensive and thought-provoking exploration of the complex relationship between women's bodies and their identities. It challenges our assumptions and encourages us to rethink our understanding of what it means to be a woman. Whether you are a scholar, a medical professional, or simply someone interested in the history of women's bodies, this book is a must-read.

Weight: 698g
Dimension: 165 x 243 x 44 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781788163873
Edition number: Main