Exposed

Author: Wendy Kline

History

Published on 27^th June 2024 by John Wiley and Sons Ltd (Polity Press) in the United Kingdom as part of the 'History of Health and Illness' series.

Hardback | 286 pages
mm | 0g

The pelvic exam. If you’ve ever had one, you’re probably already wincing. It might be considered a routine medical procedure, but for most of us, it is anything from unpleasant to traumatic.  In Exposed, noted historian Wendy Kline uncovers the procedure’s fascinating—and often disturbing—history. From gynecological research on enslaved women’s bodies to nonconsensual practice on anesthetized patients, the pelvic exam as we know it today carries the burden of its sordid past. Its story is one of pain and pleasure, life-saving discoveries and heartbreaking encounters, questionable procedures and triumphant breakthroughs.  Drawing on previously unpublished archival sources, along with interviews with patients, providers, and activists, Kline traces key moments and movements in gynecological history, from the surgeons of the nineteenth century to the OB/GYNs of today.    This powerful book reminds us that the pelvic exam is has never been “just” a medical procedure, and that we can no longer afford to let the pelvic exam remain unexamined.