Describing the female body using male language

[JohnnyMcGrathSaysFuckOff]

Sort of inspired by the wonderful vagina facts thread.....

I have often wondered about the implications of the fact that women's bodies are described and mapped by men. For example, Braxton Hicks cx are named for a male doctor in the 1870s who first noticed them.

Only, I'm fairly sure women had been 'noticing' them for some time before he happened along

And the oft-cited fact that vagina means scabbard, obviously labelling a key female organ in terms of its use value for men.

What other egs are there are of our bodies being mapped and appropriated by men like this? And what are the ramifications?

Batteriesallgone Your comment about the takeover and subsequent erasure / control of women’s involvement in pregnancy, birth and the aftercare of the mother and baby by male doctors and the male medical establishment reminds me of a podcast that Feminist Current had discussing the same thing. Well worth a listen.

www.feministcurrent.com/2017/08/03/podcast-toward-reproductive-sovereignty-not-reproductive-rights/

You always hear that history is the tale told by the victor but I’d never stopped to think that this doesn’t just apply to the clashes of civilisations, it has happened to women and their achievements too.

Sheila Jeffreys in a lecture called The Sexual Liberals and the Attack on Feminism discussed how feminist movements and achievements from the 1800s were written out of history and if they are referred to are reframed using damning or dismissive language. An example she gives is regarding the movement of women at that time which sought to stop men from raping children (including incest) and women and which actually made significant legal gains (age of consent raised to 16, rights of women to children’s custody among many others) was eventually written out and then only referred to as a Puritan movement of sexual prudes.

NaiceBiscuits

I also like Yoni. It's fun to say.

1 vote for Yoni from me :)

Childbirth became more dangerous when doctors got involved. I'm sure I read on here that historically midwives had a lot of rituals involving handwashing that were hygienic but dismissed by surgeons.

However have just googled it and instead found loads of articles praising a man for noticing the cause of puerperal fever and increasing hygiene practices

www.google.co.uk/amp/www.upworthy.com/amp/women-were-dying-from-childbirth-at-hospitals-this-19th-century-doctor-figured-out-why