Everything Below the Waist: Why Health Needs a Feminist Revolution by Jennifer Block - Reshelved Books

Hello Dewey Readers!

I would like to say that nonfiction is not usually my thing, but here I am reviewing two nonfiction books in a row! I won a copy of Jennifer Block's book Everything Below the Waist: Why Health Needs a Feminist Revolution in a GoodReads ARC giveaway. Block's book is to be published in July 2019 and is all about women's OBGYN health care.  Because I have a uterus, I am very interested in learning about this kind of healthcare and from pads to pap smears, this book covers it all.

Women's health is complicated.  I mean think about it.  There's a lot going on down there that we can't see, don't really talk about, and don't fully understand.  This book helps to give an understanding to women's health care practices, it's history, and where we stand now as a society.  

Block brings up a couple of issues that really got me thinking.  One of which is birth control.  According to Block, birth control was first developed by a woman to help women embark on a  "sexual liberation."  But there's a whole slew of side effects that come with birth control, a major one being low libido.  How's that for liberation? This is one reason why a pill for men is not available.  Yet despite the side effects, pills for women are still being prescribed and pushed even if they're not really wanted.  

Another thing that Block brought up was the lack of post-postpartum care that women receive after giving birth.  There really isn't any.  Instead medical care is focused on the baby, and follow up appointments/care for the mother are pretty much non-existent.  I am not a mother, and I'm not sure how Jillian (who is) feels about this, but doesn't giving birth take a toll on a woman's body and mind both physically and hormonally?  Shouldn't they have follow up doctor visits like they did while they were pregnant?    

I thought about taking a #bookstagram of this book with a box of pantyliners, then I thought about photographing it with my bottle of water...I've been on a health kick drinking 66oz a day, but alas I did neither.   

So Dewey Readers, if your interested in learning about female health, look out for this read! I give it 5 out of 5 coffee beans.

Until the next read!
~Jessica