Recent scientific findings regarding the potential dangers associated with hormone replacement therapies brings renewed attention to the relationship between women's bodies and gender identity. In "Am I Still A Woman? Jean Elson offers the testimony of women who have thought deeply about this issue as a result of gynecological surgery. For the women in this book, gynecological surgery for benign conditions proved to be a crisis that prompted questions about the meanings of sexual and reproductive organs in relation to being female and feminine. Is a woman who no longer menstruates still a woman? What about a woman who can no longer bear children? Elson looks closely at the differences in responses to understand the impact of surgery and lost fertility on sexuality and partnerships as well as the steps some women take to deal with a sense of a stigmatized identity. Whether they reconceptualized their old nations of what it means to be a woman or put a new focus on making themselves attractive, they made conscious efforts to reclaim their female identity and femininity. This book provides a wealth of insight into the choices women make regarding gynecological surgery and maintaining their sense of themselves as women.

Written by three experts with extensive experience helping people with HIV/AIDS, this trusted resource is the complete guide to better physical and emotional health for women living with HIV or AIDS. It covers the full range of health and emotional issues faced by people with HIV while also addressing topics of special interest to women, including gynecologic disorders, reproductive choices, contraception, and pregnancy. The world of HIV/AIDS diagnosis and therapy is changing dramatically. At-home testing is now available, people exposed to the virus may be able to get immediate treatment, and the number of dominant classes of HIV treatment has increased from four to six. This new edition of "A Woman's Guide to Living with HIV Infection" includes the latest information on diagnosis and treatments as well as recent findings about pregnancy and HIV, starting treatments when you have HIV-related complications, liver health and hepatitis, and sexual health.

The twenty-first century has seen LGBTQ+ rights emerge at the forefront of public discourse and national politics in ways that would once have been hard to imagine. This book offers a unique and layered account of the complex dynamics in the modern moment of social change, drawing together critical, social and cultural theory as well as empirical research, which includes interviews and multi-platform media analyses. This original new study puts forward a much-needed analysis of twenty-first century television and lesbian visibility. Books addressing the representation of lesbians have tended to focus on film; analysis of queer characters on television has usually focused on representations of gay males. Other recent books have attempted to address lesbian, gay and trans representation together, with the result that none are examined in sufficient detail - here, the exclusive focus on lesbian representation allows a fuller discussion. Until now, much of the research on lesbian and gay representation has tended to employ only textual analysis. The combination of audience research with analysis in this book brings a new angle to the debates, as does the critical review of the tropes of lesbian representation. The earlier stereotypes of pathological monsters and predators are discussed alongside the more recent trends of 'lesbian chic' and 'lesbianism as a phase'.

For women who want the medical knowledge of Masters and Johnson and the passion of 50 Shades of Grey, Ultimate Intimacy helps them take back control of their sex life. As a board certified OBGYN and medical director of VSPOT Medispa and ViVa Rejuvenation Center, Carolyn DeLucia, MD FACOG has been working tirelessly to spread the word about the new treatments available to patients and other doctors worldwide. She wants to help women have the best intimate relationships possible, bringing the magic back to their sex life. In Ultimate Intimacy, women will: Learn about what is normal and what is not to give them better insight into their body. Understand the simple and complex procedures that can address a wide range of intimate health issues. Know how to choose the right treatment for themselves, so they can bring the best options to their doctor. Become more empowered, confident, and able to enjoy their inner goddess!

One in fifteen people report experiencing chronic pelvic pain, while many more suffer in silence. It's time to put aside the stigmatisation and misdiagnosis. Dr Sonia Bahlani has helped thousands of patients reclaim their lives at her New York City practice. With dual expertise in the fields of gynecology and urology-sought purposefully because she was interested in helping patients with pelvic pain-Bahlani is the doctor to address this common yet often-untreated condition. In Dr. Sonia's Guide to Navigating Pelvic Pain, Bahlani helps readers in multiple ways: she provides detailed information on what might be causing pain-from endometriosis to fibroids to prostate inflammation-through descriptions, questions and case studies; and she reviews treatments, from what readers can expect in a doctor's office to what they can do at home. Her sympathetic bedside manner and extensive knowledge will help empower readers and give them renewed control over their own bodies.

'In Real Self-Care, Pooja explores what it really means to take care of ourselves and provides a revolutionary self-care framework that is honest, compassionate, and completely actionable.' Dr Becky Kennedy, Sunday Times bestselling author of Good Inside Self-care has become a staple in women's lives. From juice cleanses to yoga workshops to luxury bamboo sheets, we are sold breezy fixes in pastel-coloured packages, and then made to feel at fault when they don't work, like there is something wrong with us. But we are not broken: the game is rigged against us. And if we set aside those activities that don't serve us, we can all reconnect with ourselves and become agents of change in our lives. In Real Self-Care, psychiatrist and women's mental health specialist Dr Pooja Lakshmin will help you understand what a real and sustainable practice of caring for yourself looks like. Using case studies, clinical research and actionable strategies to deal with common problems, this book will help you set boundaries and move past guilt, treat yourself with compassion, live a life aligned with your values and assert your power. The result - having ownership over your life - is nothing less than a personal and social revolution. Because real self-care is not a noun - it's a verb. And while it may not be as easy as buying that crystal-infused water bottle, the rewards are infinite.

A clarion call about the dangers of medicine for women, as well as a manual for how women can get the right care for their bodies. Sex Matters tackles one of the most urgent, yet unspoken issues facing women's health care today: all models of medical research and practice are based on male-centric models that ignore the unique biological and emotional differences between men and women - an omission that endangers women's lives. The facts surrounding how male-centric medicine impacts women's health every day are chilling: in the ER, women are more likely to receive a psychiatric diagnosis with regard to opioid use, while men are more likely to be referred for detoxification; the more vocal women become about their pain, the more likely their providers are to prescribe either inadequate or inappropriate pain relief medication; women often present with nontraditional symptoms of stroke, which causes delays in recognition by both them and their health professionals; and a government accountability study found that 80% of drugs that are withdrawn from the market are due to side effects that happen to women (a result of testing drugs mostly on men). Leading expert on sex and gender medicine Dr Alyson McGregor focuses on the key areas where these differences are most potentially harmful, addressing: * Cardiac and stroke diagnosis and treatment in women; * Prescription and dosing of pharmaceuticals; * Subjective evaluation of women's symptoms; * Pain and pain management; * Hormones and female biochemistry (including prescribed hormones); * How economic status, race, and gender identity are additional critical factors. Not only does Dr McGregor explore these disparities in depth, she shares clear, practical suggestions for what we can do. A work of riveting expose, revelatory insights into the medical establishment and actionable guidance for putting this information to use, Sex Matters is an empowering roadmap for reinventing modern medicine - and for self-care. (P)2020 Hachette Audio

Though cinema arrived in Spain and Portugal at the end of the nineteenth century, national and industrial problems as well as the dictatorships of Salazar and Caetano (in Portugal) and Franco (in Spain) meant Iberian cinemas were isolated from European cultural trends. Strict censorship in both countries limited the themes and artistic practices adopted, while a specific cinematographic language, in many cases full of metaphors and symbolism, sought alternatives to the imposed official discourse and preconceived definitions of supposed national identities. By contrast, the arrival of democracy from the 1970s onwards widened not just the panorama of film production and criticism, but also opened the film industry to women's participation in areas historically assigned to men. Focusing on Portuguese and Spanish cinema, this collection brings together research about women and their status in relation to Iberian filmic culture. The volume contributes to ongoing debates about the position of women in the cinemas of Portugal and Spain from interdisciplinary and feminist perspectives as well as new accounts of film history. It also aims to promote comparisons between Iberian cinemas and visual culture, a topic that is almost unexplored in academia, despite the similar histories of the two countries, particularly throughout the twentieth century.

Why do so many women have trouble getting effective and compassionate medical treatment? Diagnosis Female examines this widespread problem, with a focus on misdiagnosis and gender bias. The book zeroes in on specialties where women are more likely to encounter particularly troubling roadblocks: cardiology, neurology, chronic diseases and obstetrics/gynecology. All too often, when doctors can’t figure out what is going on, women receive a diagnosis from the “all in her head” column -- this pattern is even worse for women of color, who face significant challenges in medical settings. Throughout the work, Emily Dwass profiles women whose stories illustrate how the medical community often dismisses their claims, disregards their symptoms, or simply doesn’t know that male symptoms and female symptoms can vary from issues to issue. Time and again, women state that their voices did not matter, or worse, their concerns were greeted with skepticism or simply ignored when they sought help. The results can be devastating and long-lasting. Examining the bias inherent in the system, Dwass offers measures women can take to protect their health and receive better care. She offers advice, too, for the medical community in addressing the problem, so that outcomes can improve all around. If you’re a woman, and you seek medical care, this book is a must-read. Your health depends upon it.

Take a new look at women's sexuality This fascinating book looks at the wide-ranging therapeutic, social, and political implications of the new paradigm of women's sexuality. International in scope and multidisciplinary in approach, A New View of Women's Sexual Problems examines the theoretical and practical effects of the landmark document produced by the Working Group on a New View of Women's Sexuality. The book brings together gender theory, psychology, social science, and medicine in a powerful cultural critique of the reigning medical approach to women's sexual health. International experts from India, Costa Rica, Israel, the US, and many other cultures place this revolutionary idea in cultural and political context, as well as extrapolating fresh new treatment options for dealing with women's sexual problems. A New View of Women's Sexual Problems analyzes the new paradigm's implications in many fields, including: family medicine couples counseling for straight and lesbian partners STD prevention and sexual health issues sex therapy sex education feminist theory developmental psychology

Take a new look at women's sexuality!This fascinating book looks at the wide-ranging therapeutic, social, and political implications of the new paradigm of women's sexuality. International in scope and multidisciplinary in approach, A New View of Women's Sexual Problems examines the theoretical and practical effects of the landmark document produced by the Working Group on a New View of Women's Sexuality. The book brings together gender theory, psychology, social science, and medicine in a powerful cultural critique of the reigning medical approach to women's sexual health. International experts from India, Costa Rica, Israel, the US, and many other cultures place this revolutionary idea in cultural and political context, as well as extrapolating fresh new treatment options for dealing with women's sexual problems.A New View of Women's Sexual Problems analyzes the new paradigm's implications in many fields, including: family medicine couples counseling for straight and lesbian partners STD prevention and sexual health issues sex therapy sex education feminist theory developmental psychology

Resolve the 7 types of hormone imbalance naturally with simple changes to your food and lifestyle habits. Looking for relief from debilitating menstrual cycles, PMS, PMDD, weight gain, low energy, and mood fluctuations caused by a hormonal imbalance, but don't want the side effects and expense of drugs and surgery? Based on therapeutic nutrition principles, The Hormone Type Cookbook gives you accessible solutions to address common hormone imbalances like low progesterone, estrogen dominance, low thyroid, adrenal fatigue, and other issues. Whatever stage of your lifecycle, this guide is your holistic hormone health companion! Expert author Madeline Mackinnon, creator of the popular handle @NaturalHormoneHealing, guides your entire journey of hormonal health, from menstrual health and fertility to postpartum, perimenopause, and menopause. You will finally understand the "why" of your hormone imbalances, not just the "what." Madeline also debunks nutritional myths and shows how certain popular diets can actually disrupt hormone balance. Drawing upon the latest hormone nutrition research, the book contains: Hormone quizzes and assessments, so you can determine your specific imbalance and then eat to treat it The foundations of hormone health How to structure meals to keep your hormones happy Guidance on lifestyle habits and what things in your environment, such as endocrine disruptors, are creating issues All the while, you'll be eating your choice of 75 delicious hormone-supporting breakfasts, lunches, dinners, drinks, and snacks, such as: Hot Flash Elimination Smoothies Thyroid-Loving Lunch Bowl Libido-Boosting Freezer Fudge Stress-Support Matcha Latte Start your healing journey to hormone balance today.

If you want to get ahead, get a cycle. The menstrual cycle consists of Optimum Times - days of heightened performance skills and abilities. When we 'match the task to the time' we have the opportunity to excel beyond our expectations. We can achieve goals and success more easily, get ahead in the workplace, and enhance our feelings of fulfilment. In "The Optimized Woman", Miranda Gray presents a flexible plan of practical daily actions for self-development, goal achievement and work enhancement, aligned to the phases of the menstrual cycle. This book will totally change how women think about their cycles. It will change how they live their lives, achieve their goals, plan their work and careers, and create happiness and well being. The reader will be amazed that this is the one self-development method that they can apply month after month without losing the commitment and motivation to achieve their dreams, and bring fulfilment and success.

Approximately one in four pregnancies ends in miscarriage but for each woman the experience is unique. This sympathetic and helpful book explores the many different ways in which women physically experience miscarriage and emotionally react to it. Drawing on the experiences of over 350 women, it will help every woman who has miscarried make sense of her loss and find her own way of coping with the confusion that frequently follows.
Many aspects of miscarriage are covered including difficult issues that are often avoided:
a. the nature of the loss: tissue, embryo, foetus or baby? b. guilt about an earlier abortion c. explaining miscarriage to other children d. the effect of miscarriage on a relationship e. returning to work after miscarriage f. coping with repeated miscarriages.
Miscarriage also provides a unique set of guidelines to good practice for professionals based on what women say they find helpful. Professionals who want to evaluate their own practice or develop the service they offer will find this an invaluable book.

This book is for you if: * You have ever given birth * You have ever compared your birth experience with someone else's * You never had the time to reflect on the life-changing experience of birth and the post-partum period * You have ever felt shame or guilt about your birth experience or parenting choices, or that you 'don't want to make a fuss' * You want to take control of your birth story and find your confidence in the fourth trimester and beyond * You are wondering how to have an empowering and positive birth experience in the future This book is for you. From the moment we are born and throughout our lives, one of our biggest wishes is to be heard. As babies we cry, as toddlers we may throw ourselves down in rage. Throughout our lives, this need shows up in different ways, but the desire is the same: as human beings we need to be listened to, to be validated and to be understood. Whether your birthing plan got thrown out of the window or the birth was seemingly straightforward, childbirth and early parenthood are some of the most transformational, mind and body experiences you can ever undertake, but so often we aren't afforded the time and space to reflect and reframe those experiences. The pressure to adjust, to be ok, to ignore any difficult emotions and to get on with it can be stifling. The Birth Debrief is here to help. In her work as a midwife specialising in post-partum recovery and care, Illiyin facilitates birth debriefs, seeking to empower women and birthing people of all backgrounds to take control of their experiences, feel seen and centred in their pregnancies and births, normalising conversations around birth trauma and healing and examining the nuances that are associated with it. Time and time again, it is the lack of advocacy, autonomy, control or consent, rather than the physical aspect of the birth that lingers and informs parenthood. Split into three main sections of Debriefing, Pregnancy and Birth, and The Postnatal Period, The Birth Debrief will offer practical solutions to navigating pregnancy and transitioning into postpartum life, well beyond those first six weeks.

LONGLISTED FOR A PEN/FAULKNER AWARD, 2020 A dazzling tribute to the resilience and determination of a remarkable community of women In the sprawling Bangalore slum of Heaven, five girls - Muslim, Christian and Hindu; gay and straight - form an unbreakable bond. These are girls who refuse to be silenced, no matter how much their city would like to forget they exist. But now Heaven is threatened by government bulldozers, and the friends must come together to protect the close-knit, vibrant community they call home. Sparkling with passion and courage and laced with humour, this is the story of five unforgettable young women and their fierce determination, not only to survive, but to triumph.

Did you know, every woman has a tipped uterus, and ovarian cysts are usually normal (even when they burst)? Have you ever wondered how to balance your hormones, why you have to repeat yourself at the doctor's office or why your yeast infection keeps coming back? Have you agonized about your pap smear results or worried that you may have cancer? What exactly is a pap smear anyway? In "Do You Have a Tipped Uterus: 69 Things Your Gynecologist Wishes You Knew," board-certified obstetrics and gynecology physician, Dr. Melissa Wolf, addresses the questions most commonly asked in her gynecology office with both humor and medical expertise. She also details practical strategies for weight management, enhanced mood, improved libido, and most importantly, what to do when you encounter your gynecologist in public (hint: don't worry, she won't remember your vagina)

The mission of When I Die, Take my Panties is a much needed wake-up call for women over 40 to start listening to their bodies and catch ovarian cancer early on. But it isn't just about cancer. It is a reminder of the personal transformation that comes from tragedy and what can be learned along the way. Death forces us to face a harsh reality: So often we want to control life - and the truth is we can't. We must come to terms with people and situations as they are, not as we wish they were. When I Die, Take My Panties takes the reader through a journey of discovering the gifts in their own life as they learn how to appreciate what is right in front of them.

When the changes of menopause start happening, it seems that our ability to concentrate, complete tasks, and remember simple, little, everyday things (like our own names) goes out the window. It can feel like you're losing your mind (or at least your glasses)! In Think Again!, Jeanne Andrus tackles "brain fog" - a term she uses for the symptoms of menopause that affect the way you think. She covers why they happen, what they feel like, and how to tell when these might be symptoms of a more serious issue. More importantly, she covers how you can cope with these changes in your daily life, including how you can optimize your approach to brain health to make sure you can "think again" for the rest of your life.

For many women, the advice "Use a condom " is not enough to help protect them from HIV infection. As Women and AIDS reveals, "negotiating" safer sex practices is a very complex issue for women who are involved in relationships where they do not enjoy physical, social, or economic equality. The book s authors maintain that the key to curbing the spread of HIV and to caring for those already infected--is communication. Women and AIDS is the first volume to address HIV/AIDS and women from a communication perspective.This helpful guidebook addresses how women might achieve safer sexual and drug injection practices with partners, but it also explores women s negotiation of the health care system as patients, medical research subjects, and caregivers. It challenges traditional assumptions about the relationship between care providers and patients and the meaning of patient compliance and raises important questions about gender, race, and class that are exacerbated by the epidemic. Designed to ground interventions in the realities of women s lives, Women and AIDS discusses what women can do to get around communication and health care obstacles. To this end, you will learn about: using the media for HIV-related social action and to promote women s views of HIV and sexuality prison health care for HIV-positive women cultural constructions of sex and drug sharing in a variety of communities long-term changes that will empower women delivering an HIV-positive diagnosis to patients gender roles and caregiving the language we use to talk about "Third World" women and "Asian AIDS" women AIDS filmmakers/videographersFor the benefit of AIDS activists, health care providers, and counselors, Women and AIDS discusses women and their communication and awareness from virtually every angle. This book analyzes situations where communication breaks down--from the woman who can t openly discuss safe sex with her partner, to the drunk college student who "hooks up," to the doctor who gives an HIV-positive diagnosis without compassion--and offers communication solutions. This will help women avoid such risks, establish communication and safety in their lives, and construct meaningful roles in relationship to HIV/AIDS.

In this fabulously confessional romp through the menopause, D'Souza tells us what it was like for her, and what it will be like for you. The Hot Topic is a treat of a book liberating, empowering and unexpectedly moving in its truth-telling.

Breast cancer has reached near epidemic proportions. Once a relatively rare disease, it now affects millions of women. What can we do to protect ourselves? Christine Horner has the prescription: Eat healthy foods, add a good dose of certain supplements, get the rest and exercise we need and avoid things that are bad for our bodies.

In Menopause, Sisterhood, and Tennis, Wilson-Fried offers the powerful story of one woman's tangled journey through menopause. Based upon her own experience, and steeped in the rich Southern humour of her mother and grandmother, this guide to surviving 'the change' unveils the mystery of menopause, laying bare the physiological, psychological, and emotional transformations menopause brings to women's lives.