How Sex-based Stereotypes Effect Pregnant Women: Myths of Femininity Oppress Femaleness

Sexism is so deeply embedded in women’s lives that even during birth they worry about what their body looks like to others, including healthcare providers. Learning about the history of modern obstetrics gives us a glimpse into the indoctrination of hair removal for women and girls.

Dr. Natalie Jolly sums up the contradictions of female reproduction and femininity perfectly when she says:

“...labor and delivery require a level of physicality that runs counter to normative femininity”.

The power and differences of the female body are constantly undermined by male supremacy and embedded into science and culture to perpetuate disembodiment and subjugation.

📚 Resources to Explore:

• “Birth and the Bush: Untangling the Debate Around Women's Pubic Hair”