Vagina Obscura: An Anatomical Voyage

“The history of medicine was filled with 'fathers'—the father of the C-section, the father of endocrinology, the father of ovariotomy—but, ironically, there were no mothers.”

Rachel E. Gross is basically Ms. Frizzle for adults when it comes to exploring female anatomy. Each chapter is a deep-dive into the science, history, and wonder of women's bodies that goes beyond reproductive function. Particularly interesting are the accounts of women scientists and their personal and professional experiences in a male-biased (and let's face it, phallus-obsessed) medical industry, from Dr. Helen O'Connell's discovery that the clitoris as we knew it prior to 1998 was merely the tip of the iceberg and Dr. Patty Brennan's enthusiasm for duck vaginas to Dr. Ghada Hatem's charitable clitoral reconstructions for victims of genital cutting and finally Dr. Marci Bowers' surgical artistry in creating neovaginas for fellow transwomen. Women's healthcare has historically been plagued by ignorance and disinterest, but Vagina Obscura gives me reassurance that we're moving toward a future where, quite the opposite from languishing in obscurity, the female body can finally be not only understood, but respected and celebrated.