Female reproductive system in the first edition of the Encyclopӕdia Britannica
Illustration of the female reproductive system, including the vagina, cervix, uterus, ovaries, and fallopian tubes, from the first edition of the Encylopӕdia Britannica (1768–71).
Women with an opinion on reproduction
One woman cleverly evaded an arranged marriage at age 10 by discoloring her teeth. A dozen endured horrific violence at the foundation of modern gynecology. Others gifted each other with durable underwear to protect their bodily autonomy postmortem. In a nutshell (or an eggshell): Reproduction has meant many different things to many different women. Views on the role of childbirth, reproductive rights, sexuality, and the female body have fluctuated through time and place. In ancient...