History of Feminism

to its patriarchal authority, not to mention stealing whatever land and property those women had. (speaking of lost knowledge, let us not forget the great library at alexandria)

are you familiar with the book "witches, midwives and nurses: a history of women healers" by barbara ehrenreich and deirdre english? I had the privilege of meeting them shortly after its publication.

you can read it here:

http://drbeardmoose.com/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderfiles/witchesmidwivesandnurses.pdf

a brief review:

Format: Paperback
Originally published in 1973 and now in a second edition, "Witches Midwives & Nurses: A History of Women Healers" is a paperback account of feminist healers' history in Western Civilisation from the Middle Ages through the early 70's. The first publication was written in "An angry blaze" of feminine outrage, but the original "pamphlet" became an underground best-seller in the 70's according to the "Village Voice." Re-issuing the book today invites some re-examination of the same feminist issues that prompted its original publication, and the authors conclude: "We have not been passive bystanders in the history of medicine...Our enemy is not just 'men' or their individual male chauvinism: it is the whole class system that enabled male, upper-class healers to win out and which forced us into subservience. Institutional sexism is sustained by a class system which supports male power: There is no historically consistent justification for the exclusion of women from healing roles...Men maintain their power in the health system through their monopoly of scientific knowledge...Professionalism in medicine is nothing more than the institutionalization of male upper-class monopoly...we must begin to break down the distinctions and barriers between women health workers and women consumers....Our oppression as women health workers today is inextricably linked to our oppression as women (pp. 99-102)." "Witches Midwives & Nurses" includes the original bibliography of the 1973 edition. Published literature in the area was scant at that time. Lest we become complacent, "Witches Midwives and Nurses" reminds us that though we may have come far in the progression of feminist ideas and enlightened health practices and education by and for women, there is yet quite some distance to go.
http://www.amazon.com/Witches-Midwives-Nurses-Contemporary-Classics/dp/1558616616