The Menstrual Cycle

Women and Psychology

by Anne E. Walker

Anne Walker shows that women are neither the victims of raging hormonal fluctuations nor entirely unaffected by them. Unlike most previous publications that focus on menstruation (a part of the cycle), The Menstrual Cycle presents a well researched study of the entire menstrual cycle and its relationship to women's lives.
Women's own experiences in different cultures are contrasted with medical textbook descriptions and the "normal" is found to be rather elusive.
This book will be read by discourse analysts, doctors, nurses and any woman who has felt curious about her menstrual cycle and its possible effects.

264 pages, Paperback

First published July 31, 1997

Reviews

[Paige · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow. This was a great book. It delves into the cultural history of views on the menstrual cycle and how research of it has often been heavily influenced by the culture at the time. For instance....men used to argue that women were unfit to do heavy work because of their menstrual cycle; when one woman critiqued that view by pointing out women work in factories and rarely take days off of work, he rebutted it by saying 'oh actually no I meant mental work, like academia' and that argument was used as a way to keep women from attending university!!!!! Really good read and I highly recommend it, to fully understand how the patriarchy influences the field and study of women's health.