Misogyny and Adversity

Societal patriarchy constituted the main source of adversity in the Blackwells’ professional pursuits, and it is important to understand these dynamics in order to better understand the past and present nature of misogyny. When Elizabeth and Emily were born, the field of medicine was entirely dominated by men. The book notes that women used to be common in such fields as nurses, midwives, and other health care roles. However, “as eighteenth-century Enlightenment ideas introduced empirical science and new techniques…female practitioners were replaced by male professionals” (29). These trends reflect ways in which men often attempt to consolidate power and knowledge in patriarchal societies, while excluding women. Notably, such misogyny is still a major problem in fields of science and medicine in the present day. Thus, it is important to understand the underlying sociohistorical dynamics in order to resist such injustices.

The gatekeeping nature of misogynistic exclusion...