In-Depth Notes on Self-Examination and Feminist Health Activism in 1970s Canada

Introduction

  • The article explores the significance of self-examination in women's health activism during the 1970s in Canada.
  • It discusses how self-examination (breast and pelvic) became a tool for feminist resistance against power imbalances in healthcare.

Self-Examination as Feminist Resistance

  • Women's health groups critiqued mainstream medicine and promoted self-examination as a means of taking control of their health.
  • The practices of breast and pelvic self-examination emerged as central components of the women's health movement.
    • Breast Self-Examination (BSE): Became normalized and widely recommended through women’s magazines.
    • Pelvic Self-Examination (PSE): More controversial and less accepted by some medical professionals.

Historical Context

  • In the early 1970s, self-examination practices began as feminist tools, enabling women to take health care into their own hands.
  • Medical professionals were often resistant, feeling challenged by women’s lay incursions into traditional practices.

Key Players and Developments

  • Anne Roberts highlighted the Vancouver Women’s Health Collective, which encouraged women to familiarize themselves with their bodies and promote preventive health measures.
  • Feminist health organizations believed women had the right to understand and care for their own anatomy.

The Role of Women’s Health Centres

  • The Calgary Birth Control Association and Vancouver Women’s Health Collective served as vital spaces for education and collective health initiatives.
  • These centers offered resources and workshops aimed at empowering women through education about their bodies and health.

Health Education Initiatives

  • The concept of self-help emerged as a means for women to reclaim control over health.
  • Educational materials on breast and pelvic health proliferated across Canada, emphasizing individual responsibility as a core part of preventive health.
  • Key documents from the CBCA and VWHC emphasized the value of knowledge about one's own body as empowering and essential for better health outcomes.

The Shift in Popular Narratives

  • BSE began to be celebrated in mainstream media, while PSE remained more marginalized and controversial.
  • While BSE was touted as a preventative measure, PSE faced skepticism and resistance, indicating ongoing disparities in acceptance and recognition.

Conclusion

  • The self-examination practices defined in the 1970s remain relevant today, illustrating the historical tension between women's autonomy in health and mainstream medical authority.
  • Despite shifts in acceptance, self-examination is still viewed through the lens of individual responsibility within the broader discussions of women's health activism.