Losing a Breast to Gain a Life (ep. 13.13)

Most of the episodes in this series have been about shaping the female body in the name of beauty. But there is at least one major reshaping that has nothing to do with beauty and everything to do with survival. Breast cancer was known to the ancient Egyptians and nearly every culture since, but for most of that time there was no effective treatment. The early modern period saw a growing recognition that the tumor or maybe the whole breast needed to go: a terrifying treatment plan in an age that didn't know much about anesthesia and nothing at all about germ theory. Science got better before feminism did, but celebrities in the 1970s began to break the stigma and the silence about this sadly common disease. It is also time to vote on the topic of series 14! Make your voice heard on the website at herhalfofhistory.com. Visit the website (herhalfofhistory.com) for sources, transcripts, and pictures. This show survives on the support of listeners like you. Support the show on my ⁠Patreon page⁠ (⁠https://www.patreon.com/user?u=83998235⁠) for ad-free episodes, bonus episodes, and polls. Or make a one-time donation on ⁠Buy Me a Coffee⁠. Your support helps me keep bring the stories of past women into the present. Join Into History (intohistory.com/herhalfofhistory/) for a community of ad-free history podcasts plus bonus content. Visit Evergreen Podcasts to listen to more great shows. Follow me on Threads as Her Half of History. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices