Author, historian, and translator Sarah Ruden examines harmful views toward women in her newest book, "Reproductive Wrongs: A Short History of Bad Ideas About Women."
Through historical literature, Ruden shows how societal perceptions about women have influenced control over reproduction.
Ruden begins her journey with the ancient Roman poet Ovid and his portrayal of an unwanted pregnancy. It’s a male-focused story that highlights a cultural preference for having only one son. This stands in stark contrast to the later rise of Christianity, where women’s salvation was tied to motherhood
“[Men] are always suspicious that women are going to get ahead of them, get all the power and wreak havoc. So you have women's advances usually being followed by pretty vicious backlashes,” Ruden told KCUR’s Up to Date. “Women are whipsawed from generation to generation, so it's very difficult for them to know what's going on. They're subject constantly to this irrational hatred.”
As Ruden winds through time, she reveals how persecution, industrialization, and technological advances have shaped society’s views on women’s reproductive rights — and connecting these shifts to the modern day.
- Sarah Ruden, author, "Reproductive Wrongs: A Short History of Bad Ideas About Women"
Event: Sarah Ruden will be at the Central Branch of the Kansas City Public Library on Thursday, March 26 at 6 p.m. to discuss her book. RSVP here.
