Episode 2: Body of Knowledge

45 years ago a group of women in the Boston area collectively published Our Bodies Ourselves—a groundbreaking book that put forward the radical notion that women should get to know their own bodies and take charge of their health and sexuality. Since its first publication, the book has sold more than four million copies and been adapted into 30 languages. In this episode, we talk to Vilunya Diskin, one of the founders of the Boston Women’s Health Book Collective, Juanita Crider, who participated in updating the book for contemporary readers, and Judith Rosenbaum, JWA’s Executive Director.

Released February 28, 2016
  • Our Bodies Ourselves, Then and Now

  • Vilunya Diskin with her daughter Leah and granddaughters Nadia and Kiera

  • Early 1970s photo of Our Bodies Ourselves collective. Bottom from L: Norma Swenson, Pamela Berger, Ruth Bell, Nancy Miriam Hawley, Judy Norsigian. Top from L: Jane Pincus, Vilunya Diskin, Joan Ditzion, Esther Rome, Paula Doress-Worter, Wendy Sanford.
    Courtesy of Barbara Seaman.
  • Our Bodies, Ourselves t-shirt.

    Courtesy of Nancy Miriam Hawley

  • Our Bodies Ourselves Covers
  •  Vilunya Diskin and Family
  • Our Bodies Ourselves Collective circa 1970s
  • Our Bodies, Ourselves T-shirt

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How to cite this page

Jewish Women's Archive. "Episode 2: Body of Knowledge." (Viewed on November 21, 2024) <https://jwa.org/podcasts/canwetalk/body-of-knowledge>.