Medical Bondage and the Birth of American Gynecology with Deirdre Cooper Owens

Dr. Deirdre Cooper Owens will explore the origins of slavery, immigration, and race within the development of gynecology, documenting how She will also trace the current controversies around the memory of the “fathers of gynecology” and the enslaved “mothers” of the field by providing context for how and why physicians denied poor women of color their full humanity, yet valued them as “medical superbodies” highly suited for medical experimentation. In engaging with the 19th century ideas about so-called racial difference, she will shed light on disadvantages that women of color continue to face within the healthcare system. Deirdre Cooper Owens is an Associate Professor of History at Queens College, CUNY.