This Won't Hurt: How Medicine Fails Women - Marieke Bigg

This Won’t Hurt is a bold and urgent exposé by Dr. Marieke Bigg that reveals how modern medicine systematically neglects, misunderstands, and mistreats women. Drawing from scientific research, case studies, and her background in sociology and reproductive health, Bigg highlights the deep-rooted gender bias in healthcare systems across the world. From clinical trials designed without female participants to the normalization of women's pain, this book is both an indictment and a call to action.

With clarity and passion, Bigg shows how the medical establishment—dominated by male-centric research and outdated assumptions—continues to endanger women's well-being. This book demands not just reform, but revolution.

Main Themes of the Book

• Gender Bias in Medicine: A core theme of the book is how women are underdiagnosed, undertreated, and often ignored because medical research and education have historically focused on the male body.
• Invisible Pain: Bigg explores how women's reports of pain are frequently dismissed or attributed to psychological factors rather than physical causes, leading to delays in diagnosis and treatment.
• Reproductive Health Inequities: From menstruation to menopause and everything in between, women's reproductive health is shown to be a neglected area in both funding and focus.
• Historical Legacy: The book traces how patriarchal attitudes in science and society have shaped a healthcare system that fails to prioritize or understand female biology.
• Intersectionality: Bigg touches on how race, socioeconomic status, and gender identity compound these medical disparities, particularly for marginalized groups.

Why you should read " This Won't Hurt "

• Eye-Opening Insight: You’ll never see a doctor’s office the same way again after learning how medicine has sidelined women for decades.
• Empowering and Educational: Whether you're a patient, healthcare provider, or simply someone interested in health justice, this book equips you with knowledge and critical awareness.
• Timely and Necessary: As conversations about gender equity grow louder, This Won’t Hurt adds an essential perspective on healthcare inequality.
• Written with Authority: Dr. Bigg combines her academic expertise with compelling storytelling, making complex issues accessible and urgent.
• A Catalyst for Change: This book doesn’t just describe a problem—it inspires readers to demand and create better healthcare systems.

This Won’t Hurt is an essential read for anyone who wants to understand how gender bias permeates even the most trusted institutions. Dr. Marieke Bigg delivers a meticulously researched and passionately argued case for reimagining medicine so that it finally serves women as well as men. This book is a rallying cry—informative, provocative, and impossible to ignore.