--- title: "Readers' Stories" date: 2023-07-24T16:33:00-04:00 author: Eva Parker Passalacqua canonical_url: "https://ourbodiesourselves.org/blog/topic/our-bodies-ourselves-readers-stories" section: Blog Categories --- [Donate](https://ourbodiesourselves.org/donate) [From the Archives of Our Bodies, Our Blog](/blog)# Readers' Stories [## "Simone de Beauvoir alone would never have gotten me from intellect to action"](https://ourbodiesourselves.org/blog/simone-de-beauvoir-alone-would-never-have-gotten-me-from-intellect-to-action)Read [](https://ourbodiesourselves.org/blog/simone-de-beauvoir-alone-would-never-have-gotten-me-from-intellect-to-action) [](https://ourbodiesourselves.org/blog/simone-de-beauvoir-alone-would-never-have-gotten-me-from-intellect-to-action) [## It was on the bookshelf of every hippie, woman-loving communal house in college](https://ourbodiesourselves.org/blog/it-was-on-the-bookshelf-of-every-hippie-woman-loving-communal-house-in-college)Read [When I was ten years old, my childhood best friend read me passages from “Our Bodies, Ourselves” in a bedroom in Park Slope, Brooklyn. It was her mom’s copy. Years later, I saw it on the bookshelf of every hippie, woman-loving communal house in college. It was a cultural icon for my generation, and it harked back to a to a prior era that was inspiring for us. ](https://ourbodiesourselves.org/blog/it-was-on-the-bookshelf-of-every-hippie-woman-loving-communal-house-in-college) [![Marigo2](data:image/png;base64,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)Read](https://ourbodiesourselves.org/blog/it-was-on-the-bookshelf-of-every-hippie-woman-loving-communal-house-in-college) [When I was ten years old, my childhood best friend read me passages from “Our Bodies, Ourselves” in a bedroom in Park Slope, Brooklyn. It was her mom’s copy. Years later, I saw it on the bookshelf of every hippie, woman-loving communal house in college. It was a cultural icon for my generation, and it harked back to a to a prior era that was inspiring for us. ](https://ourbodiesourselves.org/blog/it-was-on-the-bookshelf-of-every-hippie-woman-loving-communal-house-in-college) [## How One Book Educated Generations About Their Bodies #OBOSTaughtMe](https://ourbodiesourselves.org/blog/how-one-book-educated-generations-about-their-bodies-obostaughtme)Read [Our Bodies Ourselves creates health and sexuality information, battles disinformation, protects women’s rights. Read stories from our readers. ](https://ourbodiesourselves.org/blog/how-one-book-educated-generations-about-their-bodies-obostaughtme) [Our Bodies Ourselves creates health and sexuality information, battles disinformation, protects women’s rights. Read stories from our readers. ](https://ourbodiesourselves.org/blog/how-one-book-educated-generations-about-their-bodies-obostaughtme) [## It’s all about equality, right?](https://ourbodiesourselves.org/blog/all-about-equality)Read [Readers' stories about reading "Our Bodies, Ourselves" ](https://ourbodiesourselves.org/blog/all-about-equality) [Readers' stories about reading "Our Bodies, Ourselves" ](https://ourbodiesourselves.org/blog/all-about-equality) [## A landmark in the history of our country...](https://ourbodiesourselves.org/blog/a-landmark-in-the-history-of-our-country)Read [](https://ourbodiesourselves.org/blog/a-landmark-in-the-history-of-our-country) [](https://ourbodiesourselves.org/blog/a-landmark-in-the-history-of-our-country) [## Helping women then and now](https://ourbodiesourselves.org/blog/helping-women-then-and-now)Read [](https://ourbodiesourselves.org/blog/helping-women-then-and-now) [](https://ourbodiesourselves.org/blog/helping-women-then-and-now) [## I remember being horrified and intrigued at the same time...](https://ourbodiesourselves.org/blog/i-remember-being-horrified-and-intrigued-at-the-same-time)Read [](https://ourbodiesourselves.org/blog/i-remember-being-horrified-and-intrigued-at-the-same-time) [](https://ourbodiesourselves.org/blog/i-remember-being-horrified-and-intrigued-at-the-same-time) [## I was hungry for all the things I couldn't name...](https://ourbodiesourselves.org/blog/i-was-hungry-for-all-the-things-i-couldnt-name)Read [](https://ourbodiesourselves.org/blog/i-was-hungry-for-all-the-things-i-couldnt-name) [](https://ourbodiesourselves.org/blog/i-was-hungry-for-all-the-things-i-couldnt-name) [## The flood of relief I felt at that moment, and the power that came from the sense of not being alone, really did change my life ...](https://ourbodiesourselves.org/blog/the-power-that-came-from-the-sense-of-not-being-alone-really-did-change-my-life)Read [](https://ourbodiesourselves.org/blog/the-power-that-came-from-the-sense-of-not-being-alone-really-did-change-my-life) [](https://ourbodiesourselves.org/blog/the-power-that-came-from-the-sense-of-not-being-alone-really-did-change-my-life) [## OBOS was my midwife -- always informative, always encouraging me to hear and express my own voice ...](https://ourbodiesourselves.org/blog/obos-was-my-midwife-always-informative-always-encouraging-me-to-hear-and-express-my-own-voice)Read [](https://ourbodiesourselves.org/blog/obos-was-my-midwife-always-informative-always-encouraging-me-to-hear-and-express-my-own-voice) [](https://ourbodiesourselves.org/blog/obos-was-my-midwife-always-informative-always-encouraging-me-to-hear-and-express-my-own-voice) [## Midwives are the guardians of normal and natural birth ...](https://ourbodiesourselves.org/blog/midwives-are-the-guardians-of-normal-and-natural-birth)Read [](https://ourbodiesourselves.org/blog/midwives-are-the-guardians-of-normal-and-natural-birth) [](https://ourbodiesourselves.org/blog/midwives-are-the-guardians-of-normal-and-natural-birth) [## Wonderful for young women then and now...](https://ourbodiesourselves.org/blog/wonderful-for-young-women-then-and-now)Read [](https://ourbodiesourselves.org/blog/wonderful-for-young-women-then-and-now) [](https://ourbodiesourselves.org/blog/wonderful-for-young-women-then-and-now) [## It reminds me to trust my body...](https://ourbodiesourselves.org/blog/it-reminds-me-to-trust-my-body)Read [](https://ourbodiesourselves.org/blog/it-reminds-me-to-trust-my-body) [](https://ourbodiesourselves.org/blog/it-reminds-me-to-trust-my-body) [## Relying on "Our Bodies, Ourselves" to Educate Students -- and Himself](https://ourbodiesourselves.org/blog/relying-on-our-bodies-ourselves-to-educate-students-and-himself)Read [](https://ourbodiesourselves.org/blog/relying-on-our-bodies-ourselves-to-educate-students-and-himself) [](https://ourbodiesourselves.org/blog/relying-on-our-bodies-ourselves-to-educate-students-and-himself) [## A tool at my fingertips](https://ourbodiesourselves.org/blog/a-tool-at-my-fingertips)Read [](https://ourbodiesourselves.org/blog/a-tool-at-my-fingertips) [](https://ourbodiesourselves.org/blog/a-tool-at-my-fingertips) [## A wonderful resource for women](https://ourbodiesourselves.org/blog/a-wonderful-resource-for-women)Read [](https://ourbodiesourselves.org/blog/a-wonderful-resource-for-women) [](https://ourbodiesourselves.org/blog/a-wonderful-resource-for-women) [## Timely information to women](https://ourbodiesourselves.org/blog/timely-information-to-women)Read [](https://ourbodiesourselves.org/blog/timely-information-to-women) [](https://ourbodiesourselves.org/blog/timely-information-to-women) [## the book that finally answered so many questions](https://ourbodiesourselves.org/blog/the-book-that-finally-answered-so-many-questions)Read [](https://ourbodiesourselves.org/blog/the-book-that-finally-answered-so-many-questions) [](https://ourbodiesourselves.org/blog/the-book-that-finally-answered-so-many-questions) [## An amazing resource to have...](https://ourbodiesourselves.org/blog/an-amazing-resource-to-have)Read [](https://ourbodiesourselves.org/blog/an-amazing-resource-to-have) [](https://ourbodiesourselves.org/blog/an-amazing-resource-to-have) [## 40 years of making a difference](https://ourbodiesourselves.org/blog/40-years-of-making-a-difference)Read [](https://ourbodiesourselves.org/blog/40-years-of-making-a-difference) [](https://ourbodiesourselves.org/blog/40-years-of-making-a-difference) ![](/assets/img/monogram.webp)### *Why You Can* **Trust Us** - We rigorously evaluate all content - We embrace a reproductive justice framework - We don’t accept ads or sell products - We reject funding from the pharmaceutical industry - We counter misinformation and disinformation - We address the social, political, and economic factors that affect health and sexuality [read more](https://ourbodiesourselves.org/why-you-can-trust-us) Share [](javascript:void();)[](javascript:void();)[](javascript:void();)[](javascript:void();)