---
title: "The Impact of “Our Bodies, Ourselves” on Readers"
date: 2024-04-02T16:53:00-04:00
author: Eva Parker Passalacqua
canonical_url: "https://ourbodiesourselves.org/impact-influence/the-impact-of-our-bodies-ourselves-on-readers"
section: "Impact & Influence"
---
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[Impact & Influence](/impact-influence)# The Impact of “Our Bodies, Ourselves” on Readers

![Marigo2](data:image/png;base64,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)

Over the years, many readers have talked about what "Our Bodies, Ourselves" has meant to them and shared their experiences with the book and its impact on their lives.

They have recalled how they first discovered “Our Bodies, Ourselves” (peeked at their aunt’s copy, found it in a used bookstore…). They described what they learned about periods, sex, and relationships, and how the book helped them to become comfortable with their bodies and sexuality. Some also wrote about how it inspired them to become a physician or midwife, or to take up a political cause.

![1973 OBOS cover](data:image/png;base64,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)

You can read some of these stories in the following places:

- [“Please Include This in Your Book”: Readers Respond to “Our Bodies, Ourselves”](https://ourbodiesourselves.org/media-coverage/please-include-this-in-your-book-readers-respond-to-our-bodies-ourselves). This 2005 paper by sociologist Wendy Kline examines the stories of ordinary women who responded to the 1970s and 1980s editions of “Our Bodies, Ourselves.”
- In 2011, in conjunction with the 40th anniversary of “Our Bodies, Ourselves,” readers submitted their memories and stories. [View these stories on Our Bodies, Our Blog](https://ourbodiesourselves.org/blog?entry=60521&sectionType=blog&blogCategories%5B%5D=1255&title=readers+stories).
- In 2018, upon hearing that Our Bodies Ourselves was cutting back on programs and transitioning to a volunteer-run organization, many people shared their stories about how the book and the work of Our Bodies Ourselves changed their lives. [Scroll down this page](https://ourbodiesourselves.org/blog/a-message-about-the-future-of-our-bodies-ourselves) to read the comments.

![](/assets/img/monogram.webp)More Impact & Influence

- [ Selected Articles about Our Bodies Ourselves](https://ourbodiesourselves.org/selected-articles)
- [ The Impact of “Our Bodies, Ourselves” on Readers](https://ourbodiesourselves.org/impact-influence/the-impact-of-our-bodies-ourselves-on-readers)
- [ “In Amerika They Call Us Dykes”: The Evolution of the Lesbian Chapter in “Our Bodies, Ourselves”](https://ourbodiesourselves.org/impact-influence/in-amerika-they-call-us-dykes-the-evolution-of-the-lesbian-chapter-in-our-bodies-ourselves)
- [ How Our Bodies Ourselves Inspired "Trans Bodies, Trans Selves"](https://ourbodiesourselves.org/impact-influence/how-obos-inspired-trans-bodies-trans-selves)
- [ The History of the Women’s Health Movement](https://ourbodiesourselves.org/impact-influence/the-history-of-the-womens-health-movement)

![](/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)

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