BEYOND THE REPRODUCTIVE BODY

Exploring the intersection of women's health and labor in early Victorian England, the book delves into how societal perceptions framed women's work as a public health issue. Officials believed that gainful employment could jeopardize women's reproductive capabilities, creating a conflict between the expectations of domesticity and the necessity of work for economic independence. Through medical case narratives, it reveals how poor women navigated these contradictory societal norms, challenging the notion of the female body as inherently limited.