Some of the strangest beliefs, however, revolved around some truly outlandish things about women and their bodies.
Many of these beliefs stemmed from superstition and the patriarchal concept of women being naturally inferior to men.
As Pliny believed, a woman on her period is a force to be reckoned with.
The ancient Greek philosopher and scientist, Aristotle, has had a huge impact onWestern philosophy.
While hailed as a great thinker and teacher, his views on women were more than a little problematic.
For a man regarded as a scientist, Aristotle had some pretty unscientific views about women.
According to Aristotle’s social hierarchy, women were ranked higher than slaves, but below men.
InPolitics, the philosopher argued that men are superior as they possess “intellectual virtue in completeness.”
A “wandering uterus.”
For centuries, people believed that a woman’s womb roamed all over her body like a living parasite.
Aristotle used the diagnosis of hysteria to further discredit women.
Women don’t have sexual urges
The idea of hysteria persisted through the Victorian Age.
While men mightindulge their sexual urges, such desires in women were considered to be low class.
Sex was a burden that women were meant to endure, not enjoy.
Such persons are apt to be flat-breasted, or, as we term it, flat-chested."
Devices were marketed to prevent masturbation, and doctors evenperformed clitoridectomieson young girls to prevent the practice.
Clarke recommended that girls receive limited schooling so as not to damage their health or baby-making abilities.
Thankfully, well-educated women took it upon themselves to disprove Clarke’s theories.
It was widely recommended that women avoid “unwholesome” things, lest they deform their developing child.
WhenTampaxwas introduced in the 1930s, many people thought that they shouldn’t be used by young girls.
The main fear of moral conservatives was that inserting a tampon would result in theloss of virginity.
Consumer Reportsreleased an article in the 1940s telling people that it was okay forvirgins to use tampons.
Akin isn’t theonly modern politicianto have expressed that idea.
Women’s brains functionjust as wellas men’s brains.
They are physically smaller on average, but this correlates to body size and has no impact on intelligence.
In modern times, there are still men who believe in this myth.
This particular fertility test was also utilized by the ancient Greeks.
Arecent global studyshowed that three out of four women believe their country has unequal rights.
One in five people still believe that women are inferior to men.
We might live in a more enlightened time, but there is still work to be done.
Renaissance thinkers eventually replaced the debunked myth witheven more ridiculous notions.
In ancient Egypt, menstrual blood wasthought to have healing propertiesand was used in the production of medicines.
It was also used in an ointment which served to protect babies from evil powers.
Thomas Denman, a prominent physician, said that the uterus was prone to “extreme irritability.”
Excess fluid would collect in the body and eventuallybe discharged as menstrual blood.
This theory was used to promote the idea that women’s bodies are biologically inferior to men’s.
Such operations were also performed for the purpose of “controlling psychological disorders.”
Ovariotomies were performed on tens of thousands of women in this time period.
Clitordectomies were also used to treat “disorders” such as nymphomania and epilepsy.
Menstruation, therefore, was “a monthly purging of those evil humours.”
