Vagina Problems: Endometriosis, Painful Sex, and Other Taboo Topics by Lara Parker
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I didn’t realize the author was the woman who made videos for Buzzfeed about Endo and other Vagina Problems a few years back. Then, I actually learned a lot about these sorts of issues from her content (though at times I did think she was over-exaggerating). Reading this book not only clarifies a lot of her past content but also made me feel better that mine is clearly not as severe as hers, while also giving me the relief of knowing I’m not alone.
There are times in Vagina Problems where Parker can come off as whiny or harsh toward those who are not suffering from chronic illness(es), but she’s very upfront and acknowledges when she’s being mean or overly sensitive, which makes her relatable as well as come across as earnest. Parker also frequently admits she’s had a life of privilege that’s allowed her access to resources others (like myself) are not so lucky to have available.
While Parker doesn’t really offer any solutions because, well, there are none, she also admits that this book wasn’t for helping you medically. Rather, she wanted to give you an introduction to a community that you may or may not know is out there. She’s offering you permission (and is clear that we never should have needed that permission) to talk about Vagina Problems and refuse to accept whatever pills or half-remedies doctors throw at us when they bother to believe our pain is real.
The biggest thing that kept this from being a five-star read was the repetitiveness. I felt some chapters were repeating the same information over and over, and the book could have stood a few page cuts or more content to warrant repetition from chapter to chapter. Still, Vagina Problems was an interesting, if not frustratingly relatable, read, and one I recommend to anyone with any one or combo of Vagina Problems.
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