Dispelling the common notion that American women became activists
in the fight against female cancer only after the 1970s, Kirsten E.
Gardner traces women's cancer education campaigns back to the early
twentieth century. Focusing on breast cancer, but using research on
cervical, ovarian, and uterine cancers as well, Gardner's
examination of films, publications, health fairs, and archival
materials shows that women have promoted early cancer detection
since the inception of the American Society for the Control of
Cancer in 1913. While informing female audiences about cancer
risks, these early activists also laid the groundwork for the
political advocacy and patient empowerment movements of recent
decades.
By the 1930s there were 300,000 members of the Women's Field Army
working together with women's clubs. They held explicit discussions
about the risks, detection, and incidence of cancer and, by
mid-century, were offering advice about routine breast self-exams
and annual Pap smears. The feminist health movement of the 1970s,
Gardner explains, heralded a departure for female involvement in
women's health activism. As before, women encouraged early
detection, but they simultaneously demanded increased attention to
gender and medical research, patient experiences, and causal
factors. Our understanding of today's vibrant feminist health
movement is enriched by Gardner's work recognizing women's roles in
grassroots educational programs throughout the twentieth century
and their creation of supportive networks that endure today.