Vagina Problems

September 1, 2020
Embarrassed to talk about Vagina Problems? Parker, who always uppercases the V and the P, is not. The Buzzfeed journalist shares intimate details about her excruciating pelvic pain, and doesn't shy away from profanity when doing so. She laments what she views as the unfortunate message that sex is all about penetration, which is too agonizing for her. This frank story should resonate with the one in 10 women who experience vaginal or pelvic pain in their lifetimes and with the 176 million women worldwide who live with endometriosis. Parker had laparoscopic surgery, which was no panacea. She was then diagnosed with vulvodynia and vaginismus, which also contribute to pain. Don't expect a medical guidebook with resources and studies. Instead, this is meant to provide solace to women who, like Parker, feel that their doctors dismiss their suffering as merely emotional. As she notes, Parker wrote this book because she wishes she had had something like it when she was 19 so she would have known that her painful condition was not rare.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2020, American Library Association.)

July 13, 2020
In this raw debut memoir, Parker, BuzzFeed’s deputy editorial director, discusses her struggles with endometriosis. Parker, who underwent laparoscopic surgery to (unsuccessfully) treat the disease in 2012 at age 21, was also diagnosed with vulvodynia and vaginismus, conditions that make sexual intercourse painful. Parker writes descriptively, “a penis attempting to go inside my vagina feels as if I am being ripped open with a giant chainsaw covered in acid.” In essaylike chapters, Parker addresses the various problems that accompany her affliction: in “Why Won’t Doctors Believe Us?” she exposes the medical profession’s lack of understanding; in another she ponders her love life (“Hi, My Vagina Hurts: Wanna Date?”). Because of her chronic physical pain and excruciating flare-ups, Parker experienced shame, guilt, depression, and isolation, though she eventually learned that there were many ways to engage sexually and enjoy intimacy. Despite Parker’s intense suffering, she infuses her story with humor, as her chapter titles attest (“You Can Still Be a Boss When Your Vagina Hurts”). This candid, well-written memoir resonates as it fixes a spotlight on a host of commonly misunderstood issues.

September 1, 2020

Buzzfeed deputy editorial director Parker lived with chronic pelvic pain during her teenage years before being diagnosed with endometriosis, vaginismus, and other pelvic conditions after many years of misdiagnosis. Since writing for BuzzFeed about her "vagina problems," Parker realized that detailing her own past and continual journey in a book could validate the experiences of other girls and women. Parker fervently hopes that her words will help others going through similar experiences not to feel so alone and adrift. Parker's candid, frank, and raw prose shows the truth of these frustrating health conditions and also demonstrates her frustration toward the gender-biased nature of treatment from the traditional medical community. Chapters explore how to navigate friendships and intimate relationships and working while having a chronic illness. Throughout, Parker acknowledges she has been lucky to have access to health insurance and alternative treatments, and details what has been most helpful in the long run. VERDICT Parker realizes the importance of being your own advocate while journeying through health care systems. Using the author's passion and own experiences, this book empowers readers not to give up. A solid purchase for public and consumer health libraries.--Elizabeth J. Eastwood, Los Alamos, NM

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