This was heavy on the facts and a little haphazard on the feminism. I can't really speak to the worries about intersectionality that have been raised by other reviewers: to my mind, Dr. Gunter does acknowledge in the intro to the book that much work and research is needed to meet the needs of trans men and non-binary people when it comes to menopause. I honestly don't know what she could say beyond that. More than that, I was a little put off by how strident the tone grew at times. Don't get me wrong: there's every reason for females (of various ages) to be pissed off, on any number of counts. It seems to me, though, that the constant, low-grade seething is bad for your health.

Personally, I have yet to develop symptoms (of menopause, not feminism: I'm terminal, there) and since I'm the oldest of my siblings, I have few points of reference. It did feel good to read this in a middle-school-sex-ed kind of way: forewarned is forearmed, etc. Her writing style is commendably clear and informative, with the possible exception of the sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG) mnemonic, which eventually drove me up a tree. I also did not realize just how recent the hormone controversy really was, or what its roots were. I sure as heck am not team Dr.Phil's-wife (or Oprah, for that matter, when it comes to making decisions about my health). However, I do recognize that it can be so hard to fully determine where you get data on which to base your choices. I mean, if it can be challenging for OB/GYNs to make those calls, what chance do we mere peons stand?

Long story short: this book gave me a lot to chew on. Mostly, it alerted me to the fact that, as I get longer in the teeth, information-gathering should really become a bigger part of my routine.