Under Wraps - by Sharra L Vostral (Paperback)

About the Book

This book examines the social and technological history of sanitary napkins and tampons through the lens of passing, and the effects of technology upon women's experiences of menstruation. These ubiquitous yet invisible technologies provide women with the means to hide their p...

Book Synopsis

This book examines the social and technological history of sanitary napkins and tampons through the lens of passing, and the effects of technology upon women's experiences of menstruation. These ubiquitous yet invisible technologies provide women with the means to hide their periods, but the history of embedded politics in menstrual technologies reveals that they can be used both as artifacts of control and empowering tools of change.

Review Quotes

Under Wraps is a valuable addition to our understanding of gender, technology, and consumer culture.

In this influential book, Vostral tackles what is often viewed as a taboo subject....Written with academic rigor and filled with keen insights....Under Wraps is a fascinating book to read. It provides a detailed history of an often overlooked aspect of the social history of American women.

While other writers have discussed the hidden nature of the menstrual process, none, to my knowledge, have used the analogy of passing with such consistency like Vostral has.

About the Author

Sharra L. Vostral is associate professor of gender and women's studies and history at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign.