Sexy But Psycho: How the Patriarchy Uses Women’s Trauma Against Them

by Jessica Taylor

Angry, opinionated, mouthy, aggressive, hysterical, mad, disordered, crazy, psycho, delusional, borderline, hormonal . . . Women have long been pathologized, locked up and medicated for not conforming to whichever norms or stereotypes are expected of them in that time and space. Sexy But Psycho is a challenging and uncomfortable book which seeks to explore the way professionals and society at large pathologize and sexualise women and girls.

Utilising decades of research, real case studies and new data from her own work, Dr Taylor's book will critically analyse the way we label women with personality disorders. Why are women and girls pathologized for being angry about oppression and abuse? How have so many women been duped into believing that they are mentally ill, for having normal and natural reactions to their experiences? Sexy But Psycho argues that there is a specific purpose to convincing women and girls that they are mentally ill, as the world avoids addressing violence against women and their centuries of ignored trauma.

Genres: Feminism, Nonfiction, Psychology, Mental Health, Womens, Science, Health

368 pages, Kindle Edition

First published March 3, 2022

About the author

Chartered Psychologist | Sunday Times Bestselling Author |

Director of VictimFocus | Speaker | Researcher

Alma mater: University of Birmingham (PhD) and The Open University (BSc)

Reviews

[Pandora · Rating 1 out of 5]

This is the white feminism equivalent of "you just need to get better sleep hygiene and vitamin C".
"Doctor" Jessica Taylor - have a Google of her interactions with people - has jumped onto the paranoia felt by privileged women and declared that all cishet women are indeed "psycho" because men.
I'm no fan of patriarchy, I'm a Gen X feminist, but that's just to reductive a claim to make. Class, race, sexuality, gender, socio-cultural norms etc etc - not *just* "being a cis woman" - are just some of the issues that contribute to our mental health crisis.
Add in the medication-shaming - the author isn't a medical doctor - and this is book is a disservice to everyone experiencing mental health issues, including women. Trauma is a huge part of a lot of people's lives - including mine; a lot, but not all, from cishet men - that doesn't mean we're doomed to be miserable and sick forever. I'll help trash the conservative oligarchy while continuing to take my medication, instead of taking advice from a medical unprofessional who's, a) acted unethically with her clients, b) decided to jump on the UK transphobia bandwagon and c) generally exploit the mental health community for clout.

[Ieva · Rating 3 out of 5]

I gave it three stars not because it was mediocre book, but because it was both horrible and great, at the same time. Let’s to step by step.

Things I loved:
* The overall argument about the need to have a more trauma-informed approach, and that, in comparison to the medical diagnosis-prone approaches, it is more humanising, ethical, and effective. Diagnoses are shortcuts that might be neither useful, nor efficient. Medications aren’t cure-alls.
* The inclusion of personal stories; they are weaved in very interestingly into the narrative (albeit sometimes quite repetitive). Statistics are great, but they dehumanise. This is not a topic you want to dehumanise.
* A more systemic approach, looking at how centuries of history have framed our current psychiatric system, rather than simply blaming the people working in the system. She’s right; they weren’t taught alternatives and they’re oft punished for looking for them.
* A push to be more critical of mental health professionals; to trust yourself when it comes to your emotions. There are great experts in mental health, but just because one has a title of psychiatry doesn’t mean one’s part of the good ones.
* A nuanced argument around CBT (cognitive behavioural therapy), ie that it is good for some things (eg fear of heights) and horrible for others (eg years and years of complex trauma). I have long been very skeptical of CBT approaches and it’s interesting to be presented with a view that is both contextualized and actually makes sense.

Things I hated:
* Trans-erasure. Why? Like, really, why? Not only did the erasure (sometimes even blatant denial) of trans experiences weaken her argument, but more importantly, it was unethical, angering, and very unfeminist. Was really close to giving it 1* just for this.
* The overly strong dichotomy of “women = victims” and “men = perpetrators”. Not only can women be just as strong in perpetuating misogynistic systems, but men’s experiences in this book were much too often undermined or disregarded. She was all too quick to denote the mis-diagnoses of men as extensions of women being pathologised. How different is that to seeing women as derivations from men, really? This book could’ve really used a chapter on how the system might also victimize men.
* An overfocus on sexual abuse. Yes, that’s a VERY important topic, but it leads one to simplify the plethora of stressors and traumas that women can experience. What about poverty? Childhood neglect? Early deaths of family members? There are so many possible traumas and this book could have really benefited from taking a more extensive look at them, rather than simply defaulting only and solely to sexual violence.
* An unwillingness to see any benefits to the medical model or medication. Medications can be a great tool to manage excessive symptoms during trauma flashbacks or immediate post-trauma responses. They won’t cure, but they can help you heal.
* On the same note, even though I was reading this book with an open heart and mind, I still disagree that no mental health disorders exist. Maybe it’s me being defensive, sure, but I don’t think the author sufficiently proved that issues like schizophrenia or bipolar disorder do not exist, and that they’re completely natural. That might also be because she conveniently avoided the two + avoided talking about male experiences, which could’ve helped her push her argument forward, but what do I know :)))

Overall, it’s an interesting read. It challenges you in almost every page, opens your eyes to the world of psychiatric denial and overly quick diagnosing, and also introduces topics you might have not known existed in real life (eg satanic ritual abuse). But also, take it with a grain of salt. Be open but critical; she also takes shortcuts sometimes.

[Vee 27 · Rating 1 out of 5]

Unethically using stories in your book that women have told you without their consent isn't feminism, no matter how working class you are.

Under researched, under theorised and overly ambitious.

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I devoured this book. Taylor provides the roadmap for the Revolution. It’s the first book I’ve seen that addresses this horrific phenomenon head-on. Millions of women and girls will benefit by what she has set in motion here. Kudos to the author for speaking truth to power and liberating so many from this worldwide misunderstanding and oppression.

[Lynne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Is psychiatry really just ‘patriarchy with a prescription pad’? When I started reading Sexy But Psycho I thought this was perhaps a bold claim but Dr Taylor is able, emphatically and decisively, to demonstrate that this is far more than a ‘claim’. It is a distressing, disturbing and uncomfortable read, but a very important and enlightening one nonetheless. On the one hand it might be seen as an alarming exposé and yet, is it anything more than a nudge to alert us to what many of us have known, or at least suspected, for quite some time?
Aside from the case studies and contributors stories, one of the more disturbing elements (for me) was recognition of how easy it is to slip into pathologisation, victim-blaming and self-blaming of and by ourselves, unintentionally and unnoticed, because we’re so indoctrinated and conditioned to accept the medical model of psychiatry.
Dr Taylor demonstrates how double-standards, gaslighting and self-referential arguments are rife and how the very ‘labels’ that are used to discredit and stigmatise women are simultaneously used to excuse men. She reminds us that not everything that is uncomfortable or unpleasant is a disease to be diagnosed and medicated and that difficult human experiences and emotions can be best addressed and supported by humans. I wholeheartedly hope that this book is not just ‘preaching to the converted’ but will be a dynamic catalyst for change.

[Sabra Thomas · Rating 1 out of 5]

Don't abuse the trust of traumatized women to sell a book about how much the psychiatric system traumatizes women. You'd think that'd be an incredibly simple no-brainer, and yet.

https://twitter.com/sallyann98745/sta...

[Becca · Rating 2 out of 5]

Disappointed by the transphobia and trans erasure by the author. Of which I didn't know about until after I'd purchased the book. There's some really interesting points in this book, but the silencing of non-binary and trans people is deafening.

I'm honestly not sure how to rate this.

[Ashley · Rating 1 out of 5]

If I could give this zero stars I would. I'd heard the mixed reviews and decided to read it for myself (thankfully I found a free download). This book is so extremely damaging and is not the world changer the author thinks it is. Do I agree that the way women are treated within psychology can be misogynistic? Absolutely. Do I believe mental illness is fake and everything is only caused by trauma? Absolutely not. The constant denying of certain disorders (especially Bipolar and BPD) and medication is extremely ableist. Not only that, but there are just blatant lies written. At one point the author tries to link the addition of MRI and neuropsychology to the exploitation of women. However, she never explains how she got to that point. Also, brain scans show how trauma literally changes the brain, yet Taylor never mentions that because it doesn't fit her narrative. The transphobia is also appalling. At one point she suggests that transitioning only happens because of trauma. Many trans men and women would disagree. Not to mention the misgendering of Demi Lovato. When talking about post partum depression, Taylor also neglects to discuss the fact that this dip in mood and increase in suicidal ideation is caused by hormones. Instead she only talks about abuse. I also question the consent of the subjects within the book, especially in instances in chapter 7 when the author mentions a young a&e patient while Taylor was ALSO a patient. Not to mention the women who have come forward stating they never gave consent to be featured. Lastly, if the mental illness in women is fake and only caused by abuse and patriarchy, then why do the same issues exist in men?? Overall it's poorly researched and poorly written and should not be taken as truth.

Edit: forgot to mention the author self publishes which means there is no peer review going on

[Colleen Chung · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was the book I needed a year ago when it seemed like everyone from friends to doctors and psychiatrists was hellbent on labeling me with a personality disorder. It reconfirmed my thoughts all along that there was nothing inherently wrong with me, that I am simply but a product of a society that has sought to objectify, sexualize, control, and violate women from time immemorial, and that my rebellion against this was perfectly normal and rational. I like what Dr. Taylor had to say about this: “Knowing that women and girls exist in a patriarchy where they are likely to be subjected to traumas and violations over and over, and then convincing them that their natural and rational reactions are mental health issues, psychoses, and personality disorders is one of the most insulting, insidious, and powerful forms of victim blaming of women that has ever been developed and maintained.” This was such a powerful read sprinkled with amazing gems about the court system and the myth of adverse childhood experiences, and should be a must-read for students of psychology/psychiatry interested in the sociohistorical context from which they practice. It is time that we as a society actually give a shit about women and the trauma and harms that comes with being a woman instead of labeling us as crazy, hysterical, borderline, psychotic, etc. Nope, we are none of those; we’ve just had enough of your misogynistic BS.

[Helen Morgan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was the really difficult read, not because of writing style or wording, but because the subject matter is truly upsetting. That's the point though. It's a very thought provoking read. I would definitely recommend. And, like any competent academic, Dr Taylor sites all research, which would allow any reader that was so inclined to see her evidence and research trail. Give this book a chance. It will make you want to cry, but it will also make you think.

[Alex · Rating 2 out of 5]

The plural of anecdote is not data, and “challenging to read” =/= radical truth. Knowing those two things, the bulk of Sexy but Psycho’s worth is already nullified.

It’s true that many of the responses we’ve pathologised into symptoms of mental illness are actually natural and rational reactions to trauma and distress, and it’s true that diagnoses of these mental illnesses are, too often, used to undermine, discredit, discriminate against, and section those diagnosed with them - disproportionately, women.

It is not true - or, at least, Jessica Taylor has failed to convince me - that no mental illness exists at all. It’s one thing to posit that feelings of depression, anxiety, flashbacks, hyper-vigilance, social withdrawal, and fear are normal responses to horrific abuse. It’s another to put schizophrenia in quotation marks and then refuse to elaborate further.

She has also failed to convince me that there are no cases in which medical intervention is helpful or necessary; ironically, I could provide plenty of anecdotes which would fully support their use. Her failure lies in the fact that these statements, while being the logical conclusions of her arguments, are also entirely outside of the scope of this book, which was overambitious and under-researched, drawing laughable conclusions from valid questions, the worst kind of pop psychology.

Sexy but Psycho gets a 2.5 for already having launched some important conversations, and for challenging accepted notions of pathology and psychiatry. Its use beyond being provocative, however, is extremely limited.

[A M · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love Dr. Taylor and love this book.

“I do not believe that women and girls who begin to behave, think or feel differently after they have been subjected to male violence are ill, disordered, problematic or abnormal at all. Instead, I would argue that it is completely natural and normal to be distressed, traumatised and changed by these crimes against them.”

“If a girl is abused and neglected, wouldn’t it be completely normal for her to be traumatised by that? Wouldn't her nightmares or fears or anger be totally normal? Wouldn't it be abnormal for her not to be affected? Psychiatry relies on the framing of normal trauma responses as abnormal or disordered thinking and behaviour.”

“When girls are growing up in a misogynistic society that frequently sexualises, objectifies, traumatises, patronises, feminises and vilifies them - a trauma-informed perspective would clearly argue that it is rational for girls to wish to escape femininity, and their female bodies. It would make sense that they would feel safer if they presented to the world as non-binary or masculine. Therefore, there is much evidence to suggest that a girl or woman seeking to live as non-binary or masculine does not constitute a psychiatric disorder. It does, however, suggest that girls are traumatised, looking for an escape hatch from the patriarchal norms which govern them, and place great value on non-binary, non-feminine and pro-masculine roles and presentations”

“There has been a clear path from being castigated as a witch, to being labelled as crazy, to the modern-
day diagnosis as a woman or girl with a personality disorder.”

“I was managing a rape centre back in 2013 when it became apparent to me that almost every woman on our caseload and waiting list had been told that she had borderline personality disorder within months of disclosing or reporting sexual violence.”

“Professionals working on these cases will know how mental health is often used against girls and women to completely derail their experiences. Their disclosures will be ignored or written up as fantasy. Their injuries will be recorded as self-inflicted. Their fear will be diagnosed as anxiety disorder. Their sadness will be diagnosed as depressive disorders and mood disorders. Their trauma will be diagnosed as a disordered personality.”

“What is interesting about the quick and easy accusation of ‘delusions' is how quick and easy it really is. Once said, it is for the woman to prove that she is not delusional. How do you prove you are not delusional?”

“Whilst vital research into endometriosis receives little to no resource or funding, here were funded academics writing about how sexy women are with a painful disease, and whether men were getting enough sex from women who were struggling with chronic pain from endometriosis.”

“Half of women will receive a psychiatric diagnosis before being diagnosed correctly with an autoimmune condition.”

[Sophisticated Trash · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was so excited to order and receive this book and, when I began reading it, almost tore through the pages. The writing is very engaging and emotionally charged; it hits you right in the gut and stokes flames of outrage and the desire to help fight a deeply flawed system. The more I read, however, the more skeptical I became.

Here's the thing: the idea that psychiatry as a patriarchal institution that is actively misogynist - and is also andro- and Eurocentric - is not novel. This is a not a new premise and this book offers no new insights. It is, however, presented by the author as somehow revolutionary. Taylor is not the first to put these concepts together, but her writing style is provocative and inflammatory ... and I really enjoy it. Her prose is charged and effective.

That said, it's fairly obvious why this isn't an academic publication. There is a reference list at the end of the book and a few studies cited throughout, but not enough to buttress her arguments. There is no separate works cited or even an annotated bibliography.

The book is centered almost exclusively on the author's own research conducted by her at her institute - fine, but that means there is no oversight or peer-review. Outside of limited sources narrowed in scope, the evidence presented is primarily anecdotal or self-reported. I personally believe that victims rarely lie, so I accept the accounts as they are given; however, had I realized this prior to purchasing, I most likely would have sought out a library copy. This book is a collection of disclosures by victims who were then further traumatized by an archaic system that often doesn't know how or care to help them.

Further, it is worth noting that the author is not a clinical psychologist, but a forensic psychologist who earned her doctorate in a research track. It might not matter to everyone, but it does to me. The author is not a clinician and has not been in practice as such. Therefore, when she denounces completely the idea of mental illness - which she does; she is an absolutist - as having no genetic basis and all completely induced by trauma, I find this dangerous.

Do I believe that psychiatry has actively overmedicated and pathologized women for the sole purpose of shutting them up? I do, absolutely. I also believe psychiatry, as an institution, was conceived with the idea of white supremacy. Again, these are not new ideas. Yes, women are disproportionately diagnosed with BPD and bipolar disorder, but men are also diagnosed with these disorders, yet the author does not comment on such cases. Further, her assertion that all mental health issues stem from trauma, primarily sexual trauma, just isn't supportable. She rails against the idea of neurotransmitter chemical imbalances, arguing there is no medical test that can prove such a hypothesis. Likewise, there is no proof she can offer that all mental illness is the result of childhood trauma.

I do not believe that all mental diagnoses are claptrap and psychopharmalogical intervention is equivalent to malfeasance. What concerns me are the people who might read this and feel unseen or abandoned by the systems and professionals meant to protect and aid them, and stop taking their medication(s) without supervision. The author displays little to no understanding of pharmacokinetics, and her assertion that these medications are unnecessary (and her denial that they can be life-saving) is alarming.

I was about three-quarters through the book when I decided I needed to learn more about the author, as I was becoming more concerned by her blanket declarations that had absolutely no evidentiary support. I suggest a Google search, as there's a lot that will turn up, including accusations of former clients/patients who claim their stories were used without consent for the author's profit. She sends her large social media following after those who merely question her observations. She makes unfounded, absolutist claims and, when challenged, complains about being the victim of misogyny and homophobia. I'm not saying she hasn't been, but you can't claim those as excuses because your mouth wrote checks your research can't cash.

I wanted to give this one-star, and I probably should have, but the style is engaging and the topics raised are important. I hope this book spurs conversation, but for the right reasons. Alas, I believe all the research into the author and her methodologies will preclude the important and urgent arguments she was attempting to put forward.

[Gabrielė Bužinskaitė · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was reluctant to read this book because of the title. Blaming patriarchy for women's psychiatric issues signals a politically motivated view, which I try to avoid in topics like these. However, my curiosity won over, and I dwelled on it.

From one standpoint, society does blame women for issues men cause. For example, the fact that women are ridiculed for "daddy issues." Why are young women mocked and shamed for the damage their fathers caused by abandoning or mistreating them? Also, single mothers receive a lot of hate for their position when they are the parent who stays. How about the one who flees from responsibility? More so, for OnlyFans, women are blamed for pursuing it, yet no one seems to blame men for consuming it and creating the massive demand it has.

However, her argument is overblown. She says that most women's issues are caused by the trauma of living in a sexist, patriarchal society and being drugged and misdiagnosed in a men-dominated psychiatric system. She also claims mental illnesses do not exist, only different ways we react to said trauma. To prove her standpoint, she needed to offer much more evidence than she did.

Nonetheless, it was an exciting and mind-stimulating read with some chilling statistics. I only wish the author was less politically biased in discussing women's medical issues. There is never a scapegoat for problems so complex and profound.

[Terezia · Rating 2 out of 5]

Problematic aspects: understanding of trans-people, simplifying/misinterpreting the motives for transition, not addressing DV/SV in people with diagnosis which might require lifelong "psychiatric" medication e.g. schizophrenia, or people with complex, more severe disabilities, lack of dept of explanation of rejection of the medical model of mental health conditions

[bookaholic_.pl · Rating 5 out of 5]

„Tak więc kobieta, która doznała, staje się problemem społecznym.”
Kiedy zobaczyłam tę książkę, tytuł mnie ogromnie zaintrygował. To pozycja przedstawiająca nieopisaną i ukrytą historię traktowania kobiet — o systemie, który etykietuje je jako „szalone” i „psychiczne”.
„Cho­ciaż obec­nie rzad­ko się o tym wspo­mi­na, hi­sto­ria psy­chia­trii, psy­cho­lo­gii i teo­rii zdro­wia psy­chicz­ne­go prze­po­jo­na jest za­ja­dłym ra­si­zmem. Czar­ne ko­bie­ty i czar­nych męż­czyzn czę­sto za­my­ka­no w za­kła­dach dla obłą­ka­nych, gdzie przez dzie­się­cio­le­cia drę­czo­no ich i prze­pro­wa­dza­no na nich eks­pe­ry­men­ty.”
Dowiedziałam się wielu interesujących, mrocznych rzeczy z zakresu psychiatrii — to może szokować. Sama byłam w szoku. W książce opisane są też historie wielu znanych kobiet, m.in. Carrie Fisher, Seleny Gomez, Miley Cyrus, Amy Winehouse, Demi Lovato i Peaches Geldof. Dr Jessica Taylor twierdzi, że feminizm i psychiatria nie idą w parze, ponieważ diagnozy psychiatryczne nie sprzyjają prawom i wyzwoleniu kobiet. Po lekturze i przetrawieniu informacji, o których wcześniej nie wiedziałam, uważam, że coś w tym jest. Oczywiście każdy ma własne zdanie. Nie wiem, co jeszcze mogę dodać — z pewnością to, że dawno nie byłam aż tak zszokowana czytając literaturę faktu.
Po raz kolejny trafiłam na non‑fiction, która mnie nie zawiodła. Wkrótce wrzucę na TikToka filmik z kolejnymi poleceniami.

[Monalisa · Rating 1 out of 5]

This author had used survivors’ stories without their consent. She is also doxxing them on Twitter. https://mobile.twitter.com/sallyann98...

[Gg · Rating 1 out of 5]

read a good chunk of this and it WAS interesting until the author started making transphobic comments. should’ve read the reviews before I started, but once I noticed it I couldn’t keep reading. a shame because some useful points are made about misogyny, racism, and homophobia in psychiatry, but this (queer!!) author seems to believe that trans men shouldn’t receive gender affirming medication as they’re only transitioning to escape misogyny (famously so much harder to deal with than ..transphobia??)

[Eva Allen · Rating 1 out of 5]

"by the end of this book. I will have changed the way you see girls and women's mental health forever".

At the end and it's couple of studies of individuals experiences which you'd find in a magazine like NOW.

[Lisa Clague · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a game changer for anyone working with women and girls. Absolutely would recommend to challenge your own thinking.

[Izzy · Rating 1 out of 5]

Misogyny in psychiatry is such an important, fascinating, and very real issue, it’s a shame Taylor decided to discuss it in such an under-researched and misleading (not to mention incredibly transphobic) way.

For a book bent on informing readers about the issue, it utilised misleading information and a collection of anecdotes intended to “exhaust” (p.319) the reader with evidence disproving the entire existence of mental health disorders. Not an exaggeration, as the author is “definitely denying” and “invalidating the.. psychiatric diagnoses” (p. 241) of everyone. Breaking this down, I had two issues with the way the author presented information: evidence seemed required for content she disagreed with, but her generalisations and under-researched theories did not necessitate any, and also her twisting of information in a very misleading way.

Misleading information:
A great example of misleading information is when Taylor states that “mental health issues are genetic” is a complete “myth”, as “no single gene [has been] proven to be connected to any neurological or psychological issue” (p.18). Well, yeah, there’s no 1:1 gene:mental health disorder connection, but that doesn’t imply that there is no genetic, epigenetic, or inherited component to mental health at all? Directionality is missing here- for example, looking at the 11 variants of the CNTNAP2 gene found originally in humans to reliably produce ASD symptomatology*; this doesn’t mean that it’s the only contributing factor, or the contributing factor for everyone with ASD… or is that not the type of research someone with a doctorate in forensic psychology looks at? Anyway, very misleading statement to make!

Generalisation and anecdotal evidence:
For a book about thinking critically about the realm of psychiatry, it was very comfortable assuming the verity of the author’s sweeping statements and theories. An example of this is when she states that PMDD (premenstrual dysphoric disorder) “does not exist” as it’s “created” by psychiatrists intent on “pathologising the menstrual cycle” (p. 158). Or, another favourite of mine was when the author suggests that the rise in identified trans men is because “girls are traumatised, looking for an escape hatch from the patriarchal norms” (p.53). Huh?? Did you ask every single one of them?

Anyway, very interesting and important topic! But I found it hard to appreciate the author’s good points because of the seemingly weaponised transmission of information and opinions. Let’s be feminist by sharing balanced information, not invalidating people’s mental health (by assuming EVERYONE has trauma and would benefit from coming off medication), and certainly by not tearing trans people down!

* https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles...

[Cal Davie · Rating 1 out of 5]

Certainly a dynamic book.

Hard for anyone to agree fully with Taylor, but she raises important issues for the negative impact of psychiatry on women. It's unfortunate that she sees things through the lens of some kind of "patriarchy", which leads her naturally to an array of errors in misunderstanding causes of issues she raises. In saying that "negative elements of psychiatry that specifically impact women" isn't as sexy a title, and doesn't lend itself to as big controversial complaints.

The book is interesting and worth reading, especially with criticisms of the over-diagnosis of BPD amongst women, and the history of psychiatry's uncomfortable sexist past. It raises many conceptual issues within the mental illness debate which are worth considering. However Dr. Taylor is a little bit too extreme in her opinions in both her militant feminism and antipsychiatry.

[Kate]

I don’t feel comfortable going this book a star rating because of the transphobia in here

The author thinks that you trans men/boys are actually girls that are traumatized from the experience of girlhood and male violence.
She also repeatedly misgenders Demi Lovato who is non binary and refers to them as she/her multiple times despite this book being published long after their coming out.

There is also a huge erasure of racism and misogynoir in psychiatry. These are barely given five pages out of an almost 400 page book. She heavily centers white women and uses intersectionality as an add-on rather than a tool of analyzing the oppression and misogyny In psychiatry and psychology.

She also used many women’s stories of the sexual abuse and male violence that they have been subjected to without their consent.

[Ruth Wilkinson · Rating 1 out of 5]

I should have looked up the author a bit more. I don't disagree with some of what she argues. I do think sexist trauma is mis diagnosed as mental health issues. However, this author seems to state that actual mental health issues can only be seen in this way. I think this is an unhealthy and dangerous view to put into the world. I also did not like the views on why someone may be trans. Seems to me she has her experience (which is definitely true for many other women), but then has extrapolated it to the degree whereby actual mental health disorders don't exist, and anything outside of her own experience isn't real.

[sarah · Rating 2 out of 5]

I have a few things to say about this book.
First of all, I want to be clear: I largely agree with what the author is trying to do and with the broader political and ethical intentions behind her work. I can also imagine that this book may be genuinely helpful and validating for many readers. That said, as a fellow professional, I found it to be a frustrating read.

Now let me take this step by step.

JT opens her book by claiming that there are "only a handful of people on this Earth" who truly understand the relationship between psychiatry and patriarchy. That is a bold assumption to make - especially given how much emphasis she later places on the importance of assuming positive intent. Beginning a book this way is almost guaranteed to provoke reactance in readers, particularly among psychosocial professionals.

The foreword alone nearly extinguished any desire I had to continue reading, as JT presents herself as though she has reinvented the wheel. The idea that psychiatry functions as an instrument of patriarchy and is used to oppress women and girls (among others) is *not new*.

In Chapter One, JT addresses common myths surrounding mental illness. Much of what she says is accurate; what troubled me, however, was the complete absence of any reference to the epigenetic transmission of trauma. It gives the impression that JT selectively cites literature that supports her argument while conveniently omitting everything else. For someone with a PhD like herself, this is deeply disappointing, and poor scholarly practice.

Chapter Two was probably the chapter in which she lost me the least - until she became blatantly transphobic. She frames desire for transition as trauma-based and consistently misgenders people by referring to them according to their sex assigned at birth.

In Chapter Four, she discusses various psychiatric diagnoses, including borderline personality disorder. While I agree with many of the points she makes about how harmful this diagnosis can be and how much of a trash can of a diagnosis it is, the leap she then makes toward a wholesale rejection of personality diagnostics is so far-fetched that I simply cannot follow it. For someone with a PhD in psychology to ignore the very real existence of stable personality traits is negligent, and sadly it significantly undermines the argument she is attempting to make.
She then turns to attachment disorders and argues that they do not exist. On page 99, she poses a series of questions (to herself? to the reader?) while citing Bowlby’s work from 1969 (!). Where is the attachment research published since Bowlby? Has nothing new been published since him? (Spoiler: Yes, there has.) Every single question she raises - as though she were the first to think of them - has been addressed in attachment research since the 1970s. Literally all of them.
On page 99, she also writes that traumatized girls and women have the right to distrust professionals, and that this distrust is even valuable because it helped them survive. Fine. But do these girls and women then have no right to healing? No right to trust?
She completely lost me on page 101, where she claims that trauma does not cause psychiatric issues, does not lead to personality changes, and is not responsible for attachment disorders. Yes, is does and yes, it is.
It is such a shame that she fails so spectacularly at tying this together. Trauma is indeed responsible for these phenomena - and just because she argues that trauma underlies all mental illness does not mean that trauma is not causally implicated. The point she is trying to make (that the way we treat traumatized people is deeply flawed and often leads to stigma and violence) is completely lost here, and her assumptions are simply untrue.

I skipped most of the remainder of the book and continued with the final chapter and epilogue, in which she argues that it would be beneficial for professionals to sometimes tell their clients that they themselves are not doing well, that they are not perfect. No, it is not appropriate for me to burden my clients with my own emotional state. I understand the point she is trying to make here—that such disclosures might challenge hierarchies of knowledge, competence, and authority - but she articulates this point so poorly that it becomes almost unrecognizable.
In the final chapter, she also offers examples of how assuming positive intent within teams working with clients holds far more potential than assuming negative intent - while doing nothing but assuming negative intent throughout the entirety of this book??

In summary, my impression is that the book’s foundation is not only insufficiently researched in key areas, but that its arguments are also presented in a way that lacks coherence and internal consistency. The author repeatedly implies that psychosocial professionals are broadly committed to the medical model and unfamiliar with trauma-informed approaches. While this may be true for certain schools - behaviour therapy, for instance - it does not hold as a general claim.
Entire traditions within psychology and psychotherapy, most notably the Rogerian school, are fundamentally trauma-informed at their core. The vast majority of psychologists and psychotherapists do not work in stigmatizing ways, but rather from trauma-informed perspectives, even if these are sometimes labelled differently. These are distinctions the author should have researched, acknowledged, and clearly named. Instead, the book often reads as though the author has positioned herself above the field, presenting insights she believes to be newly discovered to an audience portrayed as largely uninformed. I found this disheartening. Not only does the book assume a level of novelty that is not warranted, it also suggests a degree of intellectual isolation that does not reflect the realities of contemporary psychosocial practice.

I was deeply disappointed and angered by this book. It felt like a missed opportunity, and I would not recommend it.

[Amelia · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fantastic look into the crossroads of mental health and misogyny, and the ways in which the two meet--and not for the better. From hysteria to BPD, from the transition from asylums to over-medication, Dr. Jessica Taylor offers personal and researched insight into how this facet of the medical institution continues to harm and discredit women.

Though at times repetitive, this book serves to drive home a multitude of points that we have seen so recently played out, such as in Depp v. Heard. After all, are women suffering because of a chemical imbalance, or do women suffer due to the consistent, varied trauma we experience on a regular basis?

[Phoebe Lihou · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an incredible read that presents really important information about how the mental health system has oppressed women throughout history by victim blaming and normalising the fact that trauma occurs rather than normalising the natural responses to traumatic experiences. This book highlights how trauma informed approaches provide a framework that allows people to work through their issues and normalises what responses to trauma look like rather than seeing trauma responses as a symptom to disorders and using the medical model as an intervention which can be more restrictive and damaging than helpful in some circumstances.

I would recommend this book to absolutely anyone but in particular, women seeking mental help and for mental health practitioners.

[Anna Zhuk · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Możesz skończyć czytać tę książkę z poczuciem kompletnego przytłoczenia przykładami, które podałam, albo możesz skończyć czytać tę książkę i poczuć gniew oraz chęć dokonania zmian, które ochronią ciebie, kobiety, które są ci bliskie, a może także tysiące kobiet i dziewczyn w naszym społeczeństwie.”

„Idź i porozmawiaj ze swoimi przyjaciółmi, partnerem, koleżankami, członkami rodziny i dziećmi o ich emocjach, lękach, marzeniach, doświadczeniach i traumach. Przestań chować się przed złożonością ludzkich traum. Przestań mówić, że wszystko u ciebie ok, jeśli nie jest ok. Przestań pytać ludzi, co u nich słychać, i mieć nadzieję, że nie odpowiedzą szczegółowo.”

[Macayla Eberhard · Rating 5 out of 5]

An extremely well written book. Offered new insights into how women’s trauma is synchronously dismissed and used to pathologise. Cried several times due to relatability and shock.

[julia dusza · Rating 3 out of 5]

takie 2,5 nawet ksiazka jest momentami totalnie antynaukowa