THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER
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.
Angry, opinionated, mouthy, aggressive, hysterical, mad, disordered, crazy, psycho, delusional, borderline, hormonal . . .
Women have long been pathologised, medicalised, locked up and medicated for not conforming to social stereotypes.
Why are women who report violence against them so likely to be diagnosed with personality disorders? Why are women and girls pathologised 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 traumatic experiences?
In Sexy But Psycho, Dr Jessica Taylor draws on case studies, new data and research to analyse the way society labels women as sexy but psycho.
Psychiatry is the patriarchy with a prescription pad. Read this book and start a revolution.
Dr Jessica Taylor is a working-class feminist author, senior lecturer, speaker and researcher with a PhD from University of Birmingham in Forensic Psychology. In 2019, she was awarded a Fellowship of Royal Society of Arts for her contribution to feminism and psychology. She is the founder and director of VictimFocus, VictimFocus Resources, VictimFocus Academy and The VictimFocus Blog.
