The History of Anatomy - pale male and stale?

# Bodies are Bloody and Fleshy: Exploring the Intersection of Flesh and Feeling

## The Journey of Two Doctors

“Bodies are bloody and fleshy and messy — and that’s exactly why I love them.” — Gabriel Weston

In our latest Altered State conversation, we delved beneath the surface with two remarkable doctors. Each began their journey in the humanities and now probe the intricate border between flesh and feeling.

Surgeon and writer Gabriel Weston initially studied English and philosophy before retraining as a doctor. Professor Gene Feder OBE, a GP turned public-health researcher, started in biology and philosophy. His path shifted due to clinical depression, recovery, and community work. Together, they explored what lies beneath the skin — the intersection where biology meets belief.

## The Revelation of Anatomy

Gabriel’s new book, Alive: An Alternative Anatomy, emerged from a profound revelation: “The more I looked at how we’re taught the body, the less sense it made.” She traced the history of female anatomy, particularly the clitoris, which was “actively deleted from the record” in the 19th and 20th centuries. This erasure occurred despite richer details present in earlier texts. It was only in the latest edition of Gray’s Anatomy that this crucial aspect was finally restored.

“What you learn in a dissection - what you label - is a value judgement.”

Gene highlighted the biases embedded in the very “engine of medical science.” Clinical trials often excluded women, older individuals, and ethnic minorities, hard-wiring inequality into the evidence itself.

“The normal is the male presentation,” he stated. “Even what’s abnormal is what’s abnormal for men.”

Gabriel added that women are twice as likely to die from heart disease compared to breast cancer. This disparity largely stems from the fact that their symptoms, which often begin in the gut, are still dismissed as “atypical.” Both speakers concurred that perception itself is conditioned. Gene recalled being trained to diagnose every skin disease on white skin:

“For centuries, the normal skin was white skin.”

## The Role of Perception in Medicine

Gabriel linked this discussion to theatre and philosophy, emphasizing how diagrams pre-determine what a surgeon sees. “If we went in without pre-existing images,” she remarked, “we’d see differently.”

For the evening’s Toolbox, each guest provided a takeaway. Gene chose Gabor Maté’s The Myth of Normal, a poignant reminder that trauma resides in the body. Gabriel offered something simpler yet profound:

“A blindfold — so that girls and women stop thinking about how they look, and start noticing how they feel.”

As the room exhaled, the message lingered: medicine will only truly heal when it acknowledges that doctors and patients share the same body, the same fears, and the same skin.

## The Soundtrack of Healing

Our playlist for the evening practically created itself, featuring songs that resonate with the themes discussed:

• Stayin Alive - The Bee Gees

• Doctor Robert - The Beatles

• (Don’t Fear) The Reaper - Blue Oyster Cult

• Night Nurse - Gregory Isaacs

• I Wanna Be Sedated - Ramones

• Spirit in the Sky - Doctor & The Medics

• Lust For Life - Iggy Pop

• Shake the Disease - Depeche Mode

• Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door - Bob Dylan

  
  

## Conclusion: A Call for Change

In conclusion, the insights shared by Gabriel Weston and Gene Feder OBE highlight the urgent need for change in the medical field. Recognizing the biases that exist and understanding the shared humanity between doctors and patients is crucial. Only then can medicine truly heal.

By embracing a more inclusive and empathetic approach, we can ensure that all bodies are understood, valued, and treated with the respect they deserve.