Visible Woman, 1959, and Boston Association for Childbirth Education newsletter, 1968

*Photos by Kevin Grady/Radcliffe Institute*

72B_visible-woman_DSC5158_web_4x3_photo by Kevin Grady_Radcliffe Institute_courtesy of Schlesinger Library.jpg

The Visible Woman, first released in 1959, was an anatomically correct model. The optional “miracle of creation” adaptor kit transformed her into a woman who was seven months pregnant, perfect for classes offered by the Boston Association for Childbirth Education (BACE), founded in 1953. While BACE was often derided by the medical establishment, this newsletter shows that at least one doctor had nothing but praise after attending one of its classes with his wife.

Boston Association for Childbirth Education Records

Catalog record:

http://id.lib.harvard.edu/alma/990083575860203941/catalog

Learn more:

See the Schlesinger Library's research guide on pregnancy, adoption, and loss.

Learn about the Boston Women’s Health Book Collective, renowned for its grassroots global effort to advance the health and rights of women and girls.

Learn about the Radcliffe Institute's 2014 conference "Who Decides? Gender, Medicine, and the Public’s Health" by watching videos of the proceedings: