A Look at the Misogynistic Origins of a Word Still Used to Shame Women

Have you ever been called hysterical for expressing anger, crying, or being justifiably upset? 

That word—hysterical—might sound dramatic or even funny today. But peel back the syllables, and it gets sinister real quick.

Because at its root, hysteria literally means “uterus trouble.”

It comes from the Greek word “hystera” (ὑστέρα), meaning uterus. That’s right—this everyday insult is built on the idea that having a uterus makes you irrational, unstable, and unfit for serious conversation. 

Ancient Greek physicians like Hippocrates believed the uterus could wander around the body, causing physical and emotional chaos—an idea called the “wandering womb” theory. 

Yes, they thought the uterus could roam and wreak havoc.

What might seem like a throwaway word today was once used to justify institutionalizing women, ignoring trauma, and even removing uteruses to “cure” emotional outbursts.

Let’s unpack how hysteria moved from ancient womb lore to modern gendered gaslighting—and why it’s time we stop using it altogether.

“The uterus is an animal within an animal.”

— Plato, paraphrased in historical medical texts

Enter Western Medicine: Femininity as a Medical Problem

In the 18th and 19th centuries, “hysteria” became an official medical diagnosis used almost exclusively for women. The symptoms were vague and broad—ranging from anxiety and emotional outbursts to insomnia, sexual desire, or even boredom.

Women could be diagnosed with hysteria for:

• Wanting sex (too much or too little)

• Crying

• Arguing with their husbands

• Reading novels

• Being unmarried for “too long”

• Masturbating or refusing sex

The “treatments”? Institutionalization, forced bed rest (the infamous “rest cure”), pelvic massage (leading to the invention of the vibrator), or, in rare cases, hysterectomies (removal of the uterus).

It was a way of saying: “Your emotions aren’t valid. Your body is the problem. Let’s remove it.”

The Subtle Afterlife of a Diagnosis

By the early 20th century, doctors (including Freud) continued using “hysteria” as a catch-all for “female madness.” It was a tidy label that dismissed trauma, sexual repression, domestic abuse, and gendered pressure as mere uterine dysfunction.

Even after the term was removed from the DSM (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders) in 1980, the cultural residue remains.

Today, when someone says:

• “Don’t be hysterical.”

• “Calm down, you’re overreacting.”

• “She’s probably on her period.”

They’re echoing centuries of beliefs that women’s emotions are excessive, irrational, and uterus-fueled.

Why It’s Not Okay

1. It delegitimizes emotional expression.
   Women expressing anger, pain, or fear are dismissed as “dramatic” or “unstable,” while men are seen as “assertive” or “passionate.”

2. It medicalizes femininity.
   Historically, “hysteria” pathologized menstruation, menopause, libido, and even childbirth—all natural biological processes.

3. It erases real mental health concerns.
   Labeling women “hysterical” ignores or mocks their actual medical or psychological needs.

4. It reinforces gender stereotypes.
   Men aren’t called hysterical. Women are. The word remains gendered, even when we think it’s neutral.

Fun (Disturbing) Facts

• Vibrators were developed in the 1880s by male doctors to “treat hysteria” in women by inducing “hysterical paroxysm” (orgasm), without ever acknowledging female pleasure. This is documented in works like Rachel Maines’ The Technology of Orgasm.

• Charlotte Perkins Gilman’s short story The Yellow Wallpaper is a literary takedown of the hysteria diagnosis. The protagonist is driven mad by the “rest cure” prescribed to silence her mind and body. Gilman is drawing from her own experience with Silas Weir Mitchell’s treatment for her postpartum depression.

• Social media discussions, including posts from women in India, have highlighted being called “dramatic,” “hormonal,” or “hysterical” during everything from period cramps to reporting sexual violence.

So What Do We Say Instead?

If someone’s feeling anxious, overwhelmed, emotional, or upset—say that.
Avoid “hysterical” and its cousins like “crazy,” “mental,” or “too much.”

Words matter. And the legacy of “hysteria” is still very much alive in the way society treats women’s emotions.

TL;DR

• “Hysteria” literally means “uterus trouble.”

• For centuries, it was used to silence and punish women for normal emotions or sexuality.

• Though outdated medically, it lingers in language to dismiss women.

• Replacing it with specific, validating language helps break this cycle.