Stacey L. Williams, PhD, is a social-health psychologist and professor in the Department of Psychology at East Tennessee State University (ETSU). She directs the Social Issues and Relations Laboratory in which she and her students study stigma and health. She has published dozens of articles in this area and her research has been funded by the National Institutes of Health. She teaches courses in topics related to diversity, gender and sexuality, and research methods and statistics. Currently she serves as the chair of the campus Institutional Review Board. Recent accomplishments include membership in the Leadership Institute for Women in Psychology (LIWP) and awards for both her research and equity and inclusion work: ETSU College of Arts and Sciences Faculty Research Award, Hayward Outstanding Psychology Faculty Award, Notable Woman Award, and the Patricia E. Robertson Diversity Leadership Award. Prior to her professorship, she earned her PhD in psychology at Kent State University and completed a postdoctoral research fellowship in social environment and health at the Institute for Social Research, University of Michigan.
Dr. Williams uses an intersectionality lens to examine the psychosocial experience of living with PCOS and unequivocally illustrates how societal expectations and misconceptions about gender and weight have adverse effects for people with PCOS. This brave book includes surprising anecdotes about the lived experience of people with PCOS that both educate and elicit empathy. It should be read by students of psychology, health care providers, researchers, and anyone interested in PCOS or gender-related stigma. Dr. Williams's call to action will inspire researchers in psychology and other fields to explore important taboo research questions.--Kirsten Oinonen, PhD, Registered Psychologist and Professor, Lakehead University, Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada