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vanessamcc's review against another edition
informative
inspiring
fast-paced
5.0
Brings much needed clarity to contemporary questions and problems faced by women.
elisedal's review against another edition
challenging
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
fast-paced
5.0
bootman's review against another edition
5.0
I’m a guy who grew up with a lot of female friends and some of them are still best friends to this day. Many of these women are feminists, so I try to learn as much as I can. I’ve recently been reading some books about the state of feminism as well as various ideas of feminism in modern times, so I was excited to get this early copy of Julie Bindel’s work. Prior to learning about this book, I hadn’t heard of any of Julie’s work, but you can consider me a huge fan now. Out of all of the books I’ve read in recent years on the topic, this is definitely one of the best, and I learned a ton.
For those who don’t know Julie Bindel, she’s a feminist who has been discussing these topics for decades. In my brief time paying attention to social issues, I’ve seen massive changes and strange things happening, so I could only imagine what someone like Bindel has seen over the years, but she lays them out perfectly in this book. Bindel discusses so many important topics and made arguments that are extremely compelling and thought provoking. She discusses violence against women, issues with the sex positive movement, so-called feminist celebrities that are doing more harm than good as well as topics around the trans conversations.
Throughout the book, Julie Bindel shares stories of other women as well as parts of her own personal story. She discusses how she came out as a lesbian, her personal stories of being harrassed and assaulted, and how she’s been attacked for her opinions and views. Personally, the author seems like a compassionate woman who genuinely cares about others, and she brings up valid points on topics where conversations are definitely needed. If nothing else, I benefited from this book a ton because it helped me be more aware of issues that many women face that I was ignorant of, and it also let me know what I can do to better support the women in my life (and others) in a better way.
For those who don’t know Julie Bindel, she’s a feminist who has been discussing these topics for decades. In my brief time paying attention to social issues, I’ve seen massive changes and strange things happening, so I could only imagine what someone like Bindel has seen over the years, but she lays them out perfectly in this book. Bindel discusses so many important topics and made arguments that are extremely compelling and thought provoking. She discusses violence against women, issues with the sex positive movement, so-called feminist celebrities that are doing more harm than good as well as topics around the trans conversations.
Throughout the book, Julie Bindel shares stories of other women as well as parts of her own personal story. She discusses how she came out as a lesbian, her personal stories of being harrassed and assaulted, and how she’s been attacked for her opinions and views. Personally, the author seems like a compassionate woman who genuinely cares about others, and she brings up valid points on topics where conversations are definitely needed. If nothing else, I benefited from this book a ton because it helped me be more aware of issues that many women face that I was ignorant of, and it also let me know what I can do to better support the women in my life (and others) in a better way.
waste_161's review against another edition
2.0
this book is, for the most part, brilliant. it provides a fantastic insight into the feminism movement over the years from someone who has been involved in it for decades.
however, the casual transphobia and thinly-veiled transphobic comments made it hard for me to enjoy this book. specifically when the author mentioned she was close friends with a renowned transphobic author.
however, the casual transphobia and thinly-veiled transphobic comments made it hard for me to enjoy this book. specifically when the author mentioned she was close friends with a renowned transphobic author.
barareads's review against another edition
3.0
As a radfem, I appreciate this book and am grateful to the author for writing it, that's what I will say in the beginning to avoid any confusion about the rating. Although Goodreads tells me 3 stars still means "I liked it" so it's all good.
My main criticism of it is probably the same as seems to have been mentioned by so many reviewers - which is lack of coherent structure. I unfortunately didn't save any quotes as I listened to this book on a*dible and not read it as text, but it's very clear all throughout and especially closer to the end. I can't say that the order of the topics that arised was illogical, only that there seemed to be no logic to it when there really should have been.
Also I'm planning to read Bindel's previous book about prostitution but I'm a little confused as to what may possibly be written there because in this book there was a lot on the topic... which is of course not a bad thing, and I guess since this book is aimed at people who probably haven't read her previous one, it's alright. But I'm not so sure who it's aimed at actually because like in many cases with literature about some specific concept the line between being too pop and general audience targeted versus being too highly specialized is not clear. For me it was somewhere in between as I learned about many cases of injustice and statistical data that I haven't encountered more tgan very briefly before, however there was far too much emotion and pathos. Again, I agree with everything (except for the part about political lesbianism and origins of human sexuality in general) she says, but the tone was off sometimes.
About the sexuality thing... It's pretty clear that it's party innate and partly socially constructed, the real question is what the proportion is, and I am under the impression that the author of this book believes it's entirely social. And I'm not even going to argue with that as I have no knowledge (although intuitively and based on bits of information I've been hearing over the years, I'm inclined to strongly believe in at least some natural reasons for some people to be homosexual). What I am going to do is say that I always wished I was attracted to women but it never came naturally to me, and while I actually believe that it's possible to if not begin to have sexual feelings towards women then at least stop having sexual urges towards men - not even any actual men but as a concept - I think it would be harmful as any suppression of sexuality. Some women were lucky enough to feel attraction to women from early age but most didn't and for a woman with a high sexual drive it really is only going to make her life more miserable on that front if she feels guilty having the sexual feelings she has has since forever. Yes, it's a must to fight the pornography industry and all the institutions that perpetuate the unhealthy sex dynamics - which would be all institutions I guess, and I actually agree that taking men as sexual and romantic partners is much more harmful than it is good; but actually trying to stop being heterosexual is cruel. I envy lesbians and bisexual women but this type of thinking woulf make me hate myself for not being able to be more like them. So I won't engage in it. I admit that maybe my current understanding of Bindel's (and many believers in political lesbianism) position on this is lacking and that's why this is the only way I can percieve it for now, but it is what it is. Oh, going back to the idea of sexuality being completely socially constructed: I might need to read up on that but as far as I see it right after finishing the book, it's totally ludicrous because how are lesbians lesbians then? Like, if gay men and lesbians come from different backgrounds then why do they realize they are homosexual and other people don't?
Anyway... It's a book about real feminism and that's why it is so precious. Many books are written today about the harms of gender ideology but that is rarely done by actual feminists first and everything else second. It's especially scary how conservatives are taking over the fight against these things because they are definitely not friends of women's, but they are rather going to turn out to be those advocating to stop the spread of pornography because poor men have troubles with self-esteem and unsatisfying orgasms than because women are literally being tortured...
I really like the position that radical feminism is a positive movement but I don't agree with it and however nice the message in this book is, I am even more decidedly black pill after reading it. Not because of reading it, but because it really is more realistic.
My main criticism of it is probably the same as seems to have been mentioned by so many reviewers - which is lack of coherent structure. I unfortunately didn't save any quotes as I listened to this book on a*dible and not read it as text, but it's very clear all throughout and especially closer to the end. I can't say that the order of the topics that arised was illogical, only that there seemed to be no logic to it when there really should have been.
Also I'm planning to read Bindel's previous book about prostitution but I'm a little confused as to what may possibly be written there because in this book there was a lot on the topic... which is of course not a bad thing, and I guess since this book is aimed at people who probably haven't read her previous one, it's alright. But I'm not so sure who it's aimed at actually because like in many cases with literature about some specific concept the line between being too pop and general audience targeted versus being too highly specialized is not clear. For me it was somewhere in between as I learned about many cases of injustice and statistical data that I haven't encountered more tgan very briefly before, however there was far too much emotion and pathos. Again, I agree with everything (except for the part about political lesbianism and origins of human sexuality in general) she says, but the tone was off sometimes.
About the sexuality thing... It's pretty clear that it's party innate and partly socially constructed, the real question is what the proportion is, and I am under the impression that the author of this book believes it's entirely social. And I'm not even going to argue with that as I have no knowledge (although intuitively and based on bits of information I've been hearing over the years, I'm inclined to strongly believe in at least some natural reasons for some people to be homosexual). What I am going to do is say that I always wished I was attracted to women but it never came naturally to me, and while I actually believe that it's possible to if not begin to have sexual feelings towards women then at least stop having sexual urges towards men - not even any actual men but as a concept - I think it would be harmful as any suppression of sexuality. Some women were lucky enough to feel attraction to women from early age but most didn't and for a woman with a high sexual drive it really is only going to make her life more miserable on that front if she feels guilty having the sexual feelings she has has since forever. Yes, it's a must to fight the pornography industry and all the institutions that perpetuate the unhealthy sex dynamics - which would be all institutions I guess, and I actually agree that taking men as sexual and romantic partners is much more harmful than it is good; but actually trying to stop being heterosexual is cruel. I envy lesbians and bisexual women but this type of thinking woulf make me hate myself for not being able to be more like them. So I won't engage in it. I admit that maybe my current understanding of Bindel's (and many believers in political lesbianism) position on this is lacking and that's why this is the only way I can percieve it for now, but it is what it is. Oh, going back to the idea of sexuality being completely socially constructed: I might need to read up on that but as far as I see it right after finishing the book, it's totally ludicrous because how are lesbians lesbians then? Like, if gay men and lesbians come from different backgrounds then why do they realize they are homosexual and other people don't?
Anyway... It's a book about real feminism and that's why it is so precious. Many books are written today about the harms of gender ideology but that is rarely done by actual feminists first and everything else second. It's especially scary how conservatives are taking over the fight against these things because they are definitely not friends of women's, but they are rather going to turn out to be those advocating to stop the spread of pornography because poor men have troubles with self-esteem and unsatisfying orgasms than because women are literally being tortured...
I really like the position that radical feminism is a positive movement but I don't agree with it and however nice the message in this book is, I am even more decidedly black pill after reading it. Not because of reading it, but because it really is more realistic.
perryplatypus's review against another edition
informative
inspiring
medium-paced
3.5
Explanation of feminism. Covers many topics well. Can be confronting but that's part of it. A little more extreme than my views but good.