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lakecake's review
4.0
I won a copy of this book via Goodreads Giveaways and am voluntarily leaving a review.
This is a clear, easy to read, well researched look at how white feminism leaves entire swaths of women behind, and simultaneously upholds white supremacy and patriarchy to maintain white women’s power. It’s a must read for any white woman who has only recently found herself involved in social justice and resistance work. It breaks down the struggles of basically every other group of women in a really easy to follow way, and shows just how badly current white feminism gets it wrong. It can be uncomfortable—but frankly, it should be. The last part of the book gives concrete ways to start improving the situation from wherever you sit.
This is a clear, easy to read, well researched look at how white feminism leaves entire swaths of women behind, and simultaneously upholds white supremacy and patriarchy to maintain white women’s power. It’s a must read for any white woman who has only recently found herself involved in social justice and resistance work. It breaks down the struggles of basically every other group of women in a really easy to follow way, and shows just how badly current white feminism gets it wrong. It can be uncomfortable—but frankly, it should be. The last part of the book gives concrete ways to start improving the situation from wherever you sit.
madhupria's review against another edition
4.0
If there ever is a hierarchy within a movement fighting for human rights, is that movement fighting for human rights for all or for the individual(s)? To think about the collective is difficult within a capitalistic system, but that’s exactly what perpetuates the status quo. It’s not about a few women attaining the power that men wield; it's about disrupting the ability to wield that power in the first place.
The many historical events outlined in this book shed light into who gets left behind and how a narrow category of women dominate the narrative of ‘empowerment’. The meat boycott by the Jewish housewives was really fascinating. This particular event illustrates that even women with little political power can make an impact by organizing collectively and push for policies that benefit everyone.
Queer women, women of colour, working class women, women with disability, older women, fat women, we all matter!
Side note: I wish the book was better edited so it would’ve been more focused particularly when describing more recent events. But it’s a minor issue.
The many historical events outlined in this book shed light into who gets left behind and how a narrow category of women dominate the narrative of ‘empowerment’. The meat boycott by the Jewish housewives was really fascinating. This particular event illustrates that even women with little political power can make an impact by organizing collectively and push for policies that benefit everyone.
Queer women, women of colour, working class women, women with disability, older women, fat women, we all matter!
Side note: I wish the book was better edited so it would’ve been more focused particularly when describing more recent events. But it’s a minor issue.
kapbanana's review against another edition
The organization of this book was strange and, I felt, detracted from its intent. I thought this would be a more in-depth explanation and examination of white feminism, but it felt more loose and a bit all over the place. There is some great content here, but I just think this book could have been a lot more powerful.
char100t3's review against another edition
4.0
"feminist used to be a dirty word in modern popular culture..."
seeing as I am already reading a book about white feminism ([b:White Tears/Brown Scars: How White Feminism Betrays Women of Color|53260224|White Tears/Brown Scars How White Feminism Betrays Women of Color|Ruby Hamad|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1657388210l/53260224._SX50_.jpg|71770367]) and a lot of the things covered in this book are already mentioned in the other. But this book covers; sexuality, ableism, and fatphobia. so I've decided to just pick the ones I don't already know about and to made a list of all the chapters I read...
-chapter three: separate but unequal; how "feminism" officially became white,
-chapter nine: how heterosexism kept women in their place,
-chapter ten: the future isn't female; its gender fluid,
-chapter seventeen: the first pillar of change: stop acknowledging privilege; fight for visibility instead,
-chapter eighteen: the second pillar of change: fighting the systems that hold marginalised genders back,
-chapter nineteen: the third pillar: hold women accountable for abuse.
(this book also covers white feminism in the suffragette movement which I think is also very important to talk about.)
seeing as I am already reading a book about white feminism ([b:White Tears/Brown Scars: How White Feminism Betrays Women of Color|53260224|White Tears/Brown Scars How White Feminism Betrays Women of Color|Ruby Hamad|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1657388210l/53260224._SX50_.jpg|71770367]) and a lot of the things covered in this book are already mentioned in the other. But this book covers; sexuality, ableism, and fatphobia. so I've decided to just pick the ones I don't already know about and to made a list of all the chapters I read...
-chapter three: separate but unequal; how "feminism" officially became white,
-chapter nine: how heterosexism kept women in their place,
-chapter ten: the future isn't female; its gender fluid,
-chapter seventeen: the first pillar of change: stop acknowledging privilege; fight for visibility instead,
-chapter eighteen: the second pillar of change: fighting the systems that hold marginalised genders back,
-chapter nineteen: the third pillar: hold women accountable for abuse.
(this book also covers white feminism in the suffragette movement which I think is also very important to talk about.)
pamiverson's review
5.0
An important re-examination of feminism and all the women that the mainstream (I.e., white, upper- and middle-class) movement left behind, e.g., from the suffragists who intentionally excluded women of color to the corporate takeover of others' efforts and denial of issues affecting poor women. Definitely a lot to respond to.