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jschmidt10's review
5.0
This book is an uncomfortable-for-white-women-to-sit-with look at how we have dominated feminism, but have put women of color last in demanding equality. That it’s not enough to acknowledge white cis privilege, it requires working together to bring ALL women’s needs and disadvantages to light and to fight for all of it. I finished this book contemplating my past actions and looking toward the future with wider, more inclusive eyes.
readerio's review
challenging
informative
slow-paced
A good introduction into the history of feminism and how systems of power are maintained. Some sections that stood out to me included how women's invisible labor is exploited, the loss of class advantages if you choose parenthood for zero institutional support vs working, how existing power structures promotes existing inequalities, and largely: how making success/issues about the individual rather than the collective harms everyone (see [trigger warning] sexual assault being "societally facilitated" by framing it as personal responsibility and failure rather than something we don't hold abusers accountable for ). The emphasis on establishing basic needs, workplace protections, secure legal systems, and opportunities for minority groups laid a path for what needs to be accomplished for more equal footing.
c_totume's review against another edition
informative
tense
medium-paced
4.5
As someone whose first language isn’t english it sometimes was a bit challenging to read. But still I’m glad I’ve read it. I’ve learned so many things and int made me think about so many more. I hope that i grew as a feminist while reading and i definitely should go back to the book from time to time. As expected the book was very USA-centric but it didn’t bother me that much, even if the healthcare system here is better we still have many similar problems.
f1utterby3's review
4.0
Oddly enough, I decided to read this book after "The City We Became" by N.K. Jemisin. Something about seeing a few reviews from people who were upset that the enemy in the book repeatedly took the appearance of a white woman and the social commentary that came along with that.
Anyways, I would highly recommend this book. To be honest, I didn't know anything about it or the author before picking it up, and so I was surprised by how much of the book was a critique of capitalism. Definitely not a bad thing though — I found myself reflecting on my personal perception of feminism and how present-day (white) feminism has become somewhat of an individual pursuit that still relies on the exploitation of others (typically, other women).
I did find some of the arguments put forward to be a touch of a straw(wo)man or a conflation of multiple things that didn't sit quite well with me, but I'm also aware that this itself could be rooted in privilege, and heck, even in white feminism itself.
Anyways, I would highly recommend this book. To be honest, I didn't know anything about it or the author before picking it up, and so I was surprised by how much of the book was a critique of capitalism. Definitely not a bad thing though — I found myself reflecting on my personal perception of feminism and how present-day (white) feminism has become somewhat of an individual pursuit that still relies on the exploitation of others (typically, other women).
I did find some of the arguments put forward to be a touch of a straw(wo)man or a conflation of multiple things that didn't sit quite well with me, but I'm also aware that this itself could be rooted in privilege, and heck, even in white feminism itself.
plaidpladd's review
5.0
This book was really thought-provoking, well-reasoned, and superbly written. One of those books I wish I could make everyone I know read.
teannedavis's review against another edition
informative
reflective
slow-paced
3.25
I've read a couple critiques of white feminism, and maybe for that reason this one doesn't stand out. It reads like a primer, almost. Like a good starting point to engaging with these critiques. At the same time, it's like an intro WGS reading and weirdly like scrolling through Twitter based on some of the examples Beck pulls. Because of where I am at personally, the sections about white feminism in the workplace resonated a lot. More generally, I would like to read something about positive examples of how to be more intersectional in one's praxis, as I recognize I keep picking up critiques.
emilymgrand's review
4.0
This book explores feminism from the 1900s to modern times, sometimes through exploring past feminist movements and other times through stories and quotes tied to modern movements. My biggest issue with the book is that it felt at times like there wasn’t a central thesis for the best ways to move forward. While I understood that the author wanted to educate readers on feminism’s pitfalls (of which there are many), I found myself craving solutions.