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4.34 AVERAGE
4.34 AVERAGE
challenging
informative
reflective
medium-paced
One of those remarkable books that changes the way you think of the world.
I understand why trans readers might be frustrated with this book, because it IS very absolute, but considering that Perez is campaigning against the blaring and damaging underrepresentation of around half of the population, I think this has a ton of merit.
It took me some time to get through - there are a LOT of statistics - but it's incredibly well researched and thorough, and will stay with me for a long time. Can't wait to discuss with the book club.
I understand why trans readers might be frustrated with this book, because it IS very absolute, but considering that Perez is campaigning against the blaring and damaging underrepresentation of around half of the population, I think this has a ton of merit.
It took me some time to get through - there are a LOT of statistics - but it's incredibly well researched and thorough, and will stay with me for a long time. Can't wait to discuss with the book club.
informative
sad
fast-paced
This book will radicalize you against urban planners, doctors, engineers, architects, politicians, husbands… (if you weren’t already). Audiobook is read by the author which is fun.
informative
informative
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
reflective
fast-paced
challenging
dark
reflective
medium-paced
What a tough book to read! Perez sheds light on the 'Gender Data Gap' and urges us to not just consider women's differences and needs but to collect and use sex disaggregated data to inform those considerations. Unfortunately, it rings true that women are just not taken into account in the design of many areas.
Her points aren't always seamless, sometimes she describes a very robotic/economic society where women shouldn't have to be doing unpaid/unequal care work and at other times she describes how our workplaces should have enough maternity & family leave to allow mothers to care for their babies without the stress and loss of leaving the labor force. Or how city transit planning should take into account womens travel patterns that include unpaid work. (maybe these aren't actually that different).
Her points aren't always seamless, sometimes she describes a very robotic/economic society where women shouldn't have to be doing unpaid/unequal care work and at other times she describes how our workplaces should have enough maternity & family leave to allow mothers to care for their babies without the stress and loss of leaving the labor force. Or how city transit planning should take into account womens travel patterns that include unpaid work. (maybe these aren't actually that different).
informative
medium-paced
Insightful research on how systemic sexist bias affects many cis women across societies. However, this book has major limitations, including a bioessentialist definition of gender (i.e. sex and gender are defined as strictly binary), and the erasure of trans* and non-binary experiences. While valuable to understand structural sexism, this book ultimately excludes and harms some of the most marginalised portions of the population it claims to advocate for. I will try some of Laura Bates' work for a more gender-inclusive and intersectional perspective on this topic.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Misogyny, Sexism
Moderate: Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Transphobia, Sexual harassment
Bioessentialist definition of gender (i.e. sex and gender are defined as strictly binary), and erasure of trans* and non-binary experiences.
challenging
hopeful
informative
reflective
sad
slow-paced
Two good friends recommended this to me, each of them saying something along the lines of, "This is excellent, but it's going to make you furious." THEY WERE RIGHT.
As a woman, I am well aware that my gender faces innumerable obstacles, injustices, and degradations -- but to see it all spelled out in one book, with so much good data and research underpinning it, is a blow. It's also validating, and I hope that since its publication in 2019, the gender data gap has improved.
It's hard not to come away from the book being furious with men as a category. I know plenty of wonderful men, but on the whole, yikes. Some of the behavior described in the book isn't malicious; a man cannot be expected to intimately understand the perspective and experiences of a woman, so it's not like they're purposely designing things to be hostile to women. Except that plenty of men in leadership don't see the need -- or even fight back against -- for the inclusion of more women in leadership roles, which is galling.
The thing that left me the most livid was the ongoing issue of sexual violence against women. So many of the stories of the book included situations in which poor, male-centered design of spaces and situations led to women being sexually assaulted or even killed. (For example, gender neutral refugee camps without sex segregated bathrooms.) There's only so much data, female representation, and gender inclusive design can do when men cannot stop raping women. It leaves me speechless with rage.
As a woman, I am well aware that my gender faces innumerable obstacles, injustices, and degradations -- but to see it all spelled out in one book, with so much good data and research underpinning it, is a blow. It's also validating, and I hope that since its publication in 2019, the gender data gap has improved.
It's hard not to come away from the book being furious with men as a category. I know plenty of wonderful men, but on the whole, yikes. Some of the behavior described in the book isn't malicious; a man cannot be expected to intimately understand the perspective and experiences of a woman, so it's not like they're purposely designing things to be hostile to women. Except that plenty of men in leadership don't see the need -- or even fight back against -- for the inclusion of more women in leadership roles, which is galling.
The thing that left me the most livid was the ongoing issue of sexual violence against women. So many of the stories of the book included situations in which poor, male-centered design of spaces and situations led to women being sexually assaulted or even killed. (For example, gender neutral refugee camps without sex segregated bathrooms.) There's only so much data, female representation, and gender inclusive design can do when men cannot stop raping women. It leaves me speechless with rage.