Reviews tagging 'Sexual harassment'

Wordslut: A Feminist Guide to Taking Back the English Language by Amanda Montell

21 reviews

siebensommer's review against another edition

funny informative

4.0

- grammar policing is often avoiding the message itself. snobbery is prejudice and that is nothing to be proud of. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Misogyny, Lesbophobia, Racism, Classism, Homophobia, Sexual harassment, and Sexism

bree_h_reads's review against another edition

hopeful informative reflective medium-paced

5.0

It was so nice to realise this book wasn’t going to be dry and hard to understand.

The author does such a good job of conveying this information in a way that’s funny and easy to understand. Every topic felt well researched and really made me consider language and how I and the people in my life use it. I especially loved how to discussed language among other cultures, languages, and how it varied among English speakers (especially those that are in minority groups). I wish the book had done MORE with that, but it was still extremely informative regardless. It was such an in-depth look on how I could use language to fight for equality as well.

It was also extremely interesting to realise how much language has been developed by young women and oppressed groups. It was overall such an amazing read and gave me a new more in-depth history of language than I had ever received. And it was easy to understand and funny.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cursing

Moderate: Sexual harassment and Sexual content

Minor: Sexual violence and Sexual assault

kathrynreading's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful informative reflective fast-paced

5.0

I’m late to the party but this is such a great book. I loved the way it was set out and how it approached the topic. Super interesting, entertaining and reflective. I have a lot to think on after reading and had lots of discussions with my partner as I learned about each concept. This is a book that really makes you think but it’s entertaining and lively. Don’t skip the footnotes! 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Transphobia, Bullying, Homophobia, Sexual harassment, Sexual content, Sexual violence, and Sexism

912jae's review against another edition

funny informative inspiring lighthearted reflective medium-paced

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cursing, Sexism, Gaslighting, and Misogyny

Minor: Sexism, Racism, Biphobia, Bullying, Body shaming, Lesbophobia, Rape, Sexual harassment, Gaslighting, Classism, and Homophobia

del_devours's review

challenging funny informative medium-paced

4.0

Wordslut by Amanda Montell is a captivating exploration of the intricate relationship between language and societal attitudes towards women. It’s always nice to stumble across an unexpected gem, and finding this book is one such occasion. The cover's striking colour and standout title may have reeled me in, but it was the intriguing subject matter and Montell's accessible writing style which kept me reading.

Far from the radical feminist manifesto I had feared, Wordslut is witty, engaging, and well-researched. Montell displays a particular talent for making complex linguistic concepts comprehensible to a broader audience, challenging readers to contemplate their language use and question societal norms. Montell prompts readers to rethink language not merely as a reflection but as a potent influencer of societal dynamics and attitudes towards women. This book is not a comprehensive treatise on sociolinguistics, but it’s not meant to be. It is an introduction of the topic to the masses, and, in this, it certainly serves its purpose.

Montell delves into some polarising topics, with her take on political correctness, in particular, likely provoking strong reactions, especially among conservatives. Political correctness, she tells us, ‘…does not endanger our freedom of expression at all. The only thing it actually threatens is the notion that we can separate our word choices from our politics – that how we choose to communicate doesn’t say something deeper about who we are…What rubs people the wrong way about political correctness is not that they can’t use certain words anymore, it’s that political neutrality is no longer an option.’ Nevertheless, publishing a book on such topics as those discussed in Wordslut inevitably involves stepping on someone's toes; it's impossible to avoid offense.

A helpful addition to future additions would be the inclusion of a glossary and reference list. Needing to flick back through the book when I forgot an acronym, or qualification was an annoyance, and I often seek out further reading on the topics that interest me. While in-text references are included, an easily accessible list at the back would have been more convenient.

Minor inconveniences aside, Wordslut skilfully navigates the intricate role language plays in shaping our attitudes, beliefs, and behaviours, introducing sociolinguistics to the layperson, and encouraging readers to question social norms and the role of their own linguistic choices in shaping who they are. Whether or not you agree with Montell’s arguments, I encourage you to read what she has to say.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cursing

Minor: Rape, Sexual content, Sexual violence, and Sexual harassment

mads_jpg's review

funny hopeful informative inspiring reflective medium-paced

4.75

Definitely the most interesting book I've read this year. I'm sure this is going to be the next feminist book I bully everyone into reading.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny, Sexism, and Cursing

Moderate: Cultural appropriation, Lesbophobia, Sexual harassment, Transphobia, Classism, Homophobia, and Racism

jaiari12's review against another edition

funny informative medium-paced

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexism, Cursing, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Lesbophobia, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Homophobia, Misogyny, and Body shaming

mraddd's review against another edition

informative reflective medium-paced

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny and Sexism

Moderate: Hate crime, Homophobia, Sexual harassment, Transphobia, and Lesbophobia

Minor: Deadnaming

emfass's review against another edition

funny informative inspiring reflective medium-paced

4.5

I loved reading Cultish and was eager to come back and read Montell's other book, especially given the subject matter. She did not disappoint, and I ended up being asked to confront some of my own internalized sexism around language and the way women talk. 

Chapter 6: How to Confuse a Catcaller, is one of the most powerful, validating chapters I’ve ever read. It discusses how men’s mistreatment of women stems from a lack of empathy, and the ways women feel voiceless in many situations.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cursing, Sexism, and Misogyny

Moderate: Sexual harassment

Minor: Sexual content, Transphobia, Homophobia, and Racism

o_w_e_n's review against another edition

challenging funny informative reflective fast-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cursing and Misogyny

Moderate: Sexual harassment

Minor: Sexual assault