Take a photo of a barcode or cover
shego 's review for:
Cunt: A Declaration of Independence
by Inga Muscio
This book was recommended to me, and the title had me intrigued. I am trying to really get used to the idea of imperfect allies and friends, instead of “everyone who doesn’t agree with me is an enemy.” There were some parts I liked, even loved, and some parts that turned me off. I assumed that this would dive into the etymological roots of the word cunt, speculate on the benefits of reclaiming the word, and how to go about taking it back.
I enjoyed the first few chapters and the author’s writing style. I really liked how she reflected on her readers’ reactions to her. It was very sweet to read what seems like a genuine and heartfelt homage to her readers and how they affect her. Truly Beautiful. I loved the idea of a period party where people with uteruses could celebrate one another. It seems a lot better than the shame that I (and a lot of other women) grew up with.
However, I will admit I only read half of the chapter titles Reproductive Control for Cunts. As someone who organizes protests for the right to abortion, reproductive justice, and bodily autonomy, I do disagree with a lot of the author’s sentiments. And do find her personal experiences to be a tad biased. Not everyone is traumatized from an abortion. Every person is different. Parts of this chapter felt like real fear mongering. When she says she worries that women will regularly use Plan B as birth control, I think my eyes rolled back so far I could see my cerebral cortex. That is the same rhetoric men use to justify men in power making laws about our bodies. And the author is pro choice, so I do not want this to read like a hate review because it’s not. Like I stated in the beginning, imperfect friends. And I’ve been an imperfect friend myself, too. So I am by no means perfect, I don’t have the right answer or know how to solve every systemic issue and I am also very flawed myself. I just took issue with some of the things said when discussing abortion, birth control, the claim that you just have to imagine you’re miscarrying and you will. I don’t find that helpful. It seems (and she states this herself, and says that it will read like this) like something a white woman would write when having access to abortion and options. I worry someone might read this and miss the window for their ability to obtain a medical abortion, or take too much pennyroyal and die.
Also, I know this book was written 22 years ago, but listening to:
1. A white woman list slurs for people of color.
2. The same woman who admitted she’s never been a whore herself, call sex workers “prostitutes” and “streetwalkers.”
Made me feel nauseous. Why isn’t this edited out of the audiobook? This just feels like another societal blindness from the author’s worldview.
She recalls telling a nurse who’s never had an abortion to “not fucking speak” to her for saying she knows how she feels, but then turns around in the next chapter and does the same when it comes to sex workers. Idk. And like I said, I know the author states her privilege and what intersections of oppression she faces in the beginning of the book. Though a lot more of this book made me feel gross than it made me feel enlightened.
Two stars for the writing style, and the chapters that I did really enjoy. I may read her more recent works to see if those might resonate with me more.
I enjoyed the first few chapters and the author’s writing style. I really liked how she reflected on her readers’ reactions to her. It was very sweet to read what seems like a genuine and heartfelt homage to her readers and how they affect her. Truly Beautiful. I loved the idea of a period party where people with uteruses could celebrate one another. It seems a lot better than the shame that I (and a lot of other women) grew up with.
However, I will admit I only read half of the chapter titles Reproductive Control for Cunts. As someone who organizes protests for the right to abortion, reproductive justice, and bodily autonomy, I do disagree with a lot of the author’s sentiments. And do find her personal experiences to be a tad biased. Not everyone is traumatized from an abortion. Every person is different. Parts of this chapter felt like real fear mongering. When she says she worries that women will regularly use Plan B as birth control, I think my eyes rolled back so far I could see my cerebral cortex. That is the same rhetoric men use to justify men in power making laws about our bodies. And the author is pro choice, so I do not want this to read like a hate review because it’s not. Like I stated in the beginning, imperfect friends. And I’ve been an imperfect friend myself, too. So I am by no means perfect, I don’t have the right answer or know how to solve every systemic issue and I am also very flawed myself. I just took issue with some of the things said when discussing abortion, birth control, the claim that you just have to imagine you’re miscarrying and you will. I don’t find that helpful. It seems (and she states this herself, and says that it will read like this) like something a white woman would write when having access to abortion and options. I worry someone might read this and miss the window for their ability to obtain a medical abortion, or take too much pennyroyal and die.
Also, I know this book was written 22 years ago, but listening to:
1. A white woman list slurs for people of color.
2. The same woman who admitted she’s never been a whore herself, call sex workers “prostitutes” and “streetwalkers.”
Made me feel nauseous. Why isn’t this edited out of the audiobook? This just feels like another societal blindness from the author’s worldview.
She recalls telling a nurse who’s never had an abortion to “not fucking speak” to her for saying she knows how she feels, but then turns around in the next chapter and does the same when it comes to sex workers. Idk. And like I said, I know the author states her privilege and what intersections of oppression she faces in the beginning of the book. Though a lot more of this book made me feel gross than it made me feel enlightened.
Two stars for the writing style, and the chapters that I did really enjoy. I may read her more recent works to see if those might resonate with me more.