A review by maisiewrites247
Women Don't Owe You Pretty by Florence Given

4.0

I absolutely adored this book and I firmly believe every woman needs to read this (arguably, men should too). I only had one issue with one of the very early chapters: Whilst I agree that pretty privilege is a symptom of the patriarchy and that conventionally attractive women should be allowed (or even encouraged) to use it to their advantage, I don’t agree that sexual harassment or assault is caused by pretty privilege. You don’t have to be seen as desirable to be harassed or assaulted, and this idea is often used against victims who aren’t deemed conventionally attractive. I recommend this book because it’s a detailed, well-developed yet introductory book about feminism with a focus on all forms of sexism and misogyny and the importance of intersectionality. I applaud Florence for being able to acknowledge her own privilege and the care she took to uplift the voices of those less privileged than her. I absolutely loved this quote: ‘But remember that anyone who tells you you’re “too” anything is using the word because they are threatened by your capacity to grow, evolve, and express your emotions.’ But this one also stood out to me: ‘Because life is too short to remain in an unfulfilling relationship for the sake of staying in your comfort zone. Your new life is waiting for you. Stop shrinking yourself, shed your skin and watch how you blossom and evolve. Watch how you become an even more refined version of the already incredible person you are, outside of a relationship where you’re encouraged to view yourself as someone’s “other half”.’