Comments on: Book Recs: Enlightened Feminism & Feminism Seduced

By: mischiefmanager

mischiefmanager — Sat, 27 Mar 2010 00:19:54 +0000

Let’s see…we can’t stop them by telling them they should stay home and have babies…aha! We’ll tell them they got everything they wanted, so now feminism is over! Bwaa ha ha!

Nope. Not going to work, boys, sorry.

How is microcredit bad for women?

By: ImTheMarigold

ImTheMarigold — Fri, 26 Mar 2010 21:23:19 +0000

Thanks for the heads up on the Eisenstein book! I work in the international development field, and I’m really looking forward to her perspectives, esp since the public has been hit with books like Half the Sky that are all about women’s liberation and empowerment.

By: this woman

this woman — Fri, 26 Mar 2010 20:06:00 +0000

I’m looking forward to the Douglas book, too! The library here in Podunk doesn’t have it (actually, they don’t have ANY Susan Douglas books…I discovered that their feminist reading section is, in general, lacking. I’m gonna need to write some letters.) Anyyway. I think I’m gonna have to buy it for myself. Would love to see your comments after you’ve read it, PhD.

By: PhDork

PhDork — Fri, 26 Mar 2010 15:41:45 +0000

AmBam: I’m sure the Bust reviewer’s response (you’re ruining my fun! waaaa!) won’t be the only one. I suppose it depends on two things: a) your own current position vis-a-vis pop culture; and b) whether you think holding things up for (totally legitimate) critique is about shaming those who consume/enjoy those things.

I think Douglas is pretty evenhanded in her critiques. She clearly enjoys pop culture herself, but she doesn’t use that as an excuse to ignore the messages it sends.

By: AmBam

AmBam — Fri, 26 Mar 2010 15:08:10 +0000

I was going to ask you about the Douglas book! I haven’t read it – but I saw a review for it in Bust magazine which sparked an interest in reading it…and a HATE wave in my ongoing LOVE/HATE relationship with said magazine. They were turned off by what they referred to as motherly finger wagging at pop culture guilty pleasures. I was curious if you felt the same way, or if the reviewer just needs to deal with the fact that Top Model is not, in fact, feminist viewing.