GREAT book by an Australian author, that examines modern female gender stereotypes, and reinforces the role of feminism as being relevant to young women today…
Okay – that makes this book sound like a heavy read, but it truly isn’t. I read the whole thing in less than 48 hours, and found it insightful, funny, smart, succint and accurate. I know a lot of my chick contemporaries shy away from feminist writing because it’s often full of psychobabble and over-reached academic theorising (hel-LO Nancy Friday and Naomi Wolf), and because they feel that feminist ideology really has nothing to do with them and the way they go about their day-to-day lives.
To those young women, I only have this to say… Do you believe that you have the right to make your own choices in life, from whether to work or be a stay-at-home housewife/mum, to have children or not, to leave an unhappy or abusive relationship, to be with a man because you’re crazy in love with him and not due to economic dependence? Do you believe in a woman’s free and legal access to abortion, and to negotiate sexual consent, and have access to contraception? Do you want a workplace where your achievements are based on merit, and you are free from gender-based harassment? Do you want to see a legal system that doesn’t STILL hold up the idea that because a girl put on a mini-skirt and make-up for a night out, that she was inviting rape? If you answer a resounding and deep-felt YES to these questions, then welcome to feminism! These, and other issues, are basic tenets of the mainstream feminist movement, and the options open to us that we take for granted now are directly attributable to the efforts of second-wave feminist agitators. The idea that feminists do not/should not wear really sexy shoes, put on make-up, really REALLY like guys, shave their legs or get their hair done etc is a complete load of horseshit and no reason whatsoever for young women to be afraid to identify with feminist principles.
Anyway, back to the book… Ms Maguire examines the apparently contradicting trends of ‘raunch culture’ and the modesty movement among young women, and forms a theory that they are, in fact, just two sides of the same coin – both pushing women back into roles where they are judged by their sexual marketability. It doing so, she spots a modern take on the old ‘madonna/whore’ dichotomy on societal viewpoints of women. Are we ‘hot’ and fuckable, or virginal and marriageable? Pornstars or princesses? I loved this examination (probably as a big counter-point to everything I didn't like about the 'Sex and the City' movie!), and I loved a lot of the points she makes about how keeping women in defined gender roles is equally restricting to men (who are stuck in gender roles of their own), and that sex education in Australian schools is still mainly based on the idea that female sexuality is passive, whereas male sexuality is aggressive, and overlooks the idea that sexuality is as individual as a person is. I am all for a MAJOR overhaul of sex education in schools (it's as if a 'good education' is all about getting good grades... So non-true!)
However… There's at least one theme in this work about which I prefer to maintain a more critical mindset. This includes the rather annoying habit that is typical of a lot of feminist writers to throw around the phrases ‘objectifying women’ and ‘women as sex objects’ without ANY further explanation or demonstrated understanding of what such an expression means. It’s lazy writing and theorising, and it also glosses over the concept that, actually, women can be sexual subjects without it necessarily degrading them. ‘Objectification’ is a highly relative term that should require a definition of the author’s understanding of it, otherwise it's meaningless to the reader.
I'm also ambivalent about the author's standpoint on porn. I appreciate that she has one viewpoint amongst a lot of other educated viewpoints that are easily accessible to the curious reader - which is why I've tacked on a 'further resources' list at the end of this review. I don't want to say too much further - everyone is entitled to their own opinion on these things and it's probably better for those interested in the book to check out the relevant chapter and make their own decisions.
In summation, LOVE the book, Emily, and I reckon it’s highly recommended reading, and I hope the author makes a million bucks. I do, however, think it’s a text that should be read in the context of much wider reading on gender and sexual politics… For those interested, would also suggest;
‘Female Chauvinist Pigs’ by Ariel Levy (a book often referenced in ‘Princesses and Pornstars’)
‘The Porn Report’ by Alan McKee et al
‘The Smart Girl’s Guide to Porn’ by Violet Blue
‘Motherhood, Porn and Cherry Pie’ by Susie Bright (in fact any of Susie’s books – she’s my friggin’ hero!)
Okay – that makes this book sound like a heavy read, but it truly isn’t. I read the whole thing in less than 48 hours, and found it insightful, funny, smart, succint and accurate. I know a lot of my chick contemporaries shy away from feminist writing because it’s often full of psychobabble and over-reached academic theorising (hel-LO Nancy Friday and Naomi Wolf), and because they feel that feminist ideology really has nothing to do with them and the way they go about their day-to-day lives.
To those young women, I only have this to say… Do you believe that you have the right to make your own choices in life, from whether to work or be a stay-at-home housewife/mum, to have children or not, to leave an unhappy or abusive relationship, to be with a man because you’re crazy in love with him and not due to economic dependence? Do you believe in a woman’s free and legal access to abortion, and to negotiate sexual consent, and have access to contraception? Do you want a workplace where your achievements are based on merit, and you are free from gender-based harassment? Do you want to see a legal system that doesn’t STILL hold up the idea that because a girl put on a mini-skirt and make-up for a night out, that she was inviting rape? If you answer a resounding and deep-felt YES to these questions, then welcome to feminism! These, and other issues, are basic tenets of the mainstream feminist movement, and the options open to us that we take for granted now are directly attributable to the efforts of second-wave feminist agitators. The idea that feminists do not/should not wear really sexy shoes, put on make-up, really REALLY like guys, shave their legs or get their hair done etc is a complete load of horseshit and no reason whatsoever for young women to be afraid to identify with feminist principles.
Anyway, back to the book… Ms Maguire examines the apparently contradicting trends of ‘raunch culture’ and the modesty movement among young women, and forms a theory that they are, in fact, just two sides of the same coin – both pushing women back into roles where they are judged by their sexual marketability. It doing so, she spots a modern take on the old ‘madonna/whore’ dichotomy on societal viewpoints of women. Are we ‘hot’ and fuckable, or virginal and marriageable? Pornstars or princesses? I loved this examination (probably as a big counter-point to everything I didn't like about the 'Sex and the City' movie!), and I loved a lot of the points she makes about how keeping women in defined gender roles is equally restricting to men (who are stuck in gender roles of their own), and that sex education in Australian schools is still mainly based on the idea that female sexuality is passive, whereas male sexuality is aggressive, and overlooks the idea that sexuality is as individual as a person is. I am all for a MAJOR overhaul of sex education in schools (it's as if a 'good education' is all about getting good grades... So non-true!)
However… There's at least one theme in this work about which I prefer to maintain a more critical mindset. This includes the rather annoying habit that is typical of a lot of feminist writers to throw around the phrases ‘objectifying women’ and ‘women as sex objects’ without ANY further explanation or demonstrated understanding of what such an expression means. It’s lazy writing and theorising, and it also glosses over the concept that, actually, women can be sexual subjects without it necessarily degrading them. ‘Objectification’ is a highly relative term that should require a definition of the author’s understanding of it, otherwise it's meaningless to the reader.
I'm also ambivalent about the author's standpoint on porn. I appreciate that she has one viewpoint amongst a lot of other educated viewpoints that are easily accessible to the curious reader - which is why I've tacked on a 'further resources' list at the end of this review. I don't want to say too much further - everyone is entitled to their own opinion on these things and it's probably better for those interested in the book to check out the relevant chapter and make their own decisions.
In summation, LOVE the book, Emily, and I reckon it’s highly recommended reading, and I hope the author makes a million bucks. I do, however, think it’s a text that should be read in the context of much wider reading on gender and sexual politics… For those interested, would also suggest;
‘Female Chauvinist Pigs’ by Ariel Levy (a book often referenced in ‘Princesses and Pornstars’)
‘The Porn Report’ by Alan McKee et al
‘The Smart Girl’s Guide to Porn’ by Violet Blue
‘Motherhood, Porn and Cherry Pie’ by Susie Bright (in fact any of Susie’s books – she’s my friggin’ hero!)
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