Reviews (1)

What a gem of a book!
Every male or female who has an interest in women's studies should havethis book in their library!I had to buy this book for Feminist Theoryclass in college, and we read just a couple of the essays.Recently I'vedecided to read the entire, 549-page book.This is a bible, a guide, afeminism encyclopedia.This book is so many things.Tuana and Tong did anunbelievable job of putting these essays together.Each essay falls underthe following feminist views: · Liberal · Marxist · Radical ·Psychoanalyst · Socialist · Postmodern · Anarcha · Ecological ·Phenomenological ·or race-related.

There are 9 chapters in thisbook.Each chapter features one of the main feminist views (named above.) Then there are 3 essays to each chapter, as well as an introduction writtenby Tuana and Tong.The introduction sort of defines the featured view. The first essays in each chapter offer theoretical descriptions of saidview.The second essays criticize the view in one of its traditionalaspects.The third essays challenge the reader to apply the view toeveryday occurrences.

Reviews (7)

The Chronicles of a Misanthrope
To start off. As a response to other reviewers referring to Marx's work, it is neither "simple minded" nor "myopic" any more than modern economic theory espoused by the Austrian and Chicago schools, even though Marx's historical insights may be naive at times. If you read anything past "The Communist Manifesto" (which was a political propaganda pamphlet and should be seen as such) this would become more obvious.
Turning to MacKinnon. She is a perfect example of how Marxism (I'm not talking about Marx here) got a bad name. From reading many of her law review articles I noticed an underlying tone of anger and hatred toward males (note how similar her arguments are to those of racists and mysogynistic men). This combined with her legislative attempts to severely limit 1st amendment rights through a pornography ban in a moral crusade to "save women from themselves" makes one think that perhapsMacKinnon should have been born a 19th century man, where many of her arguments would hold more weight. Although she may claim to be "Marxist" or "Freudian" or whatever convienient label she identifies herself with to prop up her bankrupt theories , she is one of the most conservative and unenlightened thinkers in feminism today. Read forget about MacKinnon and read Simone De Beauvoir

Foundational Work
MacKinnon's work on social constructionist radical feminist is the most eloquent, powerful, persuasive articulation of the field to date."Postmodernism" could learn a lot by looking back to MacKinnon and REALLY understanding what she has to say instead of dismissing her work as 'essentialist.'MacKinnon continues to be a brilliant, important voice in feminism despite its energies being tapped by unfortunate new movements in academic that have distracted young scholars' attention.A Must Read.

Reviews (12)

Feminist Theory Review
I think it's high time the classics were brought back. Too often these feminists classics have gone out of print, and not available to younger generations. It's as viable today as it was in 1984.

wow!
A fantastic, indispensable book that should be read by everyone who has eyes and half a cerebellum. A great starting point for people who, like me, were interested in feminism but always felt the whole Betty Friedan liberate-the-homemaker aspect they taught us in highschool was a bit shallow, moot, and furthermore nonapplicable to males. Hooks' voice is distinctively wise, startling, discerning, and pragmatic; conceptually, it really makes you view the way society works with new eyes, even if none of the indictments really come as a surprise. Although many readers not predisposed to radical politics may have trouble swallowing all of her ideas in this era of ultra-conservatism, this book really does have something for everybody. It's obvious the reader below calling this book baseless propaganda didn't really understand it, for harmful power hegemonies are still as central to American social and political conduct as when it was first published twenty years ago.

Reviews (4)

Excellent
This is one of the clearest, most carefully argued explorations of feminist themes I have encountered.Indeed, It is one of the most accessible works of philosophy around, period.I use it in my intro to phil classes and in intro to gender studies.Read it--it's very good.

Oops!
I think what the last reviewer didn't understand is that no men are oppressed on the basis of their maleness, therefore they are not oppressed as men.They can be oppressed by homophobia which sees femininity in a man as a weakness, they can be oppressed by class, race, religion, etc...but not on the basis of being a man.

Oppression happens to individuals, but not individually.People who belong to certain groups can be oppressed as a result of their group membership or perceived group membership, but there is a difference between oppression and suffering.

That said, this book is brilliant and heavily cited in works by other genius thinkers and in my own personal life.

Reviews (10)

This book was earthshattering!
The first time I read Ms. Bordo's book, I was so into it that I didn't get enough sleep that night.This book tells us the brainwashing media and society use to control women as well as to maintain the power elite.If the elite, media or otherwise, didn't use impossibly thin, beautiful, made up blonde women to keep them divided and in control, the whole structure would have collapsed long time ago.

Thanks Ms. Bordo for informing me about this, for I've been in darkness for many years.

Convincing
The one thing you want to keep in mind when purchasing this book: it's not a light read and it ain't supposed to be. If three syllable words throw you for a loop, stay away. If you feel every fat acceptance book you've read recently has insulted the depth of your intelligence, then read up! At the very least, you can't walk away from this book failing to be convinced that the world at large is at war with our bodies.
Warning: not a feel-good book! You'll be angry and start snapping at your husband, but righteous fury is where change begins.

Reviews (3)

One of the most influential books i've read
A great thought provoking and stimulating work of deconstructing the division of labor between the sexes. Includes sound arguments and should be a required text in college to expose more individuals to the harmful effects of inequality on women, children, and men.

A Rethinking of Justice
Okin is powerful because she extends considerations of justice and civic equality to women and the family in ways that classical and modern political philosphers have not.However, in doing so, she saves and extracts vital elements of these patriarchal theories and traditions to expose their radical potential.

Disappointing
This book addresses the inequality of men and women, and there is a problem, but it fails in many respects.First, I find her uses of sources suspect because of her treatment of Homer and the Greek authors.In the Odyessy, Odysseus' desire is to return to hearth, home, and family.Only on Circe's isle did he stay willingly, and then, through bewitching.Most of the female characters are portrayed in a kind light, whatever their flaws.This is so much so that many have thought it written by a woman!However, in her version, Odysseus stayed away deliberately after the Trojan war.This is but one example.The Greeks were hardly models to follow for cherishing women (quite the opposite), but since there are other titles from which she could make her case, and she spends a considerable amount of her Greek time here, it tells me that despite her statements, she's never read most of them and certainly not the Odyessy.Since I am convinced that she's never read the book, or that if she has, she read her personal views into the text in a way that is inexcusable, I find her usage of all sources suspect.

My second problem is that her proposed solution to inequality undermines the same personal freedoms she wants.If the government steps in and dictates personal life and finances to the degree she proposes, the people are not living in a free society, but a dictatorship.For instance, should the government step in on a family's paycheck and dictate how it is divided between members of the household?Not if one believes in private property.Her proposal to bring freedom for women brings instead a tyrannical government without personal freedoms.

Isbn: 0816617783
Sales Rank: 556050
Subjects:  1. Feminist theory    2. Philosophy    3. Radicalism    4. Sociology    5. Sociology - General    6. Women's Studies - General   

Reviews (1)

Reviews (2)

Professor Spelman is a great read, a great person!
I read excerpts from this book for a Feminist philosophy class I took last semester at Mount Holyoke College. Now I am taking a class with professor Spelman and she is enthusiastic and wonderful and absolutely fascinating. I highly recommend her writings. Although I can't give much than a surface review of this book as I've only read a couple of essays from it, but I highly recommend you look into it. That class blew me away because it was my first REAL encounter with feminism. It is so wonderful to be exposed to this stuff. In fact, it's essential. As a woman it spoke to me, but I still wish there were more male feminists out there. Feminism needs to lose its bad rap and men need to realize it's a humanist way of being.

Reviews (1)

Isbn: 1856497356
Sales Rank: 333835
Subjects:  1. Feminism & Feminist Theory    2. International    3. Labor    4. Labor & Industrial Relations - General    5. Social Science    6. Sociology    7. Women's Studies - General    8. Social Science / Women's Studies   

Isbn: 041590059X
Sales Rank: 265319
Subjects:  1. Feminism & Feminist Theory    2. Feminist theory    3. General    4. Philosophy    5. Postmodernism    6. Sociology    7. Feminism   

Isbn: 1875559388
Sales Rank: 109287
Subjects:  1. Feminism    2. Feminism & Feminist Theory    3. Feminist theory    4. Radicalism    5. Social Science    6. Sociology    7. Women's Studies - General   

Reviews (2)

Informative, yet still lacking.
"Rhode breaks little new ground," wrote one critic (Katha Pollitt, for the Atlantic Monthly) about Deborah L. Rhode's 1997 book Speaking of Sex: The Denial of Gender Inequality.While she has admirable intentions, her writing has several shortcomings which destroy the effectiveness of her book, even for some of those who may agree with her.Rhode received her B.A. in 1974 and her J.D. in 1977, both from Yale.She has an extensive list of legal and political honors and positions.Currently, Rhode is on the faculty at Stanford University.Several of her books have met with moderate success.Given Rhode's qualifications, it is disappointing that the thesis of Speaking of Sex is weak, making for a poor read.Throughout the book, Rhode's arguments are riddled with contradiction.Possibly the most prominent weakness of this book is that it fails to call the reader to action.While the book has some merits, such as its basic intents and its informative value, it falls short of making the world a better place for women.

One of the most obvious downfalls of Speaking of Sex is its frequent self-contradiction.At times, Rhode seems to call for complete equality between the sexes, essentially producing a unisex society.At other times, she argues that female qualities should be celebrated in an effort to raise the status of her sex.In other examples, Rhode contradicts herself about the political aims of current feminism."A way we avoid confronting gender inequality . . . is to individualize the issues," she explains.Only a few pages later, she complains, "We settle for equality in form rather than equality in fact."These clashing aims illustrate the contradictions, or perhaps conflicts, within the feminist movements of the past couple decades.Laws and some policies are changing and have been changed in favor of gender equality.Feminists haven't reached their ideal level of equality, but the social momentum is certainly moving in their favor.

Rhode's thesis in Speaking of Sex seems only to be "Gender-based discrimination exists."While knowledge of this fact may be important, it alone will not provide any solution.Awareness of gender inequality may not be widespread among the general population.However, the audience of this book will likely be predominantly feminist and progressive, leaving only the result of "preaching to the choir."This could very well result in a more passionate feminist movement, but with little action.If Rhodes would add direction to her discourse, it would carry much more potency, resulting in real improvement in gender equality.However, she rarely proposes solutions, leaving the reader unsure of how to handle the problem at hand.

In all fairness, Speaking of Sex has the potential to be valuable to certain audiences.Rhode covers a variety of women's issues ranging from domestic abuse to fairness in the workplace to abortion.Where she lacks in suggesting a course of action, she succeeds in providing an informative, comprehensive book on gender issues.To an uninformed reader, Speaking of Sex gives plenty of evidence that women do not have the same opportunities and status that men may enjoy.Even an informed audience may glean fodder for debate from the book.

Though Deborah L. Rhode's Speaking of Sex may inform some readers about the problems facing women in society today, it fails to provide a solid foundation for solving these problems.There may exist other books which are equally as informative that also propose solutions and lack contradictions.Such books would be an improvement upon Speaking of Sex for educated readers.

Eminently sensible, worth four and a half stars
Reading this sensible and intelligent book, and remembering how much I enjoyed Rhode's later book on the reform of the legal profession, I wondered why it is that such an eminently reasonable and articulate woman, who has provided such a thorough and well documented defense of feminism, should be so obscure in the world of public intellectuals.Rhode teaches at Stanford Law School, this book is published by Harvard University Press, and she does not write in a the complex academic jargon that all good journalists are trained to hate.Yet she is never called upon when journals like The New Republic or the New York Review of Books thinks it should have a female contributor.

Pity, because this is a good book.Let's start off with "Ideology and Biology."Rhode points out the flaws in biological explanations in sex differences.There are species of primates where the men tend the infants and the women forage for food.Media trumpet studies that point out gender differences, and ignore the many studies that find no difference or are ambiguous (especially on PMS).Over the last thirty years the differences in math scores between boys and girls has dropped dramatically.Those differences that do remain "have not taken account of even obvious influences such as the number of courses taken.""Many studies find no correlation between levels of testosterone and violence, hostility, or aggression."Much of the gender gap on physical strength is clearly related to our aesthetic desire for unhealthily thin women and our desire to encourage boys sports."Men may be more likely to use speech patterns to establish control because they are more likely to occupy positions where they are IN control.""Beginning at Birth" starts off with how in 1918 one journal stated that boys should be clothed in pink and girls in blue, since it was obvious that pink was the more masculine colour. And we're off to how toys rigidly reinforce gender rules and unreasonable body ideals.If you think that it may simply be PC to worry that Barbie Dolls are unrealistic, consider the survey of 33,000 females.Three-quarters considered themselves too fat, though only a quarter were overweight and a third were underweight."In recent surveys [of children's books], male characters come up with solutions five to eight times as often as females, and females care for children eight times as often as males."Then it's on to Media Images, about how the media euphemize rape and how incredibly snotty TIME magazine was towards feminism during the 1970s.