Introducing my partner to feminism...

[blinder]

On the back of a spate of good feminism threads here lately I am looking for book recommendations to give to my DP as an introduction to a feminist critique of society.

He's not a particularly neanderthal man - he loves Naomi Klein for example - but he's a bit uneducated about the reality facing women today.

We have a six month old daughter and it worries us both that she is being launched into a culture that systematically de-humanises (objectifies) girls. I'm sure he would be willing to explore ways that we can parent her consciously so that she can preserve her identity in the face of damaging cultural norms.

At the same time, I don't want him to feel lectured, blamed or patronised by the book. But I would like him to be able to examine his own investment in male superiority and recognise that he does have many assumptions about women and many blind spots about male privilege.

It's a fine line.

So, books for men, fathers or people new to feminism?

Orm that question has been puzzling me all day. Why would anyone resent the attempt to restore fairness? There must be some investment in the status quo as you say, and you can understand that in theory of why that might be so. But when real life women get so angry at the possibility of someone reading a book or two on feminism it absolutely baffles me.

Tbh dittany....if leQueen (and maybe a few others) hadn't posted on this thread...

...it would have been dead within 10 posts..

The FallenMadonna - yes - good question. That's why there is investment.

jesus wept... this thread is depressing.

my friends who have male children have all read Raising Boys, to try to gain some insight into how best to be a mother to their children. are they drips?

I have to admit, I don't like the term "feminism". I prefer "equality".

Wow...!

I love your name...

Raising boys is a fab book...

yes, porto, but in most species isn't it the male who has all the bling?

daftpunk - why on earth would you think that? I quite liked you when I met you.

But does it matter who has the bling? It is all superficial.

LeQ, my estimation of you has taken a nose-dive after your input to this thread

you sound smug, elitist and certainly not a "woman's woman"

you remind me of one of those women who like to be "one of the boys" by slagging off other women

< swills nasty taste in mouth with non-denominational vodka >

For the female it's surely about demonstrating fertility?

So youth is apparently attractive. And symmetry I think. But not adornment.

At the end of the day it is about people being valued for the choices they make. And their right to make those choices. Women and men. And both having equal opportunities.

So Katie Price, she is BAD. SAHM is BAD - drain on society. WOHM is BAD - those poor abandoned children. I bet men never spend 5 mins thinking about these things and slagging off other members of their own sex.

Biwi;

Things have changed haven't they....

Well, if evolutionary biology/psychology is being used to justify defining women and girls by their looks, then yes, it matters.

Maybe that is why we need feminism. To protect women from other women!

Should say that I am unconvinced by much of what I've read of human evolutionary psychology. I haven't read v much, though.

Well, daftpunk, that's a shame.

I'm with you there Habbs I think. Lots of assumptions. Lots.

I couldn't give a toss whether LeQueen thinks I am boring. I find her repetition of the word boring boring.

Oh, agree with the internecine (is that right in this context) squabbling, Porto. It's really saddening.