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?

Porto
The thread is about feminism, not the reason that Sugarmouse worked as a lap dancer. There is a difference to debating the abstract theme of feminism and discussing a poster's life choices.

Thanks for sharing SugarMouse, I don't want to talk about you as though you are not here IYSWIM.

I too have naively shown up for a job interview when I first moved abroad where I thought I was apply for a waitressing job but it turned out to be a 'hotesse' position.

One of the girls from the bar came over and told me to get the hell out of there and run for my life.

Your posts have been really interesting SugarMouse, and so pertinent re: 'raunch culture' making lap dancing etc appear to be a valid or even desirable career choice (or even a lifestyle choice!) for young women. I haven't read the Natasha Walter book yet, but Ariel Levy's book (Female Chauvinist Pigs) talks about this. It makes my blood run cold tbh.

I don't understand what point you're making porto. Not having a go at you for questioning it, just wondering what you mean.

Oh and thanks TSH for suggesting that I might be a troll. That's a first for me in 8 years on mn

blinder totally understand your OP

v.shocked at the way this thread has gone

Last Monday I watched the BBC4 prog on feminism and it really really shook me up.

I realised that I have been going through life blind to all that these amazing feminists did in previous decades and blind to the current inequalities.

All these book ideas are very useful to me as I am definitely going to be investigating the feminism movement.

My DH is also interested.

I'm going to discuss this thread about the Lady Gaga video with him tomorrow.

(Think this is the one MmeLindt was talking about).

I would also welcome a Feminism topic - although no doubt it would be full of threads kicking off....

SugarMouse you don't need to worry about highjacking the thread. I see it as a feminist free for all. But I am horrified that Portofino has decided to isolate one small part of your story and use it to criticise you!

Portofino the story partly illustrates how easy it is to be sucked into a life of abuse, unprepared and undefended. Your focus on her physical attractiveness is breathtakingly irrelevant.

Following the rest of the discussion with great interest.

THS sshhh. You haven't been able to back up any of your bizarre opinions with facts, you seem unable to identify the difference between fictional characters and real life and you can't answer a direct question. Do you have any recommendations for books on equality that myself or my partner might read? If not, your deliberately provocative posts are clearly just intended to get attention and troll this thread.

Taboulah I'm glad the thread has been useful! There have been some great recommendations.

Sugarmouse - thanks for sharing your experiences.

Everyone - just realised that perhaps TSH's name should be taken literally. He or she can shriek away, but until there is something solid to hear, what's the point?

God dittany I just had a look a antimisandry.com. What a load of cack, men whining about being 'slapped' by women and trying to present it is as serious domestic violence and labelling women only sessions at swimming pools as 'apartheid'.

Funnily enough some of it did seem familiar, perhaps because it was copied and pasted I have read it somewhere before .

On my word it gets worse. They are complaining about 'women's hour' on the radio, female journalists criticising men aaannnddd being made to look foolish in adverts as evidence of their oppression.

Honestly, what these assholes don't get is that the real injustices in the world experienced by other human beings (be they men or women) is experienced by them at the hands of a male dominated society.

I've just read the last few pages of this thread...I can't believe it...

Dittany..Lenigard...Beachcomber...the way you are talking to Harpy is pathetic, all you're trying to do is trip her up....that will never happen because she has more intelligence, personality and style than you three put together...

Get off her back..

Oh I know...just couldn't help it,....they are so up their own arses it's a joke..

I know you can look after yourself....