I feel like I've just woken up...and I'm really hungry

[WilsonFrickett]

I have been very active on a couple of Dorries threads today and feel like I've rediscovered a muscle I've forgotten I have. It's called feminism. I mean, I've always been a feminist, but I haven't been engaging with the world that way, I haven't been active and I haven't been fighting for my rights. That changes now.

But I feel like it's been years since I properly thought about any of that stuff so can I ask others to recommend some books, websites etc that I could have a look at? And if I start posting here will you be gentle with me

TIA

LOL Wilson

Teh Equality Illusion by Kat Banyard is good and pretty up to date
Backlash by Susan Faludi is depressing but good

Wifework by Susan Maushart

Thx for recommendations, I've heard a lot of people talking about Wifework so will start there.

WF, it's the bookclub book this evening at 9PM!

Read 'Delusions of Gender' by Cordelia Fine because it is funny and also empowers you to dismiss the recent crap that people are using to justify sexism.

agree with Equality Illusion as a basic summary of where we are at the moment.

Brilliant HereBe, so I can read it then come back to the thread? Cool

Another fan of Wifework here.

I like Living Dolls. it is especially relevant now i think.

It's hard to believe the book is 24 years old now, but one of the best not-too-challenging, riotously funny but amazingly incisive books on feminism I've found is Sally Cline and Dale Spender's Reflecting Men at Twice Their Natural Size. The cartoons are amazing as well.

Despite being so old, sadly most of the issues within it are still relevant today.

Another big thumbs up for Cordelia Fine's "Delusions of Gender" and Natasha Walter's "Living Dolls." I agree that "Backlash" by Susan Faludi has also aged well, but probably needs an update to include the influence of internet, digital media, etc.

M. Gigi Durham's The Lolita Effect is also pretty good on sexualisation of young girls. And for anyone who has daughters or other special young women in their lives, pre-teen and upwards, Vanessa Rogers' Working With Young Women: Activities for Exploring Personal, Social and Emotional Issues, is excellent.

I'm a huge fan of John Stoltenberg, but he can be a bit "heavy going" at times.

I remember not being terribly fond of some of the "Third Wave" writing, like Katy Roiphe's "Morning After" and Natasha Walter's "The New Feminism," because I thought they were a little too optimistic about the gains of feminism - a bit too, "we can rest on our laurels a now," in tone. Interestingly, Walter admits as much in "Living Dolls" about her earlier book.

Laughter is good! It is a bit depressing to see that stuff I was aware of 20 years ago is still relevant though...