Making it less of a jungle out there

Amanda Marcotte's new patriarchy-blaming tome has arrived, and the initial reviews are excellent. The reviewer in Bitch magazine, for example, says:

Marcotte shines when she takes aim on subjects that are rarely discussed in Women's Studies 101, from the passing stranger who demands that you smile to the ritual of self-flagellation that occurs when female coworkers gather to eat sweets.

Those two situations -- dealing with those asshole strangers who command me to "Smile, honey!", and with the self-hating (not to mention booorrrrring) diet talk some women incessantly indulge in -- are two things I find hella annoying. Even if Amanda's book does nothing more than provide useful advice on how to deal with those two particular circumstances, it would be well worth buying.

Everyone's favorite Spinster Aunt -- not the most easily satisfied of customers, I'd hazard -- likes it so much that she's adding it to three of her recommended book lists:

the Remedial Feminist Reading List, as well as to the OK, So I’ve Blamed The Patriarchy; What The Fuck Am I Supposed To Do Now? list, and to the Books You Must Do Everything In Your Power To Make Sure Your Teenage Daughter Reads Before Leaving For College And Preferably Several Years Before That list.

Twisty adds:

I particularly enjoyed her skewering of the antifeminist feminists, such as the i-Feminists, the Concerned Feminist Pearl-Clutchers of America, the “equity” feminists, and Camille fucking Paglia, can I get an A-men.

Not only get you get an A-men, I'll see that and raise you an A-fucking-men!

Twisty repeats some of Amanda's sage dating advice:

she observes that you can run off both Playboy fanboys AND Libertarians merely by telling them that you are a feminist. This, she says, is “kryptonite.”

That truly is excellent advice. Ten years ago, when I placed a personal ad (this was in the last dying days of print personal ads, before internet personals took off), I very deliberately, and prominently, described myself as a feminist. My reasoning was simple: I would save time and cut down the hassle factor, because I'd be screening out at least one kind of asshole from this particular dating venture.

True, I did get some responses that referenced the "feminist" self-description and made passive-aggressive jokes or statements like "I hope that doesn't mean you hate men." But that wasn't a problem -- those letters went straight into the circular file.

What was the outcome of my little experiment? To make a long story short: reader, I married him.

I don't know about you, but I've just ordered my copy of Amanda's book on Amazon.

And speaking of Twisty -- after an extended web-logging hiatus, she's back in business, and how. It's  very good indeed to have her back. Among other things, she's a sheer pleasure to read -- one of the finest prose stylists on these here internets. If you can imagine  P.G. Wodehouse reincarnated in the body  of a  radical feminist --  well, yeah, I know that's not necessarily easy, but do try -- well, that's how she writes. And at her best, it's quite a dazzling performance.

Comments

[lola]

This is one of those "say it and spurn the good girl within" moments--IMO, Marcotte's been (at best) sloppy and absent re: covering the subtle (and not so subtle) sexism in the Dem primary.

And because of that, I really can't work up any genuine interest in her book. If she can't (or won't) diligently nose out & comment on the kind of sexist shit writ large in this current political race, what value is her opinion on office politics and sweet-eating and whatever?

(If Melissa McEwan or Zuzu wrote a book, it'd be a very different story, for me: they've not only tackled the sexism, they've presented analysis of same with a sense of knowing it had to be done, regardless of personal inclination or political bias. But Marcotte? Not so.)

[crack]

If it has more insightful analysis like this:

Anti-choice women are the same as Uncle Toms everywhere. They hope that by kissing the ass of their oppressors, they'll get an exemption. When you see the crazy ladies waving fetus signs and praying, imagine a thousand Clarence Thomases, and that's what you got.

How can I resist?

http://lefarkins.blogspot.com/2008/02/yes-it-is-neat.html#532382

[Hattie]

The dieters drive me nuts.
I too have problems with Marcotte. But I attribute that to the disparity in our ages.
Twisty is more my speed.

[Sally]

The picture sums it up. It really is a jungle!

[Latino Dating]

Great image you got there. ANyways, the world is really full of strangers and people who have varying profiles. The key is to COMPROMISE.