caitlyn888's review against another edition
3.0
I was a child in the 90s but didn't come of age until the early 2000s, so many of the topics covered are events that I've been retroactively learning about. But it was enjoyable to read about certain 90s staples that I'm pretty familiar with - Monica Lewinsky, "Roseanne," the Spice Girls, Lisa Frank - and better understand how women were "bitchified" as the book says, or how capitalism packaged feminism aka "Girl Power!" into trinkets girls could buy.
This book leans very heteronormative, and even though the author does try to diversify her subjects by including passages about "Living Single," TLC, and Anita Hill, it still skews predominantly white in its focus. I would've been interested to read about Selena Quintanilla, the backlash lesbian celebrities received, or female rappers like Lil' Kim and Missy Elliott, who literally used the word "bitch" as a term of empowerment.
This book leans very heteronormative, and even though the author does try to diversify her subjects by including passages about "Living Single," TLC, and Anita Hill, it still skews predominantly white in its focus. I would've been interested to read about Selena Quintanilla, the backlash lesbian celebrities received, or female rappers like Lil' Kim and Missy Elliott, who literally used the word "bitch" as a term of empowerment.
onlyonebookshelf's review
funny
reflective
medium-paced
3.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexism and Misogyny
unawake0442's review against another edition
5.0
This was such a joy to read. While it's easy to look back on what we did wrong, what could have been better, or what wasn't as progressive as we thought, Yarrow goes beyond finger-wagging at the past. Yarrow ties these issues and circumstances together and connects them to the present.
90s Bitch looks at the mistakes of decades past, but the same critical lens can be applied to today.
90s Bitch looks at the mistakes of decades past, but the same critical lens can be applied to today.