Reviews

Consent laid bare shares a wide range of important perspective in modern day feminist discourse in Australia, particularly in promoting healthy attitudes about sexual relations. There are however some serious issues in this book. I don’t think that a positive and powerful message exempts an author from aiming for ‘good writing’. The editorial team have left some mistakes in the book (please fix in subsequent reprints), Contis also has a strange and disjointed style in which she regularly addresses the reader, circles b ack on her discussion (which is why I’m writing this, stay with me etc. etc.), the book is also structured with a number of chapters that merge and flow into each other without distinction, and subheadings that are equally disjointed from her core argument. Contis makes broad snarky statements (e.g. classifying a type of rapist as “having incel written all over them”). I think it is wrong to assume that women do not have the capability to consent, and especially concerning was a passage questioning whether rape survivors “have true capability and freedom for consent to ever be freely given”. How infantilising. The first half of the book is more convincing, and a wider discussion of gendered differences. patriarchal oppression via unrealistic beauty standards and toxic masculinity are poorly described, not fully explored and not convincing. These are important topics and if I, as a relatively naive 18 year old reader and finding inconsistencies and problems with Contis’ views, i implore her to continue and fine-tune her understanding and perspectives on these topics. Additionally, she makes these weird irrelevant asides of her opinion which are unfounded and detracts and distracts from her core (and essential) argument, such as the history of witch-hunting. Overall, an informal tone utilising swearing and vulgar language, and casual conversational tone may make this text appeal to a teenage audience, and I think it is an important gateway text on this topic. However, I in no way think this provides a complete discussion on consent in 2023.

mince's review

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challenging informative inspiring reflective slow-paced

4.0

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