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shailydc's review against another edition
3.0
The issues discussed in this book are so important and any awareness raised by this book is needed and crucial.
My reasoning for a lower rating is that the writing felt so self-righteous, as if only the methods for improvement suggested by the authors had any merit and and other options were a waste of time and money.
My reasoning for a lower rating is that the writing felt so self-righteous, as if only the methods for improvement suggested by the authors had any merit and and other options were a waste of time and money.
mcbibliotecaria's review against another edition
2.0
Didn't learn anything new, and the analogies are so cringey and rooted in capitalism. But check out kiva.org everyone!
wyvernfriend's review against another edition
4.0
Interesting, inspiring but needed a bit of inward focus too.
Most of the examples are from the third world not so-called Western countries and when western countries are used it's usually in contrast. Yes, many of these countries need help and the people need for wealthier countries to help them get to a good place with women, but I think a dialogue needs to start at home. Why do we will accept rape? Why do we still assume that a man can't be a homemaker? Why do we still have ads where women do the cleaning and men don't? Why aren't there more women in our films, our tv shows and why do they have to be naked or semi-naked more of the time than men?
We need to think about what we want from society and create one that empowers everyone to be productive and to regard home-making as productive as any other task that empowers the society. We need shelter, food and some disposable income to keep our societies growing and we need to figure out how we're going to do this because if we don't we're going to end up with more wage slaves, more uneven health care and more crime.
Most of the examples are from the third world not so-called Western countries and when western countries are used it's usually in contrast. Yes, many of these countries need help and the people need for wealthier countries to help them get to a good place with women, but I think a dialogue needs to start at home. Why do we will accept rape? Why do we still assume that a man can't be a homemaker? Why do we still have ads where women do the cleaning and men don't? Why aren't there more women in our films, our tv shows and why do they have to be naked or semi-naked more of the time than men?
We need to think about what we want from society and create one that empowers everyone to be productive and to regard home-making as productive as any other task that empowers the society. We need shelter, food and some disposable income to keep our societies growing and we need to figure out how we're going to do this because if we don't we're going to end up with more wage slaves, more uneven health care and more crime.
claire_dobson's review against another edition
5.0
A harrowing read which opens your eyes to the plight of thousands of women. I now need to get involved in helping to change their lives.
clarebeth's review against another edition
Raising awareness of the abhorrent manifestations of gender inequality - sex slavery, rape, murder, barriers to education and medical care - is, of course, a Good Thing. I hope many people read this book, and others, and get furious about the injustice that stems from the undervaluing, objectification and oppression of women and girls. Elsewhere, the stories of women who have overcome unimaginable obstacles to fight the system from within are too often neglected in favour of celebrating the White Saviour (a few of those feature here, too). The book also highlights ways in which well-meaning but tone-deaf aid programs frequently fail to improve situations, or make things worse. The book argues for grassroots programs, lead and organised locally.
But I also hope that this book is read with a critical eye. The tone of the narrative has been criticised as paternalistic, othering, even sexist. There are definitely a few question marks in the margins of my copy.
The stories of women are prefaced with a brief description of their physical appearance: comments on their hair, weight, skin colour and make up. The stories of men are not (although, men do at least feature much less). I wasn't thrilled to read judgements about the beauty of the women and children, the sexiness of their clothes, or their resemblance to 'prom queens' or 'Middle Eastern princesses'. Nor did I enjoy the gushing descriptions of Americans - the words 'saint', 'hero' and 'guardian angel' are thrown around noticeably more for foreign aid workers, despite the book's advocation for local leadership. And while we're on the subject, they could have spent less time on their own heroics too (five pages are dedicated to a detailed description of Kristof and his cameraman donating money and blood to a women delivering in Cameroon. '"I'm A positive", Nick whispered'. Please. )
Secondly, the book fails to engage with any 'Western' contribution or complicity in the situations presented. In fact, the involvement of 'Western men' in sex trafficking is explicitly dismissed. In the opening chapter, the authors state: 'The West has its own gender problems. But discrimination in wealthy countries is often a matter of unequal pay or underfunded sports teams or unwanted touching from a boss'. Setting aside the outdated and inaccurate separation of the world into 'The West' (synonymous with 'rich') and 'developing countries' - this dismissal is not helpful and inaccurately paints America (the audience of the book) as a beacon of equality. This, even as they acknowledge that it is American attitudes to abortion that has a catastrophic impact on global aid, and that the sidelining of 'women's issues' results in harmful foreign policy choices.
In addition to generalisations of 'the West', there was considerable homogenisation of the entire continent of Africa. Praise is heaped on one particular hospital, located ONLY in the DRC, which is grandly named 'HEAL Africa'. Hard not to raise an eyebrow at that.
Oh, and it is PRO-CAPITALISM (bold and underlined).
Despite the caveats above, it is definitely a thought-prokoving call-to-action, which arms readers with the ammunition to go forth and argue for change. The bottom line is seeing how women are overcoming for themselves, and how foreign assistance can better support these battles from the bottom-up rather than just top-down - not 'holding the microphone at the front of the rally but writing the checks and holding the bags at the back'.
But I also hope that this book is read with a critical eye. The tone of the narrative has been criticised as paternalistic, othering, even sexist. There are definitely a few question marks in the margins of my copy.
The stories of women are prefaced with a brief description of their physical appearance: comments on their hair, weight, skin colour and make up. The stories of men are not (although, men do at least feature much less). I wasn't thrilled to read judgements about the beauty of the women and children, the sexiness of their clothes, or their resemblance to 'prom queens' or 'Middle Eastern princesses'. Nor did I enjoy the gushing descriptions of Americans - the words 'saint', 'hero' and 'guardian angel' are thrown around noticeably more for foreign aid workers, despite the book's advocation for local leadership. And while we're on the subject, they could have spent less time on their own heroics too (five pages are dedicated to a detailed description of Kristof and his cameraman donating money and blood to a women delivering in Cameroon. '"I'm A positive", Nick whispered'. Please. )
Secondly, the book fails to engage with any 'Western' contribution or complicity in the situations presented. In fact, the involvement of 'Western men' in sex trafficking is explicitly dismissed. In the opening chapter, the authors state: 'The West has its own gender problems. But discrimination in wealthy countries is often a matter of unequal pay or underfunded sports teams or unwanted touching from a boss'. Setting aside the outdated and inaccurate separation of the world into 'The West' (synonymous with 'rich') and 'developing countries' - this dismissal is not helpful and inaccurately paints America (the audience of the book) as a beacon of equality. This, even as they acknowledge that it is American attitudes to abortion that has a catastrophic impact on global aid, and that the sidelining of 'women's issues' results in harmful foreign policy choices.
In addition to generalisations of 'the West', there was considerable homogenisation of the entire continent of Africa. Praise is heaped on one particular hospital, located ONLY in the DRC, which is grandly named 'HEAL Africa'. Hard not to raise an eyebrow at that.
Oh, and it is PRO-CAPITALISM (bold and underlined).
Despite the caveats above, it is definitely a thought-prokoving call-to-action, which arms readers with the ammunition to go forth and argue for change. The bottom line is seeing how women are overcoming for themselves, and how foreign assistance can better support these battles from the bottom-up rather than just top-down - not 'holding the microphone at the front of the rally but writing the checks and holding the bags at the back'.
hugbuggirl's review against another edition
5.0
This book is intensely insightful and allows you to look into the situation of women around the world. Terrifying and enlightening to the darkness at the same time. I recommend this book to everyone. If you don't think that women are that badly oppressed in the world than this is for you. Not oppressing women yourself as a man or a woman is important, but there is a bigger problem that needs to be understood and addressed as well.
leasummer's review against another edition
5.0
This is a powerful, well written account of the atrocities many women face around the world. It covers horrific topics in a way that keep you reading and fill you with hope. I cannot say how much I appreciate a book like this where the last chapter is about how you can help. This should be required reading for everyone.
ms_kippes's review against another edition
3.0
If I'd read this two years ago, I would have been super impressed by the insight. Now, I'm a disillusioned graduate student who is bored trying to get through it.