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A review by higgsgirlie
Sisters in Hate: American Women on the Front Lines of White Nationalism by Seyward Darby
4.0
I found this book from a NYT article about white nationalism in the Pacific Northwest. Among the books mentioned in the article that were read regularly amongst various movements and organizations within WN, there were also books mentioned that discuss the origins of hate groups and why they become popular. This book caught my eye. Darby probes the question: why do women join white nationalism when it is seemingly not in their best interest?
When most people think of WN they think of angry white skinheads yelling racial epithets and marching in the streets with tiki torches. What Darby uncovers is that women are used to help spread the blasphemy of eugenics, as a means to soften the image and make WN more palatable to the moderate white voter. Even more sinister, women have been active participants in WN for the entirety of the United States’ existence.
I find Darby’s subjects interesting, as they all had different backgrounds growing up, some entered the movement younger than others, all of them believed in some level of white feminism, but something shifted them towards extremism and bigotry.
I will say I couldn’t put the book down. The more I read, the more ridiculous this belief system was. Darby is a pretty biased writer, if you can even call being an anti-racist bias, but she spares these women no graces. When she analyzes these women’s words she kind of tears them to shreds, even Corinna who reformed her life. And I enjoyed it. It gives me a sense of ease to know that there are more white people who disagree with these people, than those actually in the movement. When you read it, even YOU can fall victim to believing that WN is a bigger movement than it actually is. No thanks to our former president for emboldening these people, and the internet for giving them the perfect breeding ground for spreading their malice, this book helps the reader understand why people fall for such nonsense.
When most people think of WN they think of angry white skinheads yelling racial epithets and marching in the streets with tiki torches. What Darby uncovers is that women are used to help spread the blasphemy of eugenics, as a means to soften the image and make WN more palatable to the moderate white voter. Even more sinister, women have been active participants in WN for the entirety of the United States’ existence.
I find Darby’s subjects interesting, as they all had different backgrounds growing up, some entered the movement younger than others, all of them believed in some level of white feminism, but something shifted them towards extremism and bigotry.
I will say I couldn’t put the book down. The more I read, the more ridiculous this belief system was. Darby is a pretty biased writer, if you can even call being an anti-racist bias, but she spares these women no graces. When she analyzes these women’s words she kind of tears them to shreds, even Corinna who reformed her life. And I enjoyed it. It gives me a sense of ease to know that there are more white people who disagree with these people, than those actually in the movement. When you read it, even YOU can fall victim to believing that WN is a bigger movement than it actually is. No thanks to our former president for emboldening these people, and the internet for giving them the perfect breeding ground for spreading their malice, this book helps the reader understand why people fall for such nonsense.