A review by eveninglily
Gender(s) by Kathryn Bond Stockton

2.0

I think that this book touches on a lot of interesting points, from hypocritical and strange gender norms, to the sheer intersectionality of gender and race, class, etc.. The author clearly knows a lot, and has many references and citations.

I also found this book very difficult to read. It felt self-congratulatory, vague, and unclear. I believe a quote from this book will prove more explanatory than I can.

An index of this queerness is something called "chick lit." It has been humming for over two decades. You don't have to read it (I never have) to find it illuminates change for the word and people called "women." Again, the typicality of what's on display signals its whiteness - so the view is partial. Still, it's alerting and almost entertaining . To state it succinctly:

Shoe meets girl meets boy meets shoe. Shoes trump men. Men are shows. Shoes are porn, of a charming sort. Sex is in the city. Austen's in the house. Love of Jane Austen is de rigueur. There's the "gorge factor" (the author must be gorgeous) with "toe cleavage" (did I mention shoes?) - and, defying feminism, the personal is no longer political.: "It's just personal."