A review by lepasseportlitteraire
The Seven Necessary Sins for Women and Girls by Mona Eltahawy

challenging informative inspiring reflective fast-paced

5.0

First of all: FUCK THE PATRIARCHY.

If you already know Mona Eltahawy and her work, you know there was no other way to start this review. I am not even going to define this as a review, because I found her work of such intelligence, empathy, and power that I feel like I am no one to judge the work, I am in literal awe of this woman, her force and power and of course this book. 

While she previously published a book concentrating on feminism in Muslim contexts, with this book Eltahawy brings her reflection on feminism on a global level, and the result is a sort of guide, each chapter a « sin » that the patriarchal societies we all live in condemn, but that she praises and call upon on all women* (she is very clear to include trans women in this group) to make them their weapons and to declare war on the patriarchy.

The order of the chapters is not casual either, but they are ordered from the least to most important: I was fascinated and never felt more empowered and enraged than after exiting her book presentation which I had the chance to attend in Italy. The feeling of reappropriating my anger, and understanding that my anger not only is valid, but is necessary, moved me to tears, and I will never stop being grateful for this gift. 

Another aspect of the book and her presentation (just one of many, I could write pages and pages about this book), is her definition of feminism as not wanting equality to men, but freedom. The reflection is that not the majority of men are free - the only truly free people in our racist, classist, patriarchal societies are white, cis, heterosexual, and super-rich men. Consequently, why aspire to be equal to someone who is not free? And that explains why she put the most important sin, lust. Truly owning our body, is what makes us free, our bodies are our primary weapons in the fight to destroy the patriarchy, which is why I have only one last thing left to say: FUCK THE PATRIARCHY