Gender Knot Review plus + core principals summary

I liked it. It was a bit dry and definitely aimed towards someone taking a college class, but I still understood what he was saying. I also liked that he used a metaphor to get a point across (and even used a picture). The examples were good too, the opening story was as interesting hook, as it showed that what Allan G. Johnson was saying is just theory. The tree was the most interesting part because it showed perfectly how our society’s thinking comes from these core principles of patriarchy.

Male Dominance- This means that men dominate most of the jobs, such as CEOs, Lawyers, and Politicians etc. When a woman enters that sort of career, they are always compared to men. Since there are only a few women in powerful positions, it gives men domination over society and people think men are superior to women.

Male Identification- Our society identifies things with being male. We think of humans as mankind and workers as male. Even God is usually considered to be a man. Male identification also means that the traits preferred in society usually match up with traits associated with being a man; like being tough, in control, logical, and self sufficient. Male identification also limits how a woman can act and how women are perceived in politics. There can’t be too many women in power and if there is one, then they have to be surrounded by men.

Male Centeredness – Male Centeredness is about how men are the focus. Men are the norm. In media, the main character is a man; if it’s a woman, then that is a deviation from the norm. It also is about how in group conversations, the man is taken more seriously. When a woman suggests something, it may be ignored until a man suggests it. Basically, it means that it’s all about men all the time.

Obsession With Control- This affects both genders. For women it’s mostly about controlling their children, but for men the Obsession With Control is more extreme. They try to control everything, their families, their work life, their public image, and even their emotions. The reasoning is that society puts emphasis on men who are always emotionally aloof, logical, and autonomous as superior beings.

Feminism is for Everybody

Feminism is for Everybody

I read the book Feminism is for Everybody. It was published in 2000 and is written by bell hooks. Bell hooks has written several books about feminism before this one. This book is like a handbook for people interested in feminism, so it was perfect for me to read as one of the first books on feminism I have read. A lot of parts were confusing but I still enjoyed reading this book.

This book is about the history and some of the fundamentals of feminism. Some of the chapters are about politics, such as reproductive rights, class struggle, and marriage. There are also chapters on consciousness raising groups, racism, religion, and love. Bell Hooks talks about these fundamentals, why they are good, and how to incorporate them into our lives. Sometimes the book talks about misogynistic traits in our society and why they are harmful.

I really enjoyed Feminism is for Everybody. Feminism has been very interesting to me for a while, but I didn’t understand the complexity of the movement. By reading this book, I have learned the basic concepts of feminism and can now build upon those. Sure, the book was a bit difficult and some of the chapters took a few days to sink in; but I am really glad I read the book. The only thing I would have liked to see was a glossary in the back. The author had said this was a book for introducing people to feminism, but she used a lot of words most people wouldn’t know. That’s really the only issue I had with the book; otherwise, it was great.