good listen

I sometimes truggled with the language the author used because it was fairly academic but I thought it was great!

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Academic and Dense

Down Girl by Kate Mann is a curious book.

It is a heavily academic book. This first section Eating Her Word is almost ridiculously academic. Skip it if you wish or bare down. It lays out a thesis, scoop, and bias. Unlike other books of a similar topic this is more academic in research and philosophical university book. Along with properly defining misogyny. Which is also good as a foundation for the rest of the book. The conclusion is EPIC, The Giving She and has a great review of each chapter. But if you like Shel Silverstein you will never read them the same way! (OMG)

A good short hand Mann has left with me, Sexism is a lab coat. Misogyny is a witch hunt.

It is not purely anecdotal it has many studies and world life events that Mann then proves not only the misogyny of the event but also the systemic issues that leads to bolster misogyny view.

Mann has an interesting view point. Beyond showing why there is document killing of women, scientific repeated studies of bias’s against women and realities of the world that leave women at a lesser state. But she is not liberal or far left, unless you believe equality and equity between men and women is a left wing belief. Rather she takes aim at why these things exist. And calls out all sides of the political spectrum for various failing and explores various philosophical theories.

At no point does Mann state that people should just shut up and let women be women. Rather they examine the root causes of distress found in men, society and/or cultures. They fully agree that the statement that women are taking things away from men is valid. Women, Mann states are taking jobs and are redefine work and relationship balances. However, Mann’s ultimate query is why is that an issue. Why cannot women move into these spheres? Why then must women die because of it? Why must women return to a pervious and possible false past role?

Why must women be unduly hated/killed for succeeding as people? Or really why must men hate/kill women when those men no longer feel like men?

There are many stories, documentation, and studies used but this one is fascinating, not only the outcome but how Mann interpret it. The interesting example is a study in which male children are physically soothed more by caregivers, than girls. Despite controls like the caretaker being told at random child the child’s sex. Meaning caregivers decided to give more physical attention to children they thought were male, over children they thought were female. As Mann noted this doesn’t mean one is better than the other. Noting that because girls are talk to when distressed rather than physically soothed and coddled this may develop their language skill earlier than boys. Or even potentially set boys up for failure as they end up expecting this extra attention and privileged only to be unable to handle life when it disappears.

The book, as stated in the introduction, focuses on the USA and Australia, because Mann lives and knows the culture and history in-depth to feel comfortable to write this manifesto. Mann talks about Rush Limbaugh, Isla Vista Killings, Clinton & Trump, PM Gillard, debate of birth control, Himpathy, Rape strategy and judicial system ie Broke Turner, the culture of victim hood and intimate partner violence.

Personal note. This book was written during Trump’s presidency. Given that Trump has not been the USA President for the last 9 months I have forgotten so much of what he did, and how prevalent his name is iterated during feminist and misogynist texts. So be aware.

Down Girl is good book for anyone that has a passive interest in academic study of feminism and gender studies. All of the subjects are recent and big enough that the reader should remember the new event. And find an interesting more nuance reading of it. Along with the later results.

Sadly like all misogyny books it is not about women, but about how men view women. And at times makes you feel, if you are a women, why do I bother. As Mann said them self.

As Mann concludes “one woman’s misogyny is another man’s poetic Justice”.

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Hope was dashed

It’s such a shame when good material cannot be heard, because the narration is absolutely terrible. The pacing changes constantly without need or warning, and I’m positive AI is cut in at various points. Why half ass the audio book? Especially when it is so important to those of us who do not have the time/luxury to sit and read a book? Would have loved to hear the message, instead I’m left wanting a refund

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1 person found this helpful