Publisher's Summary

A bold and uncompromising feminist manifesto that shows women and girls how to defy, disrupt, and destroy the patriarchy by embracing the qualities they've been trained to avoid.

Seizing upon the energy of the #MeToo movement, feminist activist Mona Eltahawy advocates a muscular, out-loud approach to teaching women and girls to harness their power through what she calls the "seven necessary sins" that women and girls are not supposed to commit: to be angry, ambitious, profane, violent, attention-seeking, lustful, and powerful. All the necessary "sins" that women and girls require to erupt.

Eltahawy knows that the patriarchy is alive and well, and she is fed the hell up: Sexually assaulted during hajj at the age of 15. Groped on the dance floor of a night club in Montreal at 50. Countless other injustices in the years between. Illuminating her call to action are stories of activists and ordinary women around the world - from South Africa to China, Nigeria to India, Bosnia to Egypt - who are tapping into their inner fury and crossing the lines of race, class, faith, and gender that make it so hard for marginalized women to be heard. Rather than teaching women and girls to survive the poisonous system they have found themselves in, Eltahawy arms them to dismantle it. 

Brilliant, bold, and energetic, The Seven Necessary Sins for Women and Girls is a manifesto for all feminists in the fight against patriarchy. 

©2019 Mona Eltahawy (P)2019 Beacon Press

What the critics say

“A sharp manifesto for fighting the patriarchy.... Brilliant and electrifying.” (Booklist, starred review) 

"A vociferous, highly motivational call to arms for the feminist movement.” (Kirkus Reviews)

“Eltahawy’s arguments come through with as much intelligence and clarity as passion and evocative imagery; they are built on facts about racism, capitalism, and homophobia, as well as her own and others’ experiences.” (Publishers Weekly

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What listeners say about The Seven Necessary Sins for Women and Girls

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    5 out of 5 stars

powerful, informative, and moving

it is so great that we have a book written and read by Mona in a world where there is now so much anxiety over the cruel and trolling ways the patriarchy has chosen to malignantly behave, through trump and bolsonaro and others, and through the dying vestiges of a racist, sexist, homophobic, transphobic, and outright cruel male power structure.

i was comforted that throughout the book i was hearing Mona's words read by her.

the book is uncompromising and concise, it touches on every subject that is relevant to the struggle of marginalized and vulnerable people all over the world, and that Mona chose to structure it in themes of a new seven deadly sins makes it thematically appealing and entertaining.

this is a book that in print, digital, and audio form will be with me for the rest of my life, and i am recommending it to everyone i know with social justice convictions.

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  • QZ
  • 2019-10-06

A book everyone should read/listen too.

This is not some complaint about manspreading. This is a detailed manifesto of Fuck the Patriarchy Globally. We need this more than we need discussions on video game tropes (though the tropes are messed up).

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5 full fuck the patriarchy stars

The manifesto every women needs to hear. The heroine you either thank the planet for, or you curse in fear because you know she is calling us all into action. Any bad reviews are more than likely due to the fact she is far from a soft spoken or apologetic pleading soul, she is fierce and many find that "too much". A bit repetitive, but I belive that's intentional... some things need repeating because we are not used to hearing them spoken.

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    1 out of 5 stars
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Don't waste your time

Worst book ever - several people I know returned the book and I felt like it but couldn't even work up enough energy to send it back. Sounds like you are being screamed at the whole time.

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    3 out of 5 stars
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self Righteous

A very repetitive and self absorbed narrative for sure. The message is important but I got tired of listening to her self righteous voice.

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