Full Frontal Feminism

May 1, 2007
Of these three takes on modern feminism, Siegel's "Sisterhood Interrupted" is the most serious and the most satisfying. Siegel (fellow, Woodhull Inst. for Ethical Leadership; coeditor, "Only Child"), a thirtysomething writer who is also on the staff of the National Council for Research on Women, offers young feminists a brief history of second-wave feminism and the older generation an interpretation of third-wave feminism. She hopes to overcome the divide afflicting the modern women's movement: second-wavers feeling slighted by young feminists unwilling simply to follow their lead, third-wavers resentful of criticism coming from women who act like mother-surrogates when not actually their mothers. The conflict arises in part from the in-your-face sexuality of some young feminists, supposedly anathema to second-wavers. Part of Siegel's mission is to demonstrate that internal conflict among feminists is not new and can inspire rather than impede progress.

Valenti, is a third-wave feminist reacting, in her book, to the reluctance of young women to identify themselves as feminists. She wants to persuade them that feminism is "needed and relevant, but also]so damn cool." A feminist blogger, Valenti addresses many issues of consequence to young women: sex, birth control, abortion, sexual harassment, employment discrimination, beauty, and consumption. Her patois, however, will not appeal to every reader: Change your last name to your new husband's? "Hyphenate, bitch!" Feeling sexually confused? Feminism will counter those "fucked-up messages about sex."

Journalist and self-identified second-wave feminist Maushart tackles the problem that feminism has not made women happy. In a smart-alecky, unsourced, contradictory meditation that pays little heed to those women faced with daily struggles for survival, Maushart, who now lives in Australia (where her book was first published in 2005), concludes that "what women want next is the courage to choose fearlessly, and the wisdom to choose well." "Women now have . . . the power to shape their own destinies," she asserts. "Living well . . . really is the best revenge." These are lessons we already know; little in this book will prove useful to most women. Most public libraries will want the Siegel book; a few may want Valenti's.Cynthia Harrison, George Washington Univ., Washington, DC

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