Outrageous Acts and Everyday Rebellions: Third Edition

As a new feminist, I knew that this collection of essays by Gloria Steinam was a must-read, along with other classic feminist texts (Simone de Beauvoir, etc.) and modern feminist writings (Jessica Valenti). I started this in December and periodically got in and out of reading it, sometimes because the essays were way over my head and sometimes because I didn't want to reach the end just yet. Steinam is brilliant in a way that I hope to be some day, insightful and open and witty and so amazingly right about things that I wonder how long it took her to gather her most brilliant writings and out them into a comprehensive and very well-organized book. A breakdown of the contents:My Favorites:"I Was a Playboy Bunny"- this is a must-read for anyone buying into the edia crap about how the Playboy bunnies were glamorous and well-off. Steinam's account wasn't thrilling or exciting, there were no horrifying events, but it was honest and it exposed a world that was tiring, irritating, cheap, sleazy, and completely patriarchal. I read this whole essay in one breath, I loved her details and how she didn't seem to have a bias. She just told us the facts and let us decide for ourselves."Ruth's Song (Because She Could Not Sing It)"- I was nearly brought to tears by the end of this essay. It says so much about how women's mental illness was viewed in post-Freudian times and how Steinam's mother, once smart and capable, had descended into something that no one at the time understood. This must have been very emotional to write."In Praise of Women's Bodies"- Girls, this is SO important to read. It brought a smile to my face and it made me start loving myself, flaws and all."Men and Women Talking"- Very insightful. I learned about a lot of these little differences and nuances in psychology, but they always seemed to be from the man's point of view. This also serves as a self-help section, letting women know that being assertive and loud is just fine and we should in fact do it more often. Very helpful."Erotica vs. Pornography"- This one was hard to read but it really resonated with me. Modern feminists are very sex-positive and I love that, but it has always been hard for me to ignore the damaging misogynistic effects of pornography of all kinds. It may seem dated to some feminists but I definitely agree with Steinam's ideas.The whole "Five Women" section- I don't know how this didn't win some sort of writing prize. This section was so well-written and I will never forget reading it. Five important women in our culture- Marilyn Monroe, Pat Nixon, Linda Lovelace, Jackie Kennedy Onassis, and Alice Walker- are examined and revered, because their stories are so widely told but not in the right way or from the right perspective. I love these women, I feel so much closer to them now. I don't know if anyone but Steinam could instill that much emotion in me."The International Crime of Genital Mutilation"- This one is also a tough pill to swallow, but it is very important. We don't think about these things enough. This will get you thinking."If Men Could Menstruate"- Hilarious, but also the one that fully proved to me that Steinam is a genius.Every woman and girl (and man, I think) needs to read at least a few of these essays. Feminism is still relevant and still needed. These essays were written decades ago but many of the issues persist today. I'm not saying some of the ideas (especially about trans* issues) are not dated, but they are still worth the time to read. I really enjoyed this collection.

About two months ago, during a class simulation, I was in the hallway speaking with several male classmates. Despite that fact that I had done my research and was an active participant, 90% of the men I was with completely ignored me, despite my overt attempts to join the conversation. It was so bad, in fact, that all but one of them walked away while I was still talking. Infuriated, I clapped my hands loudly and demanded that they listen to me. Had I not just been treated in such a way by a group of faculty members a few weeks before, I may have let it slide for the sake of civility, but I was tired of men acting as if they were placating me by allowing me to speak. They may as well have patted me on the head and told me to be a good little girl and play nice.I've always been very outspoken and assertive, so I'm not entirely sure how I made it to 30 without reading Gloria Steinem, but here I am, reading her for the first time. To be honest, I don't know that I would have fully appreciated her or her work ten years ago, so maybe it's for the best that I read her now! I've always thought of Ms. Steinem as an amazing, confident, trailblazing woman. I had no idea that she had a massive fear of public speaking, overanalyzed what she had said for days on end, and was constantly seeking approval. As someone who can identify with and is overcoming these same traits, it her ability to succeed and make such a long-lasting and positive change fills me with hope.Outrageous Acts and Everyday Rebellions is a book of essays, most of which were written decades ago, and include relevant updates to keep the reader up to date on what the current state of affairs are. As Ms. Steinem points out in her introduction, some of these updates are depressing in that not much progress has been made. The essays range from how the transexual movement has affected gender roles, her time as a a Playboy Bunny, an essay about her mother and what would happen if men menstruated.While all of the essays covered very serious topics, they were made more interesting with a type of humor that was not haha funny, but instead amusing in a this-is-real-life way. It made the book much more approachable and less preachy. In fact, the book didn't seem preachy or "feministy" at all and yet I finished the book wanting to jump up and shout about how great it is to be a woman.One of the things that Ms. Steinem emphasized in the book is that women tend to become more liberal as they get older, and thus are more likely to become "activists" later on in life. This is not because young women are failing to understand the importance of gender equality, but rather that until they are beginning (or even halfway through) their careers, it is not something they encounter in such a blatant way. Perhaps this is true, because while I've always believed in and supported gender equality, it wasn't until the last year or two that I started to realize that I was on the unequal end of things.

I had forgotten that Gloria Steinem was, first and foremost, a journalist until I read this book. Some of the essays seem quaintly dated; others evoke nostalgia for a more activist time when anything seemed possible. But many of her thoughts seem as relevant today, if not as radical, as they did when she wrote them down. Good reading for anyone who wonders, "Whatever happened to my feminist dreams?"A couple of notes: I'd heard that once upon a time, she a Playboy bunny, but didn't realize she did it in order to engage in investigative reporting. That pieces was a fantastic way to start the book.Also, I was lucky enough to meet her when I was a freshman at Yale College. She'd promised she would come speak to the Yale Political Union if Morey's -- a now defunct private eating club -- ever opened its membership to women. It was a promise she never thought she'd have to keep. But I was in the first wave of women members. Also, I'd cynically joined the Libertarian Party, along with a couple of friends, when they came wooing. They were about to lose their status as a party because, under Yale PU rules, they had to have at least 25 members. I made a cynical bargain with them: I'd join if I could eat dinner with Gloria Steinem and a couple of other interesting people who were coming to speak that fall (each party could send three representatives to eat dinner with each speake)r. They accepted, and I ate dinner with Gloria Steinem, Russell Baker, and either Yasser Arafat or the first PLO observer at the United Nations -- I don't remember which one.

Gloria Steinem writes so beautifully and eloquently on subjects she has taken time to research personally or refers to her personal life experiences - I would recommend this to all feminists, those who are unsure about their role - male or female - as her essay cohesively discusses why we behave as we do & points out how our society might be better with a little consideration between the sexes and masculine expectations of the females in their lives. Much of what you read, you already know & as a woman may have experienced - but having these captured and explained is really thought-provoking... it's as if someone's cleaned the windows. The interviews with iconic women of the 20th century, particularly those with Marilyn Monroe and Linda Lovelace are heartbreaking in their revelations. I think this is a book for EVERYONE who cares about society and how each of us SHOULD behave to make the world a much better place and a far more EQUAL one for the 'other' 50% of the population.

I enjoyed reading this book.

Very good copy .

Libro majestuoso y de lectura obligatoria

Not. Very tidy copy, when said excellent but used