11.02.2009

Women Unbound!

well this is cool!

Women Unbound reading challenge, recommended to me by my sister, (who, by the way, blogs at As Usual, I Need More Bookshelves. Check her out!)

hmm...i've never posted any book reviews, but this feminist reading challenge is perfect for me, because i can join the challenge at a lower level of commitment ("Philogynist: read at least two books, including at least one nonfiction one.") to just dip my toes in. :)

so i suppose i should pick a couple of books...i might have to cheat and choose from my sister's list (she is, after all, my personal librarian- i don't even bother picking books on my own any more!) ok, the two books i will ready by November 30, 2010 are:

Fiction: The Robber Bride, Margaret Atwood
(yay! my sister had this on her list, which reminded me that i actually already have this book!)

Non-Fiction: ???
i confess, i don't read as much non-fiction as i'd like. (well, i don't read as much as i'd like PERIOD, but particularly not non-fiction.) but i think i've got something at home i can commit to reading...just need to choose. my non-fiction choice is TBA.

ETA: I'm going to choose from these three, apparently thematic, non-fiction choices:
Out of the Garden: Women Writers on the Bible, ed. Christina Buchmann & Celina Spiegel

also, here's the Women Unbound meme to get us started:

1. What does feminism mean to you? Does it have to do with the work sphere? The social sphere? How you dress? How you act?
feminism, to me, is best summed up by the deceptively simple quotation "...feminism is the radical notion that women are people"
although i would probably add one clarification: feminism is the radical notion that women are people who are of equal value, worth and deserving of rights as male people.
doesn't that sound logical? reasonable? and yet it is still undeniably revolutionary.
this applies in every sphere, because in every sphere, women are treated unequally.

2. Do you consider yourself a feminist? Why or why not?
yes, yes, a thousand times YES.

3. What do you consider the biggest obstacle women face in the world today? Has that obstacle changed over time, or does it basically remain the same?
i personally believe violence against women is (should be) the most pressing issue for feminists. the gendercide (literally) of women across the globe is a direct result of the worldwide and historic de-valuing of women as people. when women are not considered to be equal in worth to men, they are abused. they are by default considered to be automatic prey, and unworthy of equal protections, rights and/or dignities. this doesn't happen just to poor women, or uneducated women, or bad women, or good women, or white women or black women or asian women, or straight women, or women who 'should know better' or women who 'asked for it' or to victims. it happens to every woman.

our very culture de-values women on a daily basis, as do cultures around the world.
male = normal and female = not (less than) male.

the more women and men who
1. live by example and treat women with equal respect and dignity every day, and who
2. speak out and stand up against violence against women in every form (verbal, physical, sexual, psychological, overt, covert, institutionalized, racial, religious, educational, professional, personal), and who
3. teach children that women do have equal worth, and sexism, violence against women and inequality are unnaccepatable...

the more quickly change will come.

thanks Eli!!!

11 comments:

lovey said...

Robber Bride was excellent, I think you'll enjoy it!

susan said...

YES! Say it again, will you. We're on the same page. I hope you check out my responses. When you feel discouraged, come holla. I gotcha back.

Carolynn said...

thanks for your comments lovey & susan!

i've started the robber bride- i like the individual portraits of the characters so far...fascinating, and something to identify with in each!

susan- as a novice blogger, it's really great to know i'm not alone! thanks! :)

Carolynn said...

crap, i sort of just realized i have to post reviews of the books i read. ~~~pressure!!~~~
:)

Jade @ Tasting Grace said...

I've got a couple of nonfiction suggestions for you! Given your focus, I would highly recommend "Lucky: A Memoir" by Alice Sebold. Engaging read, and powerful, powerful stuff.

Also, "cunt" by Inga Muscio is amazing and what got me down this route to begin with.

Hope that helps!

Carolynn said...

hi jade- thanks for the recommendation of Lucky: A Memoir. upon a quick google, i think it would be an incredible story to learn.

Aarti said...

Great responses! There is a quote somewhere that I am about to mangle about women, historically, being the most oppressed group of people in the world. I think your comments really speak to that. Glad you're joining the challenge :-)

Carolynn said...

thanks for your comment Aarti! my first challenge- i think i'll have to keep checking back to see responses from people like you to know what i'm supposed to do!

Elizabeth said...

YAY! YAY! YAY! Just keep checking back with the main blog, and keep reading- you'll do fine! Also, you CAN read more than two books if you get real ambitious - and your reviews don't have to be long. A couple of paragraphs is fine. Also, you'll like this community. Some pretty amazing women - glad to have you with us. =)

Care said...

Welcome to the Women Unbound Challenge! I look forward to your reviews or just thoughts or whatever you post. :) (I personally have stopped calling my posts reviews since it's just me babbling about books.)

Carolynn said...

hi Care! i might not really feel comfortable calling my posts "reviews" either...thanks for the reassurance! :)