I have had this book for a while and for some reason I had other books that I decided to read first. I am a strong believer everything happens for a reason and felt I read this book at just the right time for me.. there were so many aspects of me that fell in place for me after reading this book.

There were so many sections to this book I could relate to and so rather than doing a typical book review this is possibly a blog that offers me some therapeutic value, so feel free to stop reading now!! I loved how the book was able to bring in all different aspects to feminism from peoples perspectives based on Deborah’s conversations.

Through the book different sections of the book start with …

“I’m a feminist but”

There was so many I could relate and..

I am a feminist but I am perfectly capable of hearing a man shout, ‘Hey sexy!’ and thinking “that’s awful- still got it” in one clear thought!

This stems from my fear of getting and looking old!

I’m a feminist but one time I went on a Women’s March and popped into a department store to use the loo and on the way back , I got distracted trying out face creams and when I came out, the match was gone.

This obviously hasn’t happened to me, but I am quite capable of it doing so!

 I’m a feminist but I secretly love the movie Pretty Women and, in truth, I am open to the idea of Richard Gere paying to enter me on a grand piano.

I think everyone knows I LOVE this film and there is certainly no secret about it!

 I’m a feminist but sometimes I fantasise about being sexually dominated by famous, fictitious misogynist Don Draper and, in truth, if he were to meet me, I could make him whole and heal his pain.

 A don’t feel the need to add a comment on this one!

 As a leader of a Women’s and Girls charity, – I do struggle with the word feminist  – as a few of my previous blogs have explored. As this book explores it can have a stigma attached, but reading this book further it made me question why I even worry about that stigma. Then further in the book I found my answer, it is because I didn’t want people to think I was a man hater. Which again I have explored in a previous blog.  Some of my biggest supporters of our charity journey have been men, so I would never want to be associated with being a man hater. However what I should do is own the feminist title and then start to prove others wrong if they already have a preconceived idea.

What the book also explores is that its not men that are the problem, its the patriarchy – which I know is usually made up of men  – or my worst type of people, women that love being in a “mans world” and really don’t care about other women so long as they are OK. These women really do grind on me!

My passion has always been to make sure that there are women at the top table to make decisions that impact women – so in essence to challenge the patriarchy. As this book explores its that, that needs to change.

The book briefly mentions the challenges that men are facing, this definitely is a concern of mine as women fight more and achieve more equality we need to make sure that men know where they fit in as well. The world is changing for them also and we need to show compassion and have systems in place that support them, at the moment I really don’t think there is.

In the book Deborah, along with others, explore intersectionality and why that is important in relation to feminism in the 21^st century. I know I have a long way to go to fully understand race, disability and sexuality in relation to feminism – but what I do know is that the word feminism to me still has the connotation of white middle class. As the book explains feminism needs to be fully inclusive for positive change for all women, not the select few.

Again something that I can change by collaborating with others.

The interviews and the honesty in this book is what I loved  – everyone bringing something to the table from their own experiences and values – but all working towards the same thing equality for women.

This book really compliments the other book that I have reviewed The F word, which allowed me to appreciate that feminism can mean different things to different people.

So I end this review owning that I am a feminist, I am proud and I am sure I will go back to this book many times again to get reassurance and clarity on a variety of different topics.

Another point from the book…

 In this book it has a section that looks at period poverty it seems to be mentioned in every book I read at the moment. Period poverty is not only about women not being able to afford sanitary wear but also about women in particular girls still feeling embarrassed to talk about periods and some females not truly knowing what is going on for them.

As a leader of a women and girls charity I really feel this is an area we can help with locally and perhaps further a field. The book spurred me on  to do so and that is why I have added in here!!

Thank you Deborah