“Who is dominating the conversation, and what doesn’t get spoken about as a consequence of this?”

This question, posed by Selina Thompson in her essay on fatphobia and feminism, is perhaps the most concise thesis for Can We All Be Feminists? New Writing from Brit Bennett, Nicole Dennis-Benn and 15 Others on Intersectionality, Identity, and the Way Forward. This essay collection brings together young, powerful voices on trans issues, body image, race, sexuality, class, and much more, all under the editorial guidance of twenty-year-old activist and writer June Eric-Udorie. Despite the increasing popularity of feminism in the culture at large, these pieces reveal how very far feminism is from being the inclusive, vital political movement it needs to be by presenting the voices of many it has failed to truly embrace or serve.

We hear it all the time in discussions of politics: identity is a “niche” issue. Some have laid the success of certain right-wing demagogues at the feet of “identity politics” but what these arguments fail to realize is that intersectionality is not a boutique issue—it is the key to building the more equitable world feminism claims as its ultimate goal. Though many find it painful to admit, racism, classism, homophobia, transphobia, body shaming—any number of virulent, oppressive phobias and -isms—have long been embedded in mainstream feminism’s DNA. This collection provides a platform for those who are often overlooked and demands more from feminism and the people who claim it.

What the writers in Can We All Be Feminists? want is an honest answer to the eponymous question. Can we create a truly inclusive movement that addresses the problems of those in most need and often with the least visibility? Reading this collection will—and should—make many readers uncomfortable. Unlike the typical callouts of the internet age, however, the intent is not to rant for the sake of righteous anger alone, but to force the failings of feminism into the harsh light of day so it can be remade into the truly inclusive movement it needs to be for those who need it most.

(A version of this review was featured in Herizons Magazine (Canada))

This book was so well put together that I struggled to read it with the current political climate. I think it's a very important book for many people to read.

This is a thoughtfully curated collection of essays. I have a background in feminist theory including academic takes on intersectionality, and I really enjoyed this more approachable and personal take on the subject.

The subtitle says it all! This is an essay collection on how to make contemporary feminism as diverse and inclusive as possible....https://bookriot.com/2018/09/26/new-books-on-anger-feminism-and-unruly-women/

I am a white woman of privilege who has only recently learned to question established systems of power for their inherent racism. I am also a woman who has suffered misogyny, abuse, fear, and shame because of my gender. This book met me at the intersectionality of these two truths and showed me how far I have traveled, and how very far I have yet to go to better advocate for all women and to be a better human in general. I believe we can't help where and how we are born, but we can help whether or not we choose to stay blind to systems which oppress, which promote injustice and which dehumanize people groups. I have been proud to call myself a feminist without seeking to understand women whose life experience is very different from mine. I am glad this brave book was written so that we can better understand a bit more about each other, and the ways we inadvertently, or worse, intentionally exclude the very people we claim to advocate for. This is an important book for anyone who wants to better understand the richness and beauty of the lives of the diverse people all around us. Ours is not the only narrative.

Interesting collection, I found some essays to be more readable and relatable than others. As with any collection, this introduced me to some new authors whose work I am excited to learn more about.

This is a very helpful collection in defining the scope of intersectional feminism. The concept of intersectionality has been bubbling up to "mainstream feminism" for the last 5 years or so, but has really started to be seen & heard in the Trump era. I really appreciated having a single volume provide so much clarity as to exactly WHAT we're talking about with respect to intersectionality- for instance, I really appreciated having "immigrant" added to my thinking about intersectional feminism re:race or nationality. I really liked the essay on fat feminism, in particular. I do think some of the arguments in here are a little flat; however, I suspect this is mostly because this is still an emerging area to be formally explored (at least in recent years- the authors do a great job of raising up voices from throughout the history of feminism to show just how long these issues have been raised & ignored).

Would definitely recommend for anyone interested in expanding their understanding of intersectionality- this is such an important conversation as we move towards more freedom, fairness, justice, equality, etc. for EVERYONE

This is a compelling collection of essays on intersectional feminism, calling on readers to question their privilege and consider a broader definition of feminism than has previously been offered in the mainstream discussions. This collection was timely, thought provoking, inclusive, and a prism of perspectives. I was captivated by the depth of perspectives and the honesty of the discussions. This is one of the most powerful essay collections I have read in a long time. June Eric-Udorie has assembled a stellar collection, and at only 20 years of age I have so much respect for what this young activist has already achieved in her career.

What immediately connected me to each essay was that the authors described their first encounter with feminism, and the realization that it didn’t fit squarely with other aspects of their life. The topics that it covers have their finger on the pulse as some of the most pressing contemporary discussions ranging from the Black Lives Matter movement, Ireland's abortion referendum, to transgender women and comments made by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie that have been particularly polarizing. It also looked at issues like disability, income, the body, beauty, religion, and a myriad of other considered yet emotional connections with feminism.

Thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Books for an ARC of this collection (out 25 September 2018) in exchange for an honest review.

This had some essays that were terrific, some that had good points but weren't written in the most engaging manner, and a couple that had some main points that I didn't fully agree with. Overall this was worth the read for the essays that were really well written, but I think that many of these topics would have been better suited for a full book rather than being limited to a short essay in a collection that tries to cover many areas in which feminism fails.