F-Bomb

Lauren McKeon gives us an in-depth view of feminism as it stands today in her book F-Bomb, looking at the emergence of new and popular anti-feminist groups, as well as the reason for women to leave the movement over the past decade. McKeon herself has been a feminist since her teens, a lot like me really, and has been an active and popular feminist writer in Canada for many years now, and adds her own personal account of how she has seen the movement splinter from the inside.
F-Bomb gives us an accurate and in-depth description of the issues that feminism faces today: terrible press, misinformation, lack of diversity, exclusive, online “schooling”, superiority from those who have “been around the block”, emergence of actual anti-feminist groups who sing a pretty song, etc. F-Bomb starts off with showing us that the movement will continue to lose both respect and view of concrete goals, as well as a continued mass exodus if we don’t focus on the core internal issues at hand.
McKeon isn’t scared of digging deep into her research, and I love that all of her points are backed up with real facts, as well as personal interviews with feminists, anti-feminists, and those in between. She does a great job with turning the anti-feminist and MRA movements inside out, and showing how they are able to take a narrative that seems pretty logical and sympathetic, and twist it, which is probably why they have gained so much appeal over the past few years. I have personally always dismissed the anti-feminist crowd as slightly stupid, but this actually showed me why so many people have jumped on the bandwagon. And while, yes, it will never be something that I will jump on, McKeon’s research really does point out that the holes in today’s feminism are much more glaring and large than I could see for myself.
I love that she brought up my biggest pet peeve with feminism, that of it often appearing as an exclusive club that only middle-class white women can join (and I have written about this before), drilling down to the absolute importance of intersectionality within the movement if it wants to stay alive and flourish. I also loved how McKeon took a whole chapter to discuss motherhood and feminism, and brought up all of the dualities that come with being a mother and a feminist. Again, I have no issues being both, but I can understand why a lot of women leave feminism behind when they become mothers, and McKeon makes some seriously excellent points.
After looking in the issues with feminism today in the first two parts, McKeon uses the third and last part of her book to show us what can change, and how we can help make the necessary changes needed to ensure that we continue to fight collectively for equal rights, against violence and abuse, and for an all-around better world for everyone. McKeon brings up the Women’s March, and shows that the next generations will be more inclusive and open to change, and there is a lot of hope in her tone. I did find that while F-Bomb did a great job researching all of the issues feminism faces today, there were no real concrete solutions in the final research (not that I was really looking for any anyway, I think looking at the issues gives a good example of where we need to work harder). So if you are looking for McKeon to tell you what you need to do, she doesn’t, but it should be pretty self-explanatory.
McKeon has a very specific style of writing: witty, funny, a little tongue in cheek. It sometimes sounds like she’s talking to you, which can get a little too much at times. I did find the book a little tough going in the beginning, but once I got used to how McKeon writes and gets her point across it’s actually pretty enjoyable. F-Bomb is a really well-researched, interesting book that brings home a lot of important points. I appreciate that this is not the only book that digs into the issues that feminism continues to face, but it does a great job showing all sides of the picture.
F-Bomb is set for release on March 6, 2018 through BenBella Books. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the advance copy.

Women undoing the progress of women

I seem to be adding a new shelf: books that look at the unimaginable side. I was fascinated by What Slaveholders Think, and flabbergasted by Women Against Abortion. Now comes F-Bomb, in which Lauren McKeon ventures to interview and understand women vociferously against feminism. It gets ugly, but she handles it with aplomb. And thankfully, humor.

McKeon says the dictionary definition of feminist is “someone who believes in the social, political and economic equality of the sexes.” Yet only 5-20% of women consider themselves feminists. There is a huge anti-feminist movement across the continent. A lot of it is right wing, conservative and/or faith-based. But there are vast numbers of indoctrinated girls staking their futures on no say over their bodies, lower wages, and rape culture. This is the conundrum McKeon tackles.

From her base in Canada, McKeon, who teaches at Humber College and edits some of the biggest magazines in the country, takes a journalist’s approach. She went to conferences, and contacted groups, Youtube stars and ordinary schoolgirls to find out why they say what they do. She doesn’t hide her astonishment and distaste, but gives everyone respectful treatment. She doesn’t argue with them; she reports.

The lack of unity and non-symmetry of the feminist message becomes more apparent with every chapter. McKeon learned that everyone is a reductionist; they all want a simple, media-friendly message for this complex, hurtful issue. All groups and self-proclaimed leaders have the same fault; they generalize what “all women” want. If there is any general message here at all, it’s that all women do not want the same thing. There are groups that want to put men on pedestals and groups saying that women should not have the vote. Mostly, they hate the word feminist and whatever it conjures in their minds. It appears that feminists are learning the hard way that with any more than two people in the room, unanimity is all but impossible.

She describes in eloquent detail her own rape in high school, and how that changed everything. As well as how common it is. For boys too. She recites the failures of the justice system and government. And joined the Toronto bus to the Women’s March on Washington for Trump’s inauguration. McKeon is totally immersed in her subject.

One thing glaringly missing in F-Bomb is the failure of firms where women lead (either on the board or in executive positions, or from investment bankers who can set terms for client supplicants) to implement a feminist agenda. Is there still a wage gap at those companies? Are there still discrimination cases where women are discouraged for speaking up, or even fired? Are their boards 50% female? Are there family care benefits? Do they institutionalize equality? No word in F-Bomb.

Ironically, McKeon spends a lot of time fielding flak from older feminists who criticize millennials for dressing like sluts and not being feminists. She has coffee with a klatch of successful women in finance, now in their 60s. They say they fought for the breakthrough, and young women are abandoning it. They are disgusted by it every day. McKeon says she has no answers on behalf of her generation, but I do. It’s the older women’s fault. Why haven’t they mentored every generation in the importance of feminism? Why haven’t they used their senior positions to establish policy? Why haven’t they institutionalized equality so no one ever has to think about it again? Instead, we have the 70s generation whining about the millennials, while anti-feminists and male apologists take center stage. McKeon needs to throw it right back at them, especially with her far deeper understanding of the greater picture.

McKeon has a fast-paced style that is most accessible. The chapters of F-Bomb are focused and well-defined. The writing is clear, and the pacing is a pleasure. She puts her remarks on people and events in brackets, instead of footnotes (the ugly new trend I keep encountering, even in science books!), which is a great relief and helps keep up the pace. This is not a feminazi screed. It is not preachy. It provides far more insight than the referential We Were Feminists Once, by Andi Ziegler. McKeon is constantly surprised by what’s out there vying for acceptance, and so am I.

David Wineberg

Very eye opening. There is a lot to learn from this book. I'll definitely recommend it.