In Bruising, passionate boxer Mischa Merz draws you into her experiences of a sweaty, oft-bloody, myth- and history-loaded, predominantly masculine but ever-progressing sport. I first came across Mischa's work in the extract of this book published in Overland. It had been my favourite piece in the issue, and when Mischa heard, she sent me a … Continue reading Mischa Merz on Bruising: a Boxer’s Story
feminism
The silver set and the beautiful people
(Yes, I've changed the format of my titles, it's not a boo-boo). I attended the Summer Read Awards at the State Library yesterday afternoon (winner I am Melba, Ann Blainey), and was still surprised (but shouldn't be) to hear that most of the voters were of the silver set - and voted by snail mail … Continue reading The silver set and the beautiful people
Princesses & Pornstars by Emily Maguire
Text, 2008 (Australia) 9781921351310 Update: now also available in a YA edition Your Skirt's Too Short: Sex, Power, Choice Emily Maguire's Princesses & Pornstars is a call to arms. It's a highly intelligent, entertaining, and sometimes endearingly awkward rant. To have a feminist stance is not just to talk about women, Maguire argues, it's to talk … Continue reading Princesses & Pornstars by Emily Maguire
Female Chauvinist Pigs by Ariel Levy
What happened to feminism? Ariel Levy asks. Her book explores how a predominant culture of ‘surfaces’ has produced women who admire ‘sexiness’ without necessarily being sexual. What happened to pleasure?The interviews Levy presents and the sub-cultures (eg. ‘Girls Gone Wild’) she immerses herself in are disturbing, in that most of these women feel lost and … Continue reading Female Chauvinist Pigs by Ariel Levy
