A funny little book about how women have been oppressed, caged (in the "domestic sphere", plus those damn corsets and heels), ignored and lied to - as we all have concerning half the human race - all throughout history by important, "genius" men who you definitely learn about in school and history books.
Jokey review ahead:
Academic men - scientists, evolutionists, philosophers, anthologists - seemed to have achieved so much, and were revolutionary in their intelligence and open-mindedness. Yet most simultaneously promoted the idea that women are inherently and biologically inferior; they have small brains and "wandering minds" and so it is impossible for them to do anything intellectual. They only exist to attract men; thinking and wearing trousers, instead of staying at home embroidering, makes women ugly and hairless (other physical activities such as bike riding makes ladies no longer virgins... for some reason).
But women have always been thinking, studying, discovering and doing amazing things. We just don't hear about them (they had to work in secret, and you can guarantee that most anonymous pieces of literature were written by women), not compared to the so-called smarter of the monkey species, the manly man. These manly STEM minds brought down women, not allowing them to reach their potential like men, due to men's insecurities and a whole variety of complexes relating to being more comfortable with seeing women as less than human. Or in extreme cases, not human at all.
Women, when not viewed as vapid and stupid creatures fit only for childcare, sewing, cooking and cleaning (bloody hard things to achieve, by the way), were also viewed as the evil and soulless of the human race by famous philosophers once upon a time. These dangerous, dehumanizing ideas have tragically carried on throughout our history, and subtly persist to this day.
It's hard to believe that quite a lot of the great male minds we look up to as pinnacles of human intellect were also like the world's first internet trolls. Misogyny, the oldest prejudice. And it's truly upsetting that it appears to be here to stay.
Humanity needs to do better, now. And recognize and celebrate the erased women of history and what they've achieved, as much as we do the men. The word "genius" shouldn't automatically be synonymous with men. Specifically men with beards.
Hair = intelligence, it appears. Baldness notwithstanding.
Sorry I went on a tangent, there. Even though I made it look like 'The Trouble with Women' is a dark book, it really isn't. It's comedic and educational. It could have taught us about more intelligent women who broke the mold and achieved awesome things, such as feminist activists. The author does mention women of colour as well, and makes a jab at how history's smartest men have benefited from slavery, so there's that.
'The Trouble with Women' is a start of a brilliant new education, at least. Good, important fun.
Final Score: 3.5/5
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