Non-Fiction Book Review - 'Girl Up' by Laura Bates

Another great tome of work by the wonderful Laura Bates. 

'Girl Up' is a survivor's guide to being a teenage girl; to being a young adult growing up in a world that hates and fears their existence. That world is the patriarchy (siding with white supremacy). It is content in making teen girls and women feel weak, worthless, second only to men, never skinny or pretty enough; feel like nothing without the "perfect" body, a man, and children. It pits women against one another, and keeps them in the dark about so many important things, even those concerning their own bodies. And consent. 

'Girl Up' is a lot more humorous than Laura Bate's previous 'Everyday Sexism', with added illustrations, font-changing declarations which take up whole pages, and an occasional built-in "sexist bullshit klaxon". But though 'Girl Up' is "simply" or "lightly" written - not quite as substantial, shocking or groundbreaking as 'Everyday Sexism' - it is nonetheless vital for debunking and clarifying myths and double standards using facts. 

Laura Bates wishes to help us all now; no more ignorance encouraged socially and culturally. 

'Girl Up' is mandatory for education. Education about sex, healthy relationships, abuse and dominance i.e. street harassment, body anatomy, body positivity, powerful and revolutionary women in history you never learn about in school, feminism, and navigating the world as a feminist - all through supporting each other, above everything else.

And dancing vaginas. Can't forget about those.

'Girl Up' - Because being a girl is awesome, not shameful. Femaleness is not a problem. Patriarchy is. This book is something for every scared, insecure teen girl to keep in her home to reassure her that she is alright. 

That will tell her the truth. 

That will tell her that she (body and mind) matters. And so do her pleasures, relationship choices, and ambitions.

That she plus hundreds of historically-erased women before her can do so many terrific things, no matter who they are and where they come from. Or how their chromosomes and sex organs are.

Final Score: 4.5/5