Who Stole Feminism? How Women Betrayed Women — Christina Hoff Sommers

The book starts with criticism on American feminism which is currently being dominated by a group of women who seek to persuade that American women are not as free as we think they are. Based on research studies and findings on self-esteem, gender bias in the classrooms and hallways America passed many resolutions and laws to protect women, but failed to look past the facts which were manipulated and biased as only certain individual incidents were taken into consideration leaving aside the good examples.

The old mainstream feminism concentrated on legal reforms, seeking specific and achievable ends and certainly didn’t promote a gynocentric stance — loyal only to women — which new feminists are trying to achieve today. New feminists also view society through the sex/gender prism as per the author. Filler feminism pads history with its own facts designed to drive home the lessons feminist wish to impart.

Feminism cannot be well served by biased studies or by media that tolerate and help to promote them. The assumption that women must defend themselves against an enemy who is waging an undeclared war against them has by now achieved the status of conventional feminist wisdom.

The author based all her arguments on the work of a few feminists who looked at feminism as their own personal agenda. Since this book was written only on American women hence it can’t be used as a measure to curtail struggles women face everyday. Women in America have much more rights but the same cannot be said for the entire world.

The jabs author take on feminism come from her privileged position but I partially do agree with her on the point that certain influential feminists have taken feminism as a personal motive. They have diverted the movement into a gender specific agenda, taking away the original purpose which was equality for all: men and women alike.