Take a photo of a barcode or cover
starrysteph 's review for:
Erased: What American Patriarchy Has Hidden from Us
by Anna Malaika Tubbs
A really clear & compassionate breakdown of American patriarchy, all the insidious ways it harms intersecting communities, and how we can think about restructuring our future. I appreciated the call to action and hopeful tone towards the end, and Anna Malaika Tubbs prompts us to shout about how it doesn’t have to be this way.
I thought the structure was very organized which made it easy (ish? it is quite emotionally heavy of course) to digest. There were several bits of information that surprised me along the way.
Just a handful of quotes that resonated with me:
“Black women are the most astute observers of American patriarchy as a result of being violently excluded from it historically, named by law as direct opposites of white men but forced to live dangerously close to them … Black women have shown others paths to transforming systems and challenging long-held assumptions to create a world that is more equitable, and to leave space for new ways of living.”
“It is always an option to stand against the norm, especially when the norm is wrong, and it is always valid to revisit history and question those who accepted injustice rather than simply excusing their actions as ‘products of their time.’”
“If you have been told that the world belongs to you, you see yourself above the law, above the rules; you grant yourself permission to follow your own orders, to act on even your most detrimental desires.”
“In fact, several scholars believe that these affirmed sustainability and eco-friendly practices are more likely to develop with girls and women because they are taught, from the moment they were born, that they are caretakers, and that what they do impacts others; they therefore become more selfless and socially responsible. Men, on the other hand, are taught that altruism and regard for others, especially weaker beings and mother nature, will make them less powerful. Men will go so far as to deny scientific facts and purposefully engage in environmentally harmful activities to reassert their manhood.”
CW: mentions of death, murder, sexism, misogyny, racism, ableism, antisemitism, police brutality, gun violence, mass shootings, body shaming, rape, xenophobia
Follow me on social media for book recommendations!
(I received an advance reader copy of this book; this is my honest review.)