How To Be a Woman

Morag

Has anyone else read How To Be a Woman by Caitlin Moran?
I am reading it at the moment and was wondering is anyone else or has anyone else and if so what did you think of it?

stinkle

I've read it, and enjoyed it. I felt she came across as quite annoying at times but agreed with almost everything she was saying. It's been a few months since I read it

Ella

Is it an actual book on how to be a woman?

IvyTheTerrible

Ella wrote: »

Is it an actual book on how to be a woman?

It's a book by a comedian Caitlin Moran about her life and her views on being a women (with her ideas on porn, epilation, weight, sex, fashion etc.

I found it hilarious, I share a lot of her views (particularly about porn and hair removal) but I was never able to articulate them as well.

I'd recommend it.

Dovakhin

I read it a couple of months ago and absolutely adored it. Particularly loved the section on weddings considering that at the time I was in the throes of wedding-organising.

I pretty much agreed with most of her points.

Rossin

what are her ideas on porn and hair removal?

Morag

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FQ4DzEJ8ax4

xDramaxQueenx

Oh my god that video is annoying. If she's all for choice, what's with the sly digs at women who choose to wax? "Oh, at least I don't look like a child". Hate that attitude.

Morag

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1WQnZhwGED4

xDramaxQueenx

I have a question for Caitlin Moran. "Why do you have hair that makes you look like a skunk?"

Edit to stay on topic, I haven't actually read the book. The title wouldn't encourage me to read it but after watching both those video clips, her opinions would not be something I would be even interested in and I dont think I would agree with anything she had to say.

Morag

xDramaxQueenx wrote: »

I have a question for Caitlin Moran. "Why do you have hair that makes you look like a skunk?"

Cos she chooses to.
Wow really didn't think this thread would descend to people having a go at what she looks like.

I'm about half way through the book, I do agree with what she says re 'broken window theory' and it's made me laugh out loud several times.

xDramaxQueenx

Sharrow wrote: »

Cos she chooses to.
Wow really didn't think this thread would descend to people having a go at what she looks like.

As do people who choose to have intimate waxing done. Its also their choice. As I see it, she's "having a go" at what some people look like without their underwear "like a child". Is that what her book has to resort to, to sell?

IvyTheTerrible

xDramaxQueenx wrote: »

As do people who choose to have intimate waxing done. Its also their choice. As I see it, she's "having a go" at what some people look like without their underwear "like a child". Is that what her book has to resort to, to sell?

I think her point was that a full wax is something that just was not done (or rarely) before porn became mainstream. That porn is telling women what our bodies should look like.

Morag

I know several people who hold the same opinion on waxing, it's their opinion.
I do agree that it should be a personal choice and a personal preference rather then it being an assumed 'norm'.
You seem to be taking it a bit personally.

xDramaxQueenx

I am taking it personally. Its an attitude that a lot of women have. "Oh, I would rather look like an adult and not a child". Its almost sneering at people who choose to wax. And, I for one don't think it's really got to do with porn. Some women are capable of making their own minds up on whether or not it feels cleaner for them to be hair free or not.

Wibbs

Sharrow wrote: »

I do agree that it should be a personal choice and a personal preference rather then it being an assumed 'norm'.

True, plus in a few cultures the women wax and have done long before porn was around. latins, Arab women as two examples.

Ectoplasm

xDramaxQueenx wrote: »

I am taking it personally. Its an attitude that a lot of women have. "Oh, I would rather look like an adult and not a child". Its almost sneering at people who choose to wax. And, I for one don't think it's really got to do with porn. Some women are capable of making their own minds up on whether or not it feels cleaner for them to be hair free or not.

Of course women are capable of making their own minds up but the adult/child thing is a valid opinion too. I for one was quite disturbed to encounter a man who had gone totally bare down there as to me it did look childlike which freaked me out a bit. Just because somebody chooses not to wax for this reason doesn't mean they are 'sneering' at those who don't hold the same opinion - it just means that they themselves have a preference for how their own body looks.

On topic of the book, I hadn't really heard of it but it looks like something I'll read. Thanks for the highlight Sharrow.

Honey-ec

EMF2010 wrote: »

Of course women are capable of making their own minds up but the adult/child thing is a valid opinion too. I for one was quite disturbed to encounter a man who had gone totally bare down there as to me it did look childlike which freaked me out a bit.

This is why I stick to Brazilian waxing. Did the whole hog once and I hated it, as did my boyfriend at the time. Nothing attractive about looking pre-pubescent down there, but a lot of people clearly love it and that's their prerogative.

krudler

Ella wrote: »

Is it an actual book on how to be a woman?

I have one ordered for you for christmas.

Ella

krudler wrote: »

I have one ordered for you for christmas.

It would take more than a book to sort me out

Morag

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bDhKDTeWdxg

Delirium

Read it last week. Found it to be a decent read. She was quite funny at parts in the book. I bought it mainly because I follow her on twitter, so was curious to see what the book was like.

Actually just watching the video reminded of that section in the book where she talks to a friend about going out that weekend and the possiblity of having sex that weekend. Which lead to the planning (almost to a military level) about shaving/waxing/fake-tanning. Just thought, "Christ, being a woman is tiring", and that was just reading about being one :pac:

I did laugh at her response when her boss asked her to sit on his lap during a meeting. Definitely one way to correct that sort of behaviour.

coffee_cake

I wouldn't be laughing out loud, but she seems nice and down to earth anyway. Could have some good points.

the interviewer in the second video seems very... half asleep and monotone

meeeeh

Not something that would overly interest me. I mostly read fiction, rarely non fiction and it would be probably some historical stuff. My interest in opinion pieces is limited to those in newspapers. But I really don't know why people want to read only the stuff they completely agree with or be even offended by the opinions that are not like their own.

Morag

I think that by reading stuff I may not agree with, makes me question why I don't agree with it and that's not a bad thing (unless it's J waters cos life is too short).

meeeeh

Sharrow wrote: »

I think that by reading stuff I may not agree with, makes me question why I don't agree with it and that's not a bad thing (unless it's J waters cos life is too short).

Yes. If the argument is well put is usually worth reading, but John Waters and the woman that writes about religious stuff in Times (I can't think of her name) are usually ignored. I have only limited time.

krudler

god that video is painful. "I have too many shoes because I watch Sex and the City" thats not a feminist issue, its common sense, stop buying things because you saw them on a tv show.
Why's it ok for feminists to look down on other women's choices? Women only get waxed because porn tells them to? ok then.. nothing to do with personal preference, feeling more hygienic etc etc, now its because porn says so. What a load of guff. "other women don't conform to what my idea of a woman should be" is mostly what she seems to be getting at.

Eve_Dublin

krudler wrote: »

god that video is painful. "I have too many shoes because I watch Sex and the City" thats not a feminist issue, its common sense, stop buying things because you saw them on a tv show.
Why's it ok for feminists to look down on other women's choices? Women only get waxed because porn tells them to? ok then.. nothing to do with personal preference, feeling more hygienic etc etc, now its because porn says so. What a load of guff. "other women don't conform to what my idea of a woman should be" is mostly what she seems to be getting at.

I think her point about the shoes was the fact that most of them that supposedly look stylish, classy, sexy, feminine, etc. are apparently very painful to wear and not the fact that she has so many.

I think you're right about the waxing thing though but in the same breath, people often use one feminist's opinion as the opinion of all of us and that's not fair either.



I don't like people taking the opinions of women like Caitlin as the opinion of all feminists just because she classes herself as one. She's one woman with her own opinions and her own idea of feminism and I don't agree with a lot of what she says.

xDramaxQueenx

Eve_Dublin wrote: »

I think her point about the shoes was the fact that most of them that supposedly look stylish, classy, sexy, feminine, etc. are apparently very painful to wear and not the fact that she has so many.

Yes, they might be painful for her to wear, they're not painful for every woman to wear. She should stop smearing every woman with the same brush. Its rubbish like what she was spouting that would make me never ever want to be a feminist.

Missy Moo Moo

I'd be with xdramaqueenx on this one- wax or don't wax, that's your choice, but don't belittle those who choose to. That would put me off.

Not to mention, the whole "plight of the modern woman" theme is beyond tedious and has been done to death at this stage.

Squ

Is it a comedic book? ie, a satirical look on what women do?
Or is it to help women define themselves?