Maria Sveland

Tempted to just write "another book with problem that could be solved with lesbianism", but, ehh, I'm not going to do that.

So, this is basically a feminist look at modern heterosexual relationships, marriage, having kids and so on. Both the author and the main character are married, but against marriage as an institution. I don't know how much of it is autobiographical, but I think a lot of it must be, a lot of the anecdotes about men seems a little too real.

Because that part is very real, and very easy to recognize as woman. I have may not have had every encounter that the main character has with men, but I've had my fair share of them, and I've heard stories from other women. That's sadly how it is.

In general when people say "oh don't complain about men so much, be a lesbian instead" I think it's a bit of an over-simplification, but reading this book ... I kinda started to feel that way. Okay, so you don't believe men and women can have equal relationships while living in patriarchal society? You've problably got a point, but why is the solution to have an unequal relationship with a man, when it could be to have a more equal relationship with a woman?

Then again I realize that not all women are attracted to women (though I don't see how that's possible ...), so maybe this book is great for them. For anyone with the alternative, I don't see why it has to be such a big problem. Just because you love someone it doesn't mean you have to be in a relationship with them.… (plus d'informations)

This book was very, very refreshing to read. And by this I mean that Sveland carries a voice that cuts through a lot of nonsense. She starts with identifying antifeminism, what it has been like in Sweden (and to some extent internationally, but mainly in Sweden) and goes on to describe how Sweden is still not gender-equal, how antifeminism has grown beyond critique into pure hatred, and what this hatred consists of.

The book is modern. It's a piercing view into the callow, uncouth world made out by - mainly - anonymous men who try and fight feminism even though they lack the most basic insight into what feminism really is, not to mention self critique.

In my view, I would have liked more statistics in the book, and far less personal reflections in the mini-chapters that Sveland has divided into the name of months; I feel they got worse as the book progressed, but still, they're such a little part of the book as a whole that they're no real disturbance to any reader, I daresay.

Still, this is recommendable to all who want to learn about antifeminism in Sweden today.… (plus d'informations)