For women, it can be tricky to pursue happiness and if you talk to women one-on-one, like the author did for this book, you begin to understand that happiness is shaped by the constraints of gender, as well as race, class, identity and more. Filipovic argues that the main obstacle between women and happiness is a rigged system: "In this world of unfinished feminism, men have long been able to "have it all" because of free female labor, while the bar of achievement for women has only gotten higher. Never before have women at every economic level had to work so much (whether it's to be an accomplished white-collar employee or just make ends meet). Never before have the standards of feminine perfection been so high. And never before have the requirements for being a "good mother" been so extreme. If our laws and policies made women's happiness and fulfillment a goal in and of itself, Filipovic contends, many of our country's most contentious political issues--from reproductive rights to equal pay to welfare spending--would swiftly be resolved."
In this book, Filipovic explores women's happiness and how prioritizing their happiness will make men's lives better, as well. I found this an interesting read, although some chapters resonated more than others (especially because I do not have children). I did make some notes along the way, because there were things that I found especially thought-provoking. For example, in the chapter "Playing in the Dark," Filopovic writes about the way that women and girls are objectified in the media, as well as how we are bombarded by hypersexualized images of women and girls. The point I was especially struck by was this quote on page 65: "Women on film are routinely sexually desirable but also keep their mouths shut - just 30 percent of speaking roles in the seven hundred biggest movies went to women between 2007 and 2014, and not a single woman over the wage of forty-five held a lead part." I apparently have not been paying that much attention because I was startled by this (although I could make the excuse that I don't see that many movies in a year).
Definitely an interesting, thought-provoking book that could make for a good book-group read.
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