#MeToo and the Global Fight for Women's Rights
April 12, 2021
Vogelstein and Stone, senior fellows at the Council on Foreign Relations’ Women and Foreign Policy program, debut with an eye-opening global tour of women’s activism in the wake of the #MeToo movement. Spotlighting activists in seven countries, the authors make clear the diversity of the movement, discussing, among other topics, the push for increased political representation by women in Brazil; performance art campaigns by young Chinese women, who use blockchain technology to preserve online posts in the face of government crackdowns; and the recognition by Swedish feminists that their international reputation for gender equality hid terrible behavior by powerful men. The authors also describe the central role of social media in building solidarity and providing a safer space for individuals to speak out, and show that physical protest is also still critical, especially as activists seek to include women in poorer or more rural communities. Vogelstein and Stone push for Western foreign aid groups and feminist organizations to “decolonize” their programs and let local women lead, and outline how the movement can progress by focusing on the “Five Rs”: redress, reform, representation, resources, and recalibration. Readers will be galvanized by these detailed portraits of bravery, creativity, and persistence in the struggle for women’s rights.
July 1, 2021
Making reference to Kate Chopin's 1899 novel The Awakening, this book by Vogelstein and Stone (both NGO advocates for women's rights) carefully situates their analysis of the global impact of the Me Too movement in a literary, social, and sexual narrative that is always "both/and" rather than "either/or" in its embodiment. They make the case that, like Chopin's heroine, women who come forward about abuses have sometimes found their voices, but have at other times been silenced. This book assembles individual stories along with case studies focused on different forms of social change and provides strategies that readers can use individually or collectively to dismantle systems that perpetuate sexual violence. Like the Me Too movement itself, this book's narrative is not linear; it draws its strength from the authors' awareness that global efforts are not monolithic or one-size-fits-all and that the democratization of communication platforms doesn't always make it easier to ignite positive change. This book isn't simply a history or a series of case studies and anecdotes; it compiles these narratives to show readers how change happens, so that we can continue to do the work of disrupting and dismantling systemic injustices. VERDICT Complete with a broad selection of resources for advocacy, this call-to-action will spark the interest of aspiring activists.--Emily Bowles, Lawrence Univ., WI
Copyright 2021 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.
May 15, 2021
A recent history of the women's rights movements that have proliferated worldwide. Vogelstein, a women's rights lawyer and director of the Women and Foreign Policy Program at the Council on Foreign Relations, and her colleague Stone, a senior fellow at the CFR, offer an inspiring overview of burgeoning women's movements in Brazil, China, Egypt, Tunisia, Nigeria, Pakistan, and Sweden. Social media platforms such as Facebook, WhatsApp, and Twitter have proved indispensable to this powerful wave of activism, allowing women to share their experiences, support one another, and organize to address their concerns. Although sometimes inciting severe backlash for participants, the movements, the authors show, have generated positive results: More women have been elected to government, beneficial laws have been enacted and enforced, and policies have been reformed. For each country represented, the authors create vivid profiles of activists who have spoken out against cultural norms that discriminate against women and that condone abuse. In Latin America, for example, harassment and violence "are endemic to machismo culture, and Brazilian women are particularly at risk," facing the highest incidence of femicide in the region. In China, although the constitution recognizes equal rights for women, with no specific legal prohibitions against sexual harassment and gender discrimination, women can face personal and professional retribution by protesting. In Egypt, feminist activism is suppressed by an authoritarian government, causing women to risk constant surveillance, house arrest, exile, or imprisonment if they dare to organize and speak out. In contrast, in nearby Tunisia, the nation's constitution, ratified in 2014, contains provisions for guaranteeing women's safety and equality. Even in a country as socially progressive as Sweden, "staggering numbers of women" have testified to sexual harassment and discrimination. The authors suggest an agenda for change that includes meaningful redress, legal reform, women's equal representation in all areas, fair allocation of resources, and recalibration of the social norms that allowed abuse. #MeToo founder Tarana Burke provides the foreword. A fresh perspective on continued challenges to women's lives.
COPYRIGHT(2021) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
June 1, 2021
Vogelstein and Stone, advocates for women's rights, document the influences of the #MeToo movement in seven countries, showing the unique and shared struggles and tools in the global fight against sexual harassment and assault. The movement did not, however, suddenly rise in a bubble with the invention of a hashtag. The authors place #MeToo in context, acknowledging past and current voices on the front lines and the circumstances that intensified and disseminated #MeToo's impact. That coalescence of powers helps embolden individuals, sheds light on men abusing their power, from teachers to legislators, and brings needed attention to cover-up attempts and the consequences. Women who speak out or stand up face the potential for great personal, social, financial, and legal repercussions, yet they continue to fight despite those risks as well as entrenched resistance and backlash. Drawing on their policy expertise, Vogelstein and Stone conclude with a framework for sustained international change they call the Five Rs: redress, reform, representation, resources, and recalibration. A book that provides perspective and solutions for those fighting everywhere for women's equality and justice.
COPYRIGHT(2021) Booklist, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.