A review by booksofjades
Fix the System, Not the Women by Laura Bates

dark emotional informative fast-paced

5.0

Short but powerful, this book confronts the Damages of entrenching gender roles within societal norms. Indoctrination occurs on a mass scale in education as we teach to blame, shame and sexualise women’s bodies. It Confronts how in allowing systems to continue, normalisation breeds acceptance both in society and ourselves, allowing us to remain ignorant to the damage such systems are doing and are capable of. 

Laura highlights how the Domination of white males as examples in education furthers a narrative that those not fitting that template should be seen but not heard. It confronts this narrative of how without change it furthers a world that revolves around men.

I particularly love how she highlights how Non diverse groups of people making decisions for an entire population results in blind spots and is why we need own voice rep in policy. Central to the whole conversation is intersectionality as defined by Crenshaw, and how this can vary individuals experiences and often victimise them more than once , especially if these intersections aren’t captured as is often the case within relevant research. 

Ultimately, she forces us to acknowledge how one of the Biggest dangers is ignorance. Effectively, ignorance is also allowing decriminalisation of rape to occur and this is sending us backwards. This is a book all should read, either so they know they aren’t alone in their experience, or to educate on the change they should actively be partaking in. 


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