Fight Like a girl is an uncomfortable read, but also an important one that challenges everything you've ever been taught either direclty or indireclty by society mostly patriarchy , misogyny and sexism. Ford confesses to having had two abortions, but unlike most other women, besides being unapologetic about it, she's also not wringing her hands to explain herself beside the fact she wasn't ready for a child. She's got zero, zip, nada regrets about them. Case closed. I'm, of course, pro-choice but I can't remember seeing this stance - the narrative around abortion is that, surely, there must be some regret, shame etc. It's kind of refreshing to hear it's not the case for everyone. NB: If you're not pro-choice, I'm not interested in hearing about it - it's never ever going change my views - so don't waste your time). I'm conflicted about this book. Some chapters are fantastic, such as those on online abuse and the right to be angry. Some are less so, and flounder in what they aim to do.

Throughout reading this , Clementine Ford has managed to convey my thoughts into words in a powerful , unapologetic and satirical way . A primer on the womens movement that brims with reading and film lists, web resources, and worthy reminders. . . . Textbook-y in the best way. . . . Several appendices give practical advice. . . . Its the perfect gift for the burgeoning activist in your life. I found that some of the middle chapters with their heavy emphasis on MRAs on social media dragged a bit? And I think it's partly that Ford's experiences of online abuse are a long way from universal, but also because - as she herself argues - the more abuse you hear, the less impact it has on you. So I started out full of rage over the things she gets called on a daily basis, but the more of these abusive comments I read, the more I just wanted to get past the boring insults to the heart of her argument. I'm so saddened by how visceral my reaction to this book has been. I believe the message 100%, but the delivery is going to alienate a lot of well-meaning people. Fight Like A Girl is fuelled by Ford’s clear-eyed defiance and refusal to compromise, and by her powerful combination of personal testimony and political polemic. In the vein of Caitlin Moran’s How to be a Woman or Roxane Gay’s Bad Feminist.’If you're a woman who thinks feminism is a dirty word and that you're not in favour of feminism, because you'd rather have equality? READ THIS BOOK OH MY GOD. I was glad to read in ‘Fight Like a Girl’ the genesis of Clementine’s own feminism – with the opening line; “Of course I believe in equality … but I’m certainly not a feminist.” This was once Clementine’s worldview, just as it was mine – and for much the same reasons. I attended an all-girl school with fellow classmates who were hyperaware of lesbian connotations, and assumed the word “feminist” was code for “lesbian” and were more concerned with outward appearance than moral compass. I also appreciate that Clementine quotes from ‘How to Be a Woman’ by Caitlin Moran – the first nod (of many) scattered throughout the book, where Clementine traces her own origin story, much in the same way that many readers tie themselves to the author for their own feminist beginnings. A friend recently told me that the things I write are powerful for her because they have the effect of making her feel angry instead of just empty. I want to do this for all women and young girls - to take the emptiness and numbness they feel about being a girl in this world and turn it into rage and power. I want to teach all of them how to FIGHT LIKE A GIRL. Clementine Ford A lot of people seem to be bothered by her angry tone and her excessive use of wit , irony and sarcasm . However , that is exactly what makes her Clmentine Ford. She neither embellishes nor dresses up her words to appeal and charm her readers and she unhesitatingly does not lower the tone of her voice so that you hear her till the end . If you really cared , you would look beyond her anger.

The past few years have been a watershed for the elimination of violence against women in Australia, and Clementine’s voice has not only been instrumental, but has taken up a mainstream space that has aligned with and reinforced the efforts of the women’s services sector. We love her for that.' Clementine is furious and scathing when she needs to be, yet compassionate and encouraging every moment she can be. This book is both a confirmation of sisterhood and a call to arms.’ An incendiary debut taking the world by storm, Fight Like A Girl is an essential manifesto for feminists new, old and soon-to-be. This review contains opinions (I'm sure some will be unpopular), some profanity etc. Generalisations will occur.The piece of the discussion that I did find new and challenging were the sections on LGBQT issues and privilege—not topics we white middle-class feminists spent much time on during our consciousness raising sessions. As an activist, I worked with lesbians and women of color, but we didn’t talk a lot (any?) about the intersectionality of race, class, sexual preference, and gender identification. I’ve been more aware of those issues in the past decade, but had not pursued the intellectual and societal underpinnings. Thanks, Ms. Ford for bringing me up-to-date. Ford provides a lot of raw and familiar emotion as she realizes the world isn’t fair. I’m not minimizing her pain—we all felt it and still do. I personally didn’t need to read about it to understand. Younger women struggling with their own issues of body image, feelings of inferiority, and fighting to be different and respected, will find their feelings validated in this book. There’s a healthy dash of psychology on how society trains women to self-loathe that many young women will find new and interesting. Clementine writes in a beautifully frank way about the many subjects that nearly every woman in the West is familiar with. The unrealistic expectations placed on women and their bodies both visually and sexually. How seem to belong to everyone but ourselves. Stretched so thin between all these people who place ownership over us while we try and take up as little space as possible and for love God... look pleasing to the eye while we do it. How we stifle our opinions, our voices and our thoughts least should we be confronted with a tidal wave of disinterest from a gender whom have been taught that women having nothing of substance to contribute except visual and sexual satisfaction. Fight Like A Girl is possibly one of the best collections of profiles I have read in awhile. From the beginning of modern feminism to present day, Barcella covers a wide variety of women who have made a serious impact on the western world and on feminism.

Thus, going in, I know that Ford is only human, and she might talk the talk, but she doesn't walk the walk. Nothing is off-limits in Clementine’s book. She discusses her past abortions, and the ‘Hate Male’ she receives on a daily basis. And she pulls out her visceral critiques and subversions of a society that would rather teach girls how not to get raped, than boys not to rape;Australian women are almost four times more likely than men to be hospitalised after being assaulted by their spouse or partner.

Which is REALLY DISAPPOINTING because what she's trying to say IS FKING IMPORTANT but she's so busy ranting about how the amount of trouble men have caused for her has opened her eyes to how much trouble ALL WOMEN suffer because of ALL MEN that there's just no space for contemplation and reasoning out your own conclusions. Clementine Ford was one of my very first formative feminist influences, initiating me into the world of feminism. She is someone whose tenacity and fearlessness I admire greatly, and she helped me along the path to becoming the humourless, bitter, lesbian feminist I am today.’Although the authors voice was very present in the text, I do wish that could have been done without the ableist language (it feels like the main way to make sure that your voice is present, or it’s a teen speaking in books nowadays is to use words like “crazy” or “schitzo” or “lame” where it does not apply!). Also, describing women as “ballsy”… There are ways to show your presence without being ableist. On to the actual book: I didn’t rate it because I skimmed large chunks of familiar material. The book is promoted as “an inspiring, unapologetic, feminist manifesto” through “a mixture of memoir, opinion and investigative journalism.” I personally felt she dwelt too much on the memoir part. The first third covers her personal journey to realizing she could proudly claim the label of feminist in her late twenties after overcoming significant body image issues. There is also a lot of repetition. I don’t know or read Ford, but her biography says she’s a columnist. Some parts of the book had the feel of several columns edited together without regard to repetitive themes and examples. Clementine also discusses in depth, the importance of surrounding yourself with strong, positive female friendships and the impact a support network can have on the female subconscious. One aspect I found fascinating was the conversation which dissects the emphasis being placed upon our physical aesthetic, which determines our popularity and often sense of self worth. It's during those years of discovery and exploration where we need to instill in the next generation of young women, the importance of self confidence, how to assert ourselves and not to be ashamed of our bodies or allow men to reduce our valuation to objectification.