Shrewed (Book) - Nomi's Pics

Naomi Weisman is a Canadian, Australian and mother of three, who loves to ramble with her dog, cook for family and friends, and laugh whenever possible.

My mother was a feminist when it was cool to admit it. I don’t know many women our age who would say they aren’t a feminist. Still, somewhere along the line, for younger generations of women, it became uncool to declare such a characteristic of oneself. Personally, I would be ashamed to say that I wasn’t a feminist. It is a badge of honor that I hold dear.

I have been conflicted about male attention my whole life. On the one hand, it is nice to feel appreciated for my looks, but on the other, why is it always surprising that I’m intelligent?

I cannot tell you how often one of my friends or I have been groped and leered at as we go about our business in public spaces.

It is now my daughter’s turn to experience life under the glare of the male gaze. She has been stalked on the subway, groped, belittled, and objectified at work. So why doesn’t she claim feminism as a part of her core beliefs? This is a mystery to me.

Shrewed, by Elizabeth Renzetti, is a series of essays that observes the lives of women and girls in a humorous and cutting way. I see myself in her writing in a way that is both a gut punch and a walk down memory lane.

Renzetti asks questions like “Why are there so few women in politics?” and “Why is public space still so inhospitable to women?”. Her thought-provoking answers will have you laughing but also seething. I haven’t read a book that makes me feel this way in a long time.

I would love to hear your thoughts on these topics and this book in the comments.