𝗨𝗻𝗞𝗶𝗻𝗱, by the glorious Victoria Smith, reviewed by Therese Doherty @offeringsfromthewellspring Rule one of self-esteem: become what you are proud of and others will esteem you. #bookreview #feminist #emotionallabor #mentalload #UnKind www.medusarising.org/p/1af16609-4...

The Newest, Shiniest Kindness: A Review of (Un)kind | by Therese Doherty

The core of the issue is "that women cannot be defined in terms of their own interests, only those of others."

medusarising.org

Good to be reminded why I wrote Hags. Older women already shoulder a disproportionate burden of work (paid and unpaid). "Nothing better to do" means, I guess, "shouldn't be doing politics, and certainly shouldn't be celebrating any political gains"

📢 Our Summer season is live, running April to July, with talks on how kindness is used to control women @glosswitch.bsky.social, rising inequality, an inspiring vision for the future @robintransition.bsky.social, true crime obsession and so much more! 🎟️ Book now: www.conwayhall.org.uk/whats-on/

If we really want to help boys & men be happier, … we could forge a different & more +ve outlook on masculinity … focus less on how men are purportedly hard done by & emasculated …, & more on genuinely fulfilling opportunities open to them in this brave new world. substack.com/home/post/p-...

Telling boys and men that they're disadvantaged only hinders them further - and, anyway, it's not true

There are a set of beliefs about gender that are almost ubiquitous across the political spectrum, from left to right, from feminists to men’s rights activists.

substack.com

This feels like a trap.

Thank you total legend @glosswitch.bsky.social for endorsing Flipping Patriarchy. "I loved this book! Funny & insightful, but also fiercely radical, highlighting all the subtle & not-so-subtle ways in which 'empowerment' and 'be kind' narratives justify women's exploitation & damage our self-esteem"

Really looking forward to this Saturday's event! (Worry a bit about 'in conversation' sounding self-important. But obviously not enough to shut up) www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/in-convers...

We’re constantly being told that our present moment is one of crisis: a ‘silent epidemic’ of male unhappiness. This myth has numerous threads. Chief among them is that boys are underperforming in a schooling system that’s biased towards girls’ aptitudes. There are further claims:

I'm at Conway Hall on 10th April, discussing the pitfalls of #justbekind. Join me! www.conwayhall.org.uk/whats-on/eve...

(Un)Kind: How 'Be Kind' Entrenches Sexism - Conway Hall

Using the #JustBeKind trend of the 2020s as a starting point, Victoria Smith, author of the bestseller Hags, explores how traditional beliefs about women's 'kind' nature have been repackaged for an ag...

conwayhall.org.uk

Less than two weeks to go! www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/in-convers...

In Conversation with Victoria Smith

The author of 'Hags: The demonization of middle-aged women', and new book, (Un)Kind, Victoria explores the many issues women deal with.

eventbrite.co.uk

I wrote about the persistence of cruel attitudes and treatments for anorexia sufferers, at a time when we are meant to be 'more enlightened' about eating disorders thecritic.co.uk/why-are-anor...

Why are anorexia sufferers still treated so badly? | Victoria Smith | The Critic Magazine

In her 1986 book Hunger Strike, the feminist psychotherapist Susie Orbach highlighted the problem of hostile, abusive and above all ineffective treatments for anorexia sufferers. Such treatments…

thecritic.co.uk

Really enjoyed taking part in this, on Wages for Housework, men's attitudes to feminism and Unkind! (After spending weeks panicking about it...) www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m...

BBC Radio 4 - Start the Week, Wages for Housework – then and now

Shahidha Bari with Emily Callaci, Rosie Campbell and Victoria Smith

bbc.co.uk

It's publication day for Unkind, on why women and girls shouldn't have to make up for the world by "just" being kinder (but men and boys possibly could...)! geni.us/Unkind

(Un)kind: How 'Be Kind' Entrenches Sexism

Pre-order now

geni.us

First copy of my new book! (Out 6th Feb - pre-order here! geni.us/Unkind)

Pretty sure it's not up to women to "think carefully" about taking a higher-paid job than their partner. It's up to their partner to get the fuck over himself and be pleased for her.

70,000 men. One group chat. How many raped women is that? **we need radical culture change that dehumanises & de-pornifies & de-commodifies women & girls** #MakeTheShameSwitchSides

Melissa Chemam@melissaontheroad.bsky.social · 2y ago

Telegram 'rape groups' with up to 70,000 members uncovered in German investigation, where men discuss how the drug and rape their own wives, sisters, sometimes daughters... www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2...

So delighted to see (Un)kind in here! (Published Feb and available for pre-order now!) www.theguardian.com/culture/2024...

Nonfiction to look out for in 2025

From a river voyage with Robert Macfarlane to Helen Garner’s candid tale of a broken marriage, via Ian Leslie’s analysis of Lennon and McCartney’s complicated kinship, here are the titles you can’t af...

theguardian.com

I wrote about the bids for sympathy of the accused in the Pelicot trial thecritic.co.uk/should-we-fe...

Should we feel pity for the Pelicot accused? | Victoria Smith | The Critic Magazine

In a 1983 speech to a pro-feminist men’s group, Andrea Dworkin noted that men’s experience of trauma did not justify their abuse of women and children. On the contrary, she argued…

thecritic.co.uk

Would obvs prefer ETA Hoffmann (with wine glass and little Tomcat Murr figure), but very much want this

Richard Smyth@rsmythfreelance.bsky.social · 2y ago

"What's the matter, son? It's Christmas morning and you've barely touched your Johann Wolfgang von Goethe play figure."

Women are considered “old” much younger than their male counterparts: women are old at 30, whereas men don’t drop into the dreaded “old” category until they’re in their 50s. In this week's newsletter I've written about "women of a certain age"... newsletter.carolinecriadoperez.com/p/middle-cla...

Middle-class women of a certain age

it is not done well; but you are surprised to find it done at all.

newsletter.carolinecriadoperez.com

I listen to a lot of golden age detective fiction audiobooks¹, & one thing that never fails to startle me is the unbelievable level of antisemitism in some of them. At the moment I'm listening to² 'Portrait of a Murderer' by Anne Metedith, & not only is the crooked financier in it 》

Gisele Pelicot would be my nominee for "Person of the Year". Harrowing, but characteristically excellent, dispatch from @victoriapeckham.bsky.social here. www.thetimes.com/world/europe...

I sat in court at the Gisèle Pelicot rape trial. This is what I saw

Gisèle Pelicot became a symbol of courage when she waived her anonymity to attend the trial of her husband and 50 other men accused of raping her — and ignited fierce debate about the law surrounding ...

thetimes.com

"men don’t do a fair share because they don’t like domestic labour, they consider it demeaning, disgusting & boring, they’d rather be doing things which give them greater social status, & they don’t care about relieving the burden on their partners’ shoulders" Me on the mental load - link in bio

I wrote about the trend for insisting that the argument for abortion is "the same as" the argument for assisted suicide, gender-affirming care, surrogacy, porn etc. thecritic.co.uk/only-abortio...

Only abortion is like abortion | Victoria Smith | The Critic Magazine

Last week saw the Supreme Court considering the question “what is a woman?”. If you’re thinking “but everyone knows the answer to that”, I totally agree. The fact is, it’s just a shorthand.

thecritic.co.uk

US artist Sue Beatrice who creates steampunk sculptures and jewellery out of old watch parts

Recording the audio book of (Un)kind!

Massive away win for the little fella.