The New Soft War on Women

July 8, 2013
Rivers and Barnett’s (She Works/He Works) vital study of the state of women in the labor force draws upon statistics, interviews, and cultural analysis, to argue that, contrary to the widespread belief that women are outstripping men in the classroom and workforce (“the myth of female ascendance”), the situation is far from ideal. Moreover, the authors claim that gains that women have made since the early part of the 20th century, such as access to contraception, are in danger of disappearing. Although the copious use of statistics to debunk myths can become tiresome, it’s hard to ignore overwhelming evidence that shows the undesirable and unsustainable conditions women face in the 21st century. Though many struggles sound old hat—whether women are natural caretakers and subordinates, the struggle to balance career and family, the undue influence of a woman’s appearance, the disparity in wages—this book will move readers who believe that feminism is an outdated movement, or that gender discrimination is a thing of the past. Although the book doesn’t offer comprehensive strategies to win the “soft war,” it effectively shows how old ideas are still at work and unveils their contemporary manifestations.

October 1, 2013
Called a "soft war" due to the insidious nature of today's gender discrimination, Rivers (Journalism/Columbia Univ.) and research psychologist Barnett (co-authors: The Truth About Girls and Boys: Challenging Toxic Stereotypes About Our Children, 2011) collaborate to chronicle the ongoing marginalization of women, on levels ranging from executive to domestic. On the surface, things seem to be improving, write the authors. However, their collected data reveals little being done to stem the flow of all-too-prevalent societal discrimination against women. Interviews conducted with female attorneys, physicians, executives and professors reflect decades of inequities in the modern workplace, the result of everything from rampant hypersexualization, unbalanced wages and unfair perceptions to promotions based on performance and not on future potential. The authors' detailed examination draws heavily on statistical data, demonstrating how widespread the railroading of women has been over the last 40 years in less-obvious places such as classrooms and in the home, where expectations force many to forfeit professional careers in favor of caregiving and child-rearing. The authors admit that while great strides have taken place in the gender equality movement itself, these advancements and opportunities for women are hardly commensurate to those afforded to male contemporaries, leaving women lacking both the compensation and the influence necessary to advance within the corporate arena, or anywhere, for that matter. Alternately, there are those who've persevered. Influential women like Katie Couric, Meg Whitman and Hillary Clinton are among the many powerful women referenced who've bent to counterproductive societal biases, yet thrived in positions of power. Though the authors admirably expend the bulk of their energies demarcating festering stereotypes, they don't use their collective voice to provide resource material on how proponents can support change on a grass-roots level. Stern reportage anchored with passion but lacking affirmative action.

COPYRIGHT(2013) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

September 1, 2013

Rivers (journalism, Boston Univ.) and Barnett (senior scientist, Women's Studies Research Ctr., Brandeis Univ.) take on today's recurring argument that discrimination against women has largely disappeared (see, e.g., Hanna Rosin's The End of Men: And the Rise of Women). It's our damaged men and boys, we often hear, who warrant our attention. Any close observer of the economic, political, and social roles of women today knows that discrimination against women endures, with biases that still harm women and families reliant on women for support. Rivers and Barnett point out that in some areas, such as reproductive health, women's rights are not gaining but eroding. In page after page, these authors catalog the barriers that women still confront: lower wages, hostility toward "aggressive" women, favoritism toward men who enter traditionally female occupations, and penalties for both men and women who take time off for family care, among others. They support their argument with solid data and illuminating anecdotes. Their prescription for progress is, however, disappointing: "We must move from rhetoric to action." Feminist organizations, national and local, do push for action, but to little avail in the current political environment. VERDICT Readers interested in women's circumstances today will appreciate this book.--Cynthia Harrison, George Washington Univ., Washington, DC

Copyright 2013 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

July 1, 2013
Are women finally breaking through the glass ceiling and achieving promotions and pay equity, free from the gender discrimination of the past? In this well-researched book, the authors cite numerous current statistics demonstrating that women with similar qualifications as their male counterparts still earn less for comparable positions. Bias is more subtle than previously and wages a soft war on working women. Female executives such as Melissa Mayer and Hilary Clinton who do achieve top jobs face scrutiny and more criticism than males and risk falling off the glass cliff with one small misstep. Most gender-diversity programs are ineffective. Furthermore, men are gaining ground in traditionally female occupations, like nursing. The authors reassure working mothers with mommy guilt that evidence shows children's development is not adversely affected by working moms. To win the competition for promotions, women are encouraged to network and claim credit for their accomplishments despite the risk of being disliked for it. If there's anything encouraging, it's that competence can trump gender stereotypes, and there's hope if women continue to fight for equality.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2013, American Library Association.)