Full Frontal Feminism: A Young Woman's Guide to Why Feminism Matters

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Full Frontal Feminism: A Young Woman's Guide to Why Feminism Matters

by Jessica Valenti (Goodreads Author)

3.84 of 5 stars 3.84 · rating details · 3,138 ratings · 389 reviews

Feminism isn't dead. It just isn't very cool anymore. Enter Full Frontal Feminism, a book that embodies the forward-looking messages that author Jessica Valenti propagated as founder of the popular website, Feministing.com.

This revised edition includes a new foreword by Valenti, reflecting upon what’s happened in the five years since Full Frontal Feminism was originally pu...more

Paperback, 288 pages

Published April 17th 2007 by Seal Press (first published March 27th 2007)

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Jan 28, 2013 Crystal Starr Light rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: non-fiction, feminism, it-s-not-you-it-s-me

Reading more feminist blogs and meeting and talking to feminists has made me more and more interested in learning about feminism. I had read Valenti's The Purity Myth: How America's Obsession with Virginity is Hurting Young Women and found it particularly interesting, so I figured I'd check out her first book, "Full Frontal Feminism".

You know, I haven't been a feminist long, but this book is extremely Feminism 101. Pretty much everything I read I had heard many times before and in more depth els...more Reading more feminist blogs and meeting and talking to feminists has made me more and more interested in learning about feminism. I had read Valenti's The Purity Myth: How America's Obsession with Virginity is Hurting Young Women and found it particularly interesting, so I figured I'd check out her first book, "Full Frontal Feminism".

You know, I haven't been a feminist long, but this book is extremely Feminism 101. Pretty much everything I read I had heard many times before and in more depth elsewhere. This feels more like a "Flyby Feminism" book, suited more towards very young women who are vaguely familiar with all these tropes, but maybe looking for more depth.

But I can't say I'd recommend this to any young women. Firstly, I felt the book was very divisive; Valenti was obviously writing to women just like her (liberal Democrats who think anyone that is different are prudey Republican anti-sexers) and not trying to be a bit more embracing to ALL women. Which is a shame, because ALL women need this, and I believe that ALL women, regardless of their opinions in some matters (you know, premarital sex and abortion) can AND SHOULD unite behind many of these topics. Honestly, unless we can find some common ground and work together, I don't see great change happening.

Very much tied in with the divisive, condescending, arrogant tone is the writing style itself. Valenti completely eschews any sort of formal, academic writing for a "hey girl" conversational style filled with assumptions, insults to Republicans (and "prudey" "anti-sexers") and foul language. I can understand wanting to talk to your audience, but young teenaged girls aren't stupid; they can see through sh!t. I know I would not have appreciated reading this fake teenspeak when I was between the ages of 14 - 19.

What is probably worse is the hypocrisy. Valenti is very much against a woman changing her last name when she marries - but makeup, purses, and heels are A-OK. Why? Essentially because Valenti likes these things and approves of them. The ridiculous thing is that a name doesn't determine whether you are a feminist. Liking makeup and shoes and wanting to get breast implants and wanting to wait until you are married to have sex aren't bad things or unfeminist things. They are just THINGS. A woman is a PERSON first and foremost, and we need to stop making assumptions about a woman based on what she likes and doesn't like (this includes myself, society, and feminists who assume that any liking of beauty or "traditional female roles" is bad).

So women: if you love sports and wear NIKE shoes and like violent video games, you can be a feminist! If you love "27 Dresses" and makeup and romance stories and adopted your man's last name, you can be a feminist! If you like action movies and makeup and wear earrings and love math and physics, YOU CAN BE A FEMINIST! There is NO LIST that separates the feminist from the non-feminist.

Towards the end, I had a really hard time appreciating even the good aspects, because of the tone, the writing, the attitude. Which is a shame, because, even if this is very basic, there are important messages that I think many young women should hear. Unfortunately, I am afraid that a portion of these women who need this the most (including my younger self) will be turned off because Valenti shoots off at the mouth. Honestly, I wouldn't recommend unless you are a young teenaged girl from a liberal, Democrat family and accustomed to a lot of swearing.(less)

16 likes · like · see review

Oct 15, 2007 Glenn rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: journalism

Jessica Valenti writes as a friend--a close friend--would speak to another: Without airs, without condescension, communicating directly and colloquially with someone they care about. She writes with wit and humor, never taking herself too seriously, even when communicating deadly serious information. She defuses one of the slurs regarding feminists: the clichéd humorless harridan. She ably destroys that stereotype throughout, to the joy, often the rude joy, of the reader.

Both in style and subst...more Jessica Valenti writes as a friend--a close friend--would speak to another: Without airs, without condescension, communicating directly and colloquially with someone they care about. She writes with wit and humor, never taking herself too seriously, even when communicating deadly serious information. She defuses one of the slurs regarding feminists: the clichéd humorless harridan. She ably destroys that stereotype throughout, to the joy, often the rude joy, of the reader.

Both in style and substance, the book is fun. It also dovetails with another aspect of her book: She writes with real force; her language is uncompromisingly honest, blunt yet never shrill. Some of her wit displayed is of the cutting variety, slashing at the stupidity of sexism in all its manifestations. This, too, reflects the urgency of her message: That now, more than ever, it is vital for women--and men--to proudly claim and uphold the mantle of feminism, and that its basic tenets are under assault with a vengeance not seen in years.

What keeps “Full Frontal Feminism” from becoming a rant is that is utterly useful, a practical guide, and more importantly, it forces the reader to consider: The essential elements of feminism, the myths that surround what feminism is, the place of women in the world, and the reader's own prejudices. While the book is chock-full of useful information, both practical and experiential, one of the most important things that is communicated is this: “Find out for yourself.” Getting involved, discovering the aspects of feminism that make your tick, Jessica writes, are essential, and totally reflective of the feminist viewpoint: That individual women can, and should, decide for themselves how to shape their lives. Assisting in that, Jessica peppers her book with plain-spoken advice, never hectoring those she attempts to reach, but letting them know succinctly that they are responsible for themselves.

And it's against tremendous resistance, whether it be abstinence programs that lay the entirety of the blame for what proponents see as sexual licentiousness at women's--girl's--feet, the continued imbalance in the workplace and in the home, a pop-culture that sends profoundly mixed-messages about how a young woman should behave, and how much of the discrimination has been both internalized and institutionalized, to the point where unless one is acutely aware of it, the fact that women are being treated unfairly--and that's a gentle way of phrasing it--can pass unnoticed. “Full Frontal Feminism” gives women real tools to fight back, first by helping them realize that a battle is on, whether they wish for it or not.

She does give a pass to the flaws of the feminist movement--first, second or third wave. She is forthright in pointing out how feminists have occasionally undermined each other, how the movement has sometimes not been as inclusive as it could have been, and how internecine feuds over seemingly trivial issues--though of course often reflective of deeper divisions--drawn women and men that support them away from fighting the more essential fights.

I was born in the same year that NOW was formed. In that time I've been lucky enough to have been surrounded by strong women: my mother, who went from a home-maker to a vice-president in an insurance company; two strong, independent sisters, and a plethora of vibrant, kick-ass women throughout college and after, who made it clear to me that they expected, demanded to be treated as equals, to the point that the concept was in my bones, never to be displaced. And so it must be on a grander scale with the whole of society. There is much work to do, and Jessica Valenti is one of the women doing much of the heavy lifting.
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Sep 05, 2010 Rhi rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2009, ah-feminism, books-about-real-life, 2-stars

I'm still baffled as to why there is a flat stomached, white female body on the front cover. Especially considering some of Valenti's points were insistant on the new age of feminism; open to men and women of all colour and creeds.

Other than that, this was an interesting book from a British point of view.
Who knew Mississippi banned vibrators but allowed people to buy guns with a background check? Not me!
Or that abstinance only education is incrediably wide spread? Not me! Or that pharmacists a...more

26 likes · like · see review

Aug 16, 2007 Amberly rated it 2 of 5 stars

Sigh. This is a swell intro to feminism and all, and reiterates the point that everyone should consider themselves feminists because its cool and not necessarily anti-man or anti-sex or anti-shaving, but if you've done any critical thinking, it's all well-covered territory; what starts out fresh ends up redundant and flat. How many people would really want *equal* rights if it meant that women could be drafted to the battlefield just like men? Valenti glosses over some hardcore points in favor o...more

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Nov 19, 2008 Ciara rated it 1 of 5 stars Recommends it for: pretty much no one ecept jessica valenti's mom

Shelves: read-in-2008, feminist-y-books

i didn't read this book expecting to like it. i read it out of curiosity & because i think it's important to be informed about the things you are critiquing. i was already not such a fan of jessica valenti's blog writing, mainly because i found her ideas pretty unoriginal & mainly of interest to young privileged white women. this book was more of the same. she claims that it's a kind of feminist 101 primer for young women who are new to feminism. her goal seems to be to get these young w...more i didn't read this book expecting to like it. i read it out of curiosity & because i think it's important to be informed about the things you are critiquing. i was already not such a fan of jessica valenti's blog writing, mainly because i found her ideas pretty unoriginal & mainly of interest to young privileged white women. this book was more of the same. she claims that it's a kind of feminist 101 primer for young women who are new to feminism. her goal seems to be to get these young women to care about feminism & invest their energies in its future. very noble & everything. too bad her unconscious audience seems to be young privileged white women, yet again. there is a lot here about how you don't have to hate men in order to be a feminist, & how feminists have better sex because they are more self-actualized, & just a lot of really boring shit like that which serves to prop up a lot of the more offensive myths about feminists in the name of dismantling them. i mean, i have heard some of skeeziest dudes on earth say that they prefer to have sex with feminists because "they are usually more in touch with their bodies, so they know where they're at in their cycles & might not make you use a condom." nice. really nice. & her tone has this winking, sly kind of tone that maybe works on an internet blog when you have a sense of your audience, but it just seems lazy here. she starts to critique things/epople/institutions that deserve to be critiqued, & then she just stops halfway through & writes, "need i go on?," so sure that her audience is on board & also hates what she hates. yes, jessica, you need to go on. it's called a BOOK. you're supposed to EXPLAIN your ideas & positions. that's kind of the POINT. stick to blogs if you can't handle the responsibility of hashing out your beliefs. & as an aside, all her whining about how older feminists need to step aside & make room for the up-&-comers sounds awfully self-serving. i do think that old hands entrenched in any institution/philosophy/situation have a responsibility to create space for new thinkers, new ideas, & new spirit in their ranks, but jessica veers awfully close to saying, "no! give ME the book contracts! i'm the next big thing!" it's just gross.(less)

20 likes · like · see review

Jun 12, 2009 Amy P. rated it 1 of 5 stars

Me, me, me...and great sex if you're a self-proclaimed feminist. Get over yourself Jessica! Yeah, you illuminated some points of feminism, but managed to make it all completely about you (or you the reader). I think there is something that could be said about feminism still being a group movement, and not an individual movement. Another thing, "Pshaw's" and cursing might be cute to a high schooler, but it really ruins some of your academic and wide spread credibility. I think you could have stil...more

7 likes · like · see review

Feb 23, 2013 Cathy Chow rated it 2 of 5 stars

1.5 stars

- Jessica Valenti is not going to convince anybody who doesn't already have the same narrow viewpoints she does.

- It's an easy read because it's informal, but she loses most of her cred with all her fucking swearing.

- Her book is a good summary of the main points of feminism. She's a good example of a modern feminist and it's nice that she's passionate about it.

- Although she briefly mentions certain counterarguments, she does not develop a counterargument at all and instead she just ho...more

2 likes · like · see review

Sep 04, 2007 Sarah rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: people who aren't sure about feminism.

Shelves: youngadult

This is an important book because it reminds us that feminism means nothing more than "women are people too and should be treated as such." She then deconstructs the slurs against "feminists" which I thought was really interesting.

This book is not written in an academic tone. But, it's not supposed to. It's not a book that is supposed to gather dust on shelves but to be passed around friends.

I'm going to bring it into my classroom for my students to read. I'm hoping students are attracted by t...more

3 likes · like · see review

Aug 10, 2011 Jenylin rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: society

I think this book is a great introduction for young women who want to know about feminism. The style is interesting because it is a fun read, and has tons of humor, yet you still learn. She offers some good statistics and sure she doesn't go in depth (which is something a lot of reviewers here are complaining about) but it's called an introduction for a reason, the real learning actually comes from activism, researching the organizations she mentions and introduces you to, and having a keen eye...more

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May 27, 2008 george rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: feminist-womens-issues, read-in-2008, grown-up-books

This was pretty good. I didn't really learn anything from it, but then again, I didn't really expect to. Valenti does a good job of explaining why feminism needs to matter to young women (and men). I read feministing pretty much every day and this book is very much like the blog, so much of it was quite familiar. She has included a good resource guide at the end to find more information and get involved. She covers body issues, pop culture, politics, working vs. stay-at-home moms, issues of masc...more

4 likes · like · see review

Feb 12, 2008 finn rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: feminism

this is very much an introduction to feminism and nothing more. as someone who's identified as a feminist for years, i found it rather boring and even a tad annoying (lots of cursing and teen-speak and the cover is um... a naked white hip). but it's pretty good for what it is. it covers a wide range of issues, gives a lot of examples meant to incite rage over sexism, and is written in a way that would be accessible to someone not used to academic writing. unfortunately its wide scope stretched e...more

6 likes · like · see review

Sep 22, 2007 Annie rated it 3 of 5 stars Recommends it for: dads and teenagers

Get on your galoshes and your profanity-proof vest before you sit down to read this book. If you can endure wading through endless swear words and a constant, forced semblance of teen-speak, then you just might be able to get through it. The author of FFF is the founder of fabulous feminist blog Feministing. While her blog is awesome, I do wonder if she is only able to communicate in informal, blog-style, written-as-speech language. A self-professed and incorrigible "potty-mouth," Valenti spews...more Get on your galoshes and your profanity-proof vest before you sit down to read this book. If you can endure wading through endless swear words and a constant, forced semblance of teen-speak, then you just might be able to get through it. The author of FFF is the founder of fabulous feminist blog Feministing. While her blog is awesome, I do wonder if she is only able to communicate in informal, blog-style, written-as-speech language. A self-professed and incorrigible "potty-mouth," Valenti spews naughty words with the apparent goal of being cool enough to attract a flighty teen audience with a short attention span. Do we really have to cater to them that much? Isn't it an insult to their intelligence to talk down to them at that level?--I think a 13-year-old could probably see through it. Or maybe it just felt insulting to me because no one warned me that the book was meant for an audience of 14-year-olds who will only read a non-fiction book if it sensationalizes sex (harder to do these days!) and uses the word "fuck" at least once a page. My only worry here is that...sh!...I think you are trying too hard, Ms. Valenti. And you do know that teenagers, girls especially, have a sense of smell for that kind of thing that's keener than a rat's, right?

Now that I've satisfied my need for a rant regarding style, the book deserves some honorable mentions for content. Valenti covers a very wide range of topics affecting young women in the United States, from (duh) sexual and reproductive health and rights to the history...uh, oops, I mean herstory...of feminist organizing in the United States...to partner abuse, motherhood, pay inequity, harmful constructions of masculinity, even my own pet peeve--the corporate romance industry. I do worry she tries to help teenage girls get off too easily by dismissing some rigorous feminist analysis b/c it can result in some inconvenient dilemmas for us (feminism DOES make you have to think). It’s a step in the right direction to acknowledge our own sexist practices, but it would be better to stop them in the first place. Despite her occasional lenient get-out-of-feminism free passes, she does do a pretty good job of motivating girls to care. It's a start. FFF is just an introduction... but one hell of an introduction if you don't know much or anything about these things or what they have to do with one another. Which brings me to the other unintentional audience that stands to benefit from reading this book: fathers. Fathers, you'll be amazed to learn what was going on right under your nose these past three decades! And you'll learn how to truly support your teenage daughters. (Got that, Dad? No? You're not listening... oh....)

The greatest thing that FFF has going for it is that it provides young women with, at minimum, a surface-level understanding of both sides of some of the most important issues facing them AS young women. It equips them with the language to participate in discussions about their rights, fun facts that make a punchy point, and clear arguments to defend themselves to those who challenge them. In a world that rewards conformity and complacency, particularly for young women, this manual encourages and supports them in being more active in advocating for themselves. It attempts to get across the message that (Hello!?!) our rights are not guaranteed as women, especially young women, in this country, and actually they are still, yes still!, under attack. What's "cool" is to stick up for ourselves and our rights. It's kinda, like, not just cool, you know what I mean?, but like, necessary and stuff. Yeah.(less)

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Jul 05, 2007 Gwen rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: those who might say "I'm not a feminist, but..."

Shelves: gender-studies

Okay, love this book. But I don't think it'll work for everyone, depending on how many WS classes you've had. If you're a self-identified hardcore feminist then you won't really find anything new. However, I still think it's worth a read for the simple affirmation of "Thank god someone else agrees with me!" And her writing is pretty humorous, if sometimes forced into psuedo-hip, nonchalant cursing commentary. And the phrase "par for the course" is overused, but that might just be because I've re...more

1 like · like · see review

Apr 30, 2011 Tiffany rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: feminism

Like her other book, The Purity Myth, Valenti has a tendency to build strawman arguments for her opposition, as well making numberous hasty generalizations about Republicans and pro-life supporters. In spite of such tendencies, however, I really enjoyed her exposition of sexism and anti-feminist movements in American society today. I would definitely recommend it for those that say "I'm not a Feminist, I'm a humanist." Insightful and funny, it was a very quick read.

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Jan 26, 2009 Cheryl rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: feeding-the-learning-hunger, brain-exercise

I wanted to hear what young feminists are saying these days. She writes in an irreverent “potty mouth” urban style that seems real and will appeal to younger women, and what she writes is smart and true, and does tackle some of the newer issues, like girl on girl for male titillation, lipstick and mascara and fashion and how it is okay, emergency contraception. I am still trying to get over how many times she used shit in the book, as in “shit, they are crazy” or “shit, I can’t believe I…” I did...more

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May 09, 2013 Jordan rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Most of the info and issues in this book are pretty basic. An intro to feminism type thing. Which I guess is nice if you don't know much about the issues, but most of the information here was stuff I already knew. I guess it makes a nice overview and a starting point for looking further at certain issues, which the resource guide in the back would be helpful for. But not really that informative for most people who know much about feminism and its issues at all.

Also. I know it's trying to be casu...more

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Mar 11, 2013 Elizabeth Hall Magill rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: feminism

So I just read Full Frontal Feminism: A Young Woman’s Guide to Why Feminism Matters, by Jessica Valenti. Ms. Valenti is perhaps best known as the founder of the blog Feministing, and this book is like her blog: smart, sassy, unapologetic, and determined to get things done. I enjoyed the book, and learned a thing or two from it, which was fantastic. However, I think the book’s rebel yell in favor of feminism could alienate some of the very readers Ms. Valenti hopes to win over.

Don’t get me wrong—...more So I just read Full Frontal Feminism: A Young Woman’s Guide to Why Feminism Matters, by Jessica Valenti. Ms. Valenti is perhaps best known as the founder of the blog Feministing, and this book is like her blog: smart, sassy, unapologetic, and determined to get things done. I enjoyed the book, and learned a thing or two from it, which was fantastic. However, I think the book’s rebel yell in favor of feminism could alienate some of the very readers Ms. Valenti hopes to win over.

Don’t get me wrong—I love a good rebel yell. Had I been as together and dedicated as Ms. Valenti clearly was as a young woman, I might have written a very similar book. Full Frontal Feminism is deeply earnest in its desire to appeal to young women, to get them to see that feminism will give them the tools they need to fight back against oppressive cultural messages and laws. But in her fervor, Ms. Valenti makes some assumptions about her audience. She assumes, for example, that young women will share her attitudes and opinions as they are learning the facts she presents. And many young women undoubtedly will. But others—those raised in Christian, conservative homes, for example—might be turned off by Ms. Valenti’s in-your-face approach. And that’s too bad, because every young woman should feel that feminism is accessible to her, particularly when she is first encountering it.

The very valuable message Ms. Valenti is communicating—that young women shouldn’t let culture make them feel ashamed of their bodies, their sexuality, their desire, or their choices—is presented in a way that won’t exactly win over the young woman who doesn’t want to buy culture’s double-standard but is far from ready to buy her first vibrator. For example, Ms. Valenti mentions a favorite shirt that says, “I don’t fuck Republicans.” Funny, if you’re already an all-out feminist ready to rebel against anti-woman legislation, and don’t mind cussing on your clothing—but maybe not so funny if you’re a young woman raised in a Republican family, frustrated with culture and trying to sort out your own beliefs. What this book needs is a middle ground.

There are ways in which Ms. Valenti looks for that ground—for example, she emphasizes that young women need to be able to make mistakes in their sexual lives as they sort out who they are in this culture. She even uses the words “middle ground”: “Sometimes doing silly, disempowering, sexually vapid things when you’re young is just part of getting to the good stuff. I guess what I’ve come to—and this is what works for me—is that you have to find your own middle ground” (p. 48). However, the author sometimes contradicts herself: for example, she is sure to tell young women that if they want to show their breasts to passersby or wear mascara and high heels, it’s all good as long as they are aware of their motivations. (In both cases, she urges young women to be sure they are acting for themselves, not to please others.) However, she is very much not OK with a married woman taking her husband’s name, apparently missing the ways in which a married woman might recognize patriarchy at work in the institution of marriage while still adhering to some of its silliness.

Ah, but while Ms. Valenti occasionally overshoots on attitude or betrays an inconsistency in her thought processes, she makes up for these lapses with substance. The book is chockfull of facts, anecdotes, and resources to get a young feminist off and running, including a final chapter full of suggestions for taking action. The author covers the major issues young women are facing—the sexual double standard, sexual assault and rape, birth control and abortion, marriage and weddings, and work and family. The author also does an absolutely wonderful job of clarifying the ways in which feminism has been too white and too straight for too long. Chapter 13, “A Quick Academic Aside,” gives a brief account of the various ways in which sex, class, and race intersect in the lived experiences of women, and the ways in which feminism hasn’t represented these experiences. And throughout the book, Ms. Valenti points to the ways in which women of color and poor women are affected by societal norms, laws, and expectations.

If you’re a young woman wondering about feminism, go ahead and give Full Frontal Feminism a read—just be aware that you don’t have to join Ms. Valenti in her rebel yell if you don’t want to. Feminism will accept a shy smile, a fist pump, a high-five, or just about any other form of enthusiasm you’d like to show when your realize that Ms. Valenti is spot-on when she says that feminism will make your life better.(less)

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Feb 23, 2013 Eva Howard rated it 4 of 5 stars

"Full Frontal Feminism: A Young Woman's Guide to Why Feminism Matters" is a general overview of feminism in the present and past written for young women. In it, the author discussed common feminist issues like contraception, but she also included things she thinks are overlooked as issues, such as the fact that most women, whether they realize it or not, adhere to a "rape schedule" -- i.e., women live in daily fear of being raped, so we "do things throughout the day to protect themselves," like...more

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Jan 10, 2013 Brianna rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: nonfiction

Oh, how desperately I wanted to love this book. I enjoyed reading Valenti's "Why Have Kids?", but this book was written in a very different tone. Her target audience is young women, and I thought that I was part of that group. While reading, however, it occurred to me that maybe I am too old for this book. Or at least at a different stage of my life than the type of reader Valenti is going for.

Valenti has lots of good things to say, and she highlights important topics that young feminists need t...more

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Nov 21, 2012 Betsy Housten rated it 1 of 5 stars

A perfect example of why some bloggers shouldn't write books. Overly simplistic, irritatingly chatty, full of well-worn territory and in general poorly written, this baby's going back to the library faster than anything I've read in months.

I can appreciate Valenti's aim to reach out to younger women who aren't educated about feminism and/or willing to call themselves feminists in the post-Girls Gone Wild era, I really can. But... I don't think this book is what's going to galvanize them. It's l...more

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Aug 03, 2012 Ari rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: feminism

I think this is good as an intro book, as it's full of Feminism 101 in that peppy, third-wave kind of way. It may help some people (mostly woman-identified I think) find more reasons to identify with feminism, and definitely has it's place I think for younger generations who have been unwittingly influenced more by the anti-feminist backlash and conservative vitriol regarding who feminists actually are.

But, I was generally disappointed with it, because I didn't need yet another Feminism 101 book...more

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Feb 02, 2012 Lauren rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: female-author, recommended-to-me, reviewed, nonfiction

I've been meaning to read this book for ages, so I'm glad to have finally gotten the chance. It's a pretty excellent overview of some of the goals and ideals, successes and failures, concepts and figures of feminism that help shape the way we look at sexism and fight for gender equality today. Jessica Valenti's writing is the perfect mix of snarky and serious, and she backs up her opinions with her own anecdotes, stories from others, and events in politics, the media, and real life. The only pro...more

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Aug 01, 2009 Jess rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: young women, women

Shelves: books-i-own, feminism, nonfiction, womens-interest, favorites

I really liked this book. I wear the label 'Feminist' with pride. She makes several well-research, well-supported arguments in favor of feminism. It is a very accessible read for most young women who can drown in esoteric theory. It keeps things simple. It is a definite must-read for all young women, feminist or not.

In addition to facts, statistics, and theory, she uses personal anecdotes for examples which I think really helps bring her point home. It shows us the struggles and applications of...more

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May 13, 2009 Elevate Difference rated it 1 of 5 stars

Jessica Valenti is a part of the feminist blogger elite, and for good reason. The blog she helped to establish, Feministing.com, receives a significant amount of web traffic and is well-known among young, internet savvy, hip feminists. Full disclosure: I read Feministing every now and then. Having read Valenti’s writing on the blog – which tends to be oversimplified and, quite frankly, bratty – I was hoping her analysis in book form would show a tad more depth. Unfortunately for Valenti, there’s...more Jessica Valenti is a part of the feminist blogger elite, and for good reason. The blog she helped to establish, Feministing.com, receives a significant amount of web traffic and is well-known among young, internet savvy, hip feminists. Full disclosure: I read Feministing every now and then. Having read Valenti’s writing on the blog – which tends to be oversimplified and, quite frankly, bratty – I was hoping her analysis in book form would show a tad more depth. Unfortunately for Valenti, there’s a downside to fame; it opens you up for public criticism.

If Full Frontal Feminism is supposed to be the spark that ignites young women to claim their identity as "feminists" and hop aboard the Third Wave train, then women are in deep trouble. Valenti writes like feminism's version of Ann Coulter, and let’s face it, Ann Coulter is hardly known for her intelligent commentary. Flamboyant and egotistical, much of Valenti’s analysis is trite, at best. She makes sweeping generalizations (“When you’re a feminist, day to day life is better. You make better decisions. You have better sex.”), repeatedly refers to her opponents by juvenile names ("The consequence of having the last name Buttars is apparently being a huge asshole."), confuses “truth” with “opinion,” and seems to have done very little actual research to back up her claims, as very few citations accompany her assertions.

At times, she doesn’t feel the need to make an assertion at all, responding with a facile yet grandiose “Puke,” a deliberately ironic “Yeah,” or a pithy “Terrifying,” as though this is all that she needs to make her case. And despite hackneyed attempts every now and again to mention other marginalized groups, the truth is that this book overwhelmingly reflects the viewpoint of its white, middle class, (I assume) heterosexual, entitled, American, liberal feminist writer.

Valenti doesn’t give her readers credit for being able to do the thing she most wants them to do: think critically. This is apparent in the fallacious style by which she presents her perspectives. My personal favorite – taken straight from the right wing, talk radio instruction manual – is how Valenti uses the bait-and-switch tactic to “prove” her point (e.g., contending that anti-abortion advocates simply hate sex). A close second is when she uses the most extreme cases to illustrate a point as though they aren’t the exception to the rule (e.g., making the case for all women to have access to Emergency Contraception because rape victims should have access to it). These tactics are most unfortunate because, even as a person who is largely ideologically aligned with Valenti, I began to question her standpoint as fearmongering overshadowed politics.

Perhaps Valenti believes that young women won’t be moved unless they’re shocked by what she says, or completely scared to death. Fear is a powerful motivator, but it belittles the audience in the process. Oh, and did I mention that she uses the book as a forum to talk public trash about petty tiffs she’s had with other bloggers? If fear doesn’t sell you on feminism, apparently Valenti believes taking sides in some inane, personal dispute will.

Full Frontal Feminism is written in sound bytes, each chapter being comprised of smaller (usually) one page-long explanations of a given issue: sex education vs. abstinence only, virginity pledges, expensive weddings, unattainable beauty standards, and other typical feminist fare. Apparently, the television has taken its toll (or so Valenti thinks) on the public because there is no sense of organization or logic to the structure of the book. And solutions? Those must have been left for someone else to tackle because you won’t find them here, at least not outside of the standard volunteer, give money, and vote.

Now I know I’ve pretty much run this book into the ground, but I do want to say that I get what Valenti is trying to do here. And it’s a really smart idea. She wants to reach out to young women who don't call themselves "feminists" and let them know that it’s okay, cool even, to be down with the F-word. She wants to tell them that they already believe in feminist ideals and have benefited from the women’s movement. And she wants to encourage them to continue in that tradition in order to kick some misogynist ass. That’s a really honorable goal that, unfortunately, was a victim of poor execution.

If you’re truly looking to find out why feminism matters, you’d be better served to flip to the booklist in the back of Full Frontal Feminism and read some of the titles listed there – including Colonize This!, Listen Up: Voices from the Next Generation, To Be Real, and The Fire This Time – because cool packaging is really great, but if there’s nothing of substance inside then what you are selling is just the packaging.

Review by Mandy Van Deven(less)

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Apr 13, 2009 Tara rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: graphic-novel

This is a very conversational book, definitely aimed at younger readers. I did not realize when I picked it up that I was no longer a young woman! Still, Valenti discusses the front-running issues of 'fourth wave' feminism in a sister-friend tone with plenty of academic references and footnotes to give further fuel for girls who want to learn more. Hell, the chapter on Masculinity and growing up male in America had me scribbling titles and authors on my bedside notepad. I appreciated the new sou...more This is a very conversational book, definitely aimed at younger readers. I did not realize when I picked it up that I was no longer a young woman! Still, Valenti discusses the front-running issues of 'fourth wave' feminism in a sister-friend tone with plenty of academic references and footnotes to give further fuel for girls who want to learn more. Hell, the chapter on Masculinity and growing up male in America had me scribbling titles and authors on my bedside notepad. I appreciated the new source texts that Valenti references, but was a little shocked that I didn't see nods to any of the greats [I'm thinking of Cunt, Riot Grrls, anything by Deb Tannen, The Feminine Mystique, The Second Sex:] anywhere other than the 'additional reading' page, given the number of outside references she made. She runs a reasoned discussion of the importance of feminism to the layman conversation, though, and perhaps my taste for established academia is showing.
Regardless, this is a great primer for young girls in the contemporary issues, causes, and accomplishments of feminism, as well as a good zeitgeist shot of what's probably the end of the 'waves' terminology. Valenti counts herself in the third wave and seems to address her readers as the fourth wave, but makes reference to the decline of the wave nomenclature and the desire to move forward without these overarching labels [though she does not discuss the sub-genre movement, which I think has become a point of confusion for young women already stymied in the idea that the seperatism of feminism that steeps and scars our history is somewhat inherent in calling yourself a lipstick/amazon/anti-porn/sex-positive/third world/post colonial/eco/anarchist/equity feminist. I admit that I have trouble with this myself, sometimes:].
I would be proud and excited to pass this book on to young girls in my circle, though I would probably hold off till they were about 16 for parts of the sex discussion that could raise awkward questions with younger girls not in my direct care.(less)

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Jul 30, 2009 Andrea rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: feminism, women-s-health

Jessica Valenti is the rock star feminist of our generation. She makes feminism cool, relevant, and universally acceptable. I am more of an advanced feminist and frequent feministing.com reader, so many of the topics covered by Jessica weren't new to me, but I gave a copy to my friend who just graduated high school as a primer on feminism. Most important, Jessica makes the personal political and imbues her own experiences throughout the broader themes of the book. Her approach is inclusive; she...more

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Apr 01, 2013 Rachel rated it 5 of 5 stars

I don't understand what the deal with all of the negative reviews of this book is... I freakin loved it! I guess I can understand the anger towards the cover, but who really cares? In the end, it's just a way to get more people to pick up the book and it reinforces the idea that not all feminists are "fat, hairy, dykes" and that we come in a wide variety of forms - including the preppy, skinny girls we all hated in high school. The actual content of the book is what really matters and I was blow...more

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Jul 05, 2012 Jessica rated it 3 of 5 stars

I'm not really sure how to put my hands on what I didn't like about this book; I think it's a combination of the fact that some parts were too basic for me and some were too advanced. I appreciate that it is a feminism primer aimed at providing a general overview, but I wish that most, if not all, of the sections were covered a little more in depth. I think more examples could be used-- for example, I disliked that "five ways..." lists at the end of the book were essentially repeats.

I both liked...more

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Jan 01, 2012 Sarah rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: feminist-lit

A must-read for anyone who is a feminist or thinks they could be a feminist (hint: if you think you're a feminist, you most likely are). The book covers a wide-array of women's issues as well as discusses the intersectionality of gender issues with race, sexuality, class, etc. The book also gives great tips and resources on how to get involved and make a difference, from volunteering at clinics to talking with your friends about rape culture when rape is brought up in conversation. While it is t...more

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Oct 19, 2012 Lynn rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: library-books, non-fiction

Today's Non-Fiction Post is on 'Full Frontal Feminism' with the subtitle of 'A young woman's guide to why feminism matters' by Jessica Valenti. It is published by Seal Press which is an imprint of Perseus Books Group. It is 271 pages long with information about further readings, websites, and just general way to get more involved in your local community. The cover has a nude woman but we can only see her stomach and one hand on her hip. The intended reader are young women but anyone over the age...more Today's Non-Fiction Post is on 'Full Frontal Feminism' with the subtitle of 'A young woman's guide to why feminism matters' by Jessica Valenti. It is published by Seal Press which is an imprint of Perseus Books Group. It is 271 pages long with information about further readings, websites, and just general way to get more involved in your local community. The cover has a nude woman but we can only see her stomach and one hand on her hip. The intended reader are young women but anyone over the age of about 15 can read this and get something out of it but warned there is language. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the back of the book- You're a feminist. I swear. Feminism isn't dead. It just isn't very cool anymore. Jessica Valenti, found of the popular blog Feministing.com, is out to change all that.

"Jessica Valenti gets right to the point: If you are a smart, modern woman, feminism must be a part of your life. Full Frontal Feminism will leave readers wondering not what can I do, but what should I do first." Amy Richards and Jennifer Baumgardner, coauthors of Manifests: Young Women, Feminism, and the Future.

"Full Frontal Feminism should be required reading for all the young women out here whose ideas about feminism are more informed by backlash culture than by the actual feminist movement. Valenti has produced a lively, witty primer on feminism that will inspire its audience." Lisa Jervis, co founder of bitch: feminist response to pop culture.

"Finally, a book on feminism that's filled with the sassiness to keep us reading, and the statistics to make us give a damn. Whether she's covering porn or reproductive rights, Valenti delivers a solid intro to feminism for young women and a much-needed refresher course for the rest of us." Daisy Hernandez, co editor of Colonize this! Young Women of Color on Today's Feminism.

"Valenti breathes new life into feminism with her tell-it-like-it primer on why it's not only cool but also vital to heed the call to make your world a better more equal place- for yourself, your friends, your sisters and your brothers." Rachel Kramer Bussel, editor of Best Sex Writing 2008 and the sex blog Lusty Lady.

I really enjoyed this book but one thing really annoyed me. I think that feminism is more than just a political thing I think that is a way to live your life. Now Valenti does agree with me but she really makes everything go back to politics. But I think that the core theme of this book is about getting out there and not letting anyone else, no matter who that is, make choices for you. I agree totally. Women of all ages need to get out there and be a voice in their communities and in our government. Do not let anyone make choices for you no matter where you stand on the line. If you are pro-choice then get out there and make some good noise, if you are pro-life do the same. I, for one, am sick to death of watching the women in my life have choices made for them and they either do not know or do not care. I have friends who do not use birth control because it is something that only sluts or married women use. I was shocked when I was told that. But that is something that I think all women can get behind because birth control is just the single best thing in the world other than chocolate. I know that some people reading this will be offended. I ask you to think about why are you offended, do not just shut down. This is, in general, a great book and I wish that I could have read it when I was a teenager because it would have helped me then like now.

I give this four stars. I get nothing for my review and I borrowed this book from my local library.
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About Jessica Valenti

Jessica Valenti is the founder and editor of the popular blog and online community, Feministing.com.

She is the author of Full Frontal Feminism: A Young Woman's Guide to Why Feminism Matters, He's a Stud, She's a Slut...and 49 Other Double Standards Every Woman Should Know, and The Purity Myth: How America's Obsession With Virginity is Hurting Young Women. In 2011, the Purity Myth was made into a d...more

More about Jessica Valenti...

Books by Jessica Valenti

The Purity Myth: How America's Obsession with Virginity is Hurting Young Women

He's a Stud, She's a Slut, and 49 Other Double Standards Every Woman Should Know

Why Have Kids?: A New Mom Explores the Truth About Parenting and Happiness

Yes Means Yes!: Visions of Female Sexual Power and A World Without Rape

Madonna and Me: Women Writers on the Queen of Pop

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Quotes from Full Frontal Feminism:...

“What’s the worst possible thing you can call a woman? Don’t hold back, now.
You’re probably thinking of words like slut, whore, bitch, cunt (I told you not to hold back!), skank.
Okay, now, what are the worst things you can call a guy? Fag, girl, bitch, pussy. I’ve even heard the term “mangina.”
Notice anything? The worst thing you can call a girl is a girl. The worst thing you can call a guy is a girl. Being a woman is the ultimate insult. Now tell me that’s not royally fucked up.” — 439 people liked it

“As different as we all are, there’s one thing most young women have in common: We’re all brought up to feel like there’s something wrong with us. We’re too fat. We’re dumb. We’re too smart. We’re not ladylike enough - ‘stop cursing, chewing with your mouth open, speaking your mind’. We’re too slutty. We’re not slutty enough.
Fuck that.
You’re not too fat. You’re not too loud. You’re not too smart. You’re not unladylike. There is nothing wrong with you.” — 63 people liked it

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