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Outrageous Acts and Everyday Rebellions

by Gloria Steinem

4.03 · rating details · 699 ratings · 45 reviews

This phenomenally successful book, that has sold nearly a half a million copies since its original publication in 1983, is Gloria Steinem's most diverse and timeless collection of essays.

Paperback, Second Edition, 432 pages

Published October 15th 1995 by Owl Books

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Nov 13, 2011

Martha rated it

Recommends it for: Anyone interested in modern feminism

Shelves: nonfiction, essays, biography-autobiography-memoir, politics, social-political

This book is part personal reflection, part social critique, and part history, written in the 1960s through the '80s, but updated with commentary in 1995.

I was probably about 10 or 12 years old when Gloria Steinem first became nationally known as a feminist. The book was a great reminder of things I'd forgotten about Steinem and about history, particularly feminist history, and it filled in details about people and events I wasn't aware of at the time. And the essay "Houston and H...more

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Aug 01, 2010

Miranda rated it

Shelves: american

I'm glad I read this, and I wish I had sooner. Many of her battle cries seem moot now, which is awesome, but some things really made me uncomfortable (good, right?). Let's ramble on about one thing!

I know that plenty of aspects of my personality are "feminine" (eg, liking to have a good cry, playing dumb to avoid conflict) and that I've used them to feel safe in not asking more of myself. I've matured being self-aware enough to recognize this, but not empowered to change (esp...more

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Mar 24, 2011

Emily rated it

Shelves: politics

While of course Patriarchy is FAR from over, the book is quite outdated and I read it for historical purposes. The American people owe so much to activists like Steinem. When she speaks of the era in which she was raised, I realize how integral Title IX, comprehensive sex education and strong (non-sexualized) female role models were to the era in which I was raised. Yet whether Steinem recognizes it or not, the feminists of my generation have also brought about tremendous progress since we ca...moreWhile of course Patriarchy is FAR from over, the book is quite outdated and I read it for historical purposes. The American people owe so much to activists like Steinem. When she speaks of the era in which she was raised, I realize how integral Title IX, comprehensive sex education and strong (non-sexualized) female role models were to the era in which I was raised. Yet whether Steinem recognizes it or not, the feminists of my generation have also brought about tremendous progress since we came of age, and the old-fashioned politics of her essays underscore this fact.

Her brand of intersectionality (i.e., fighting ALL forms of social injustice) is limited to issues regarding race, sex, class and cis gendered women, with token support for lesbianism tossed in here and there. Issues regarding disability, intersexuality, gender fluidity, and cross-dressing are completely invisible in the politics she espouses. BDSM and pornography are denounced flat-out because she believes they only service macho straight males. And she botches the topic of transsexuality like an amateur, worrying foremost that trans women receive better treatment than cis women.

Indeed, during Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign, Second Wave feminists like Steinem struck me as out of touch with the feminists of my generation because of three major insistences:

1) That a female candidate's gender trumps ANY superior policies offered by her male opponent.
2) That 51% of the voting population should vote for a female candidate because of her gender, and any dissidents are not real feminists.
3) That it is acceptable to play Oppression Olympics; in essence, to claim that the oppression of women is worse than the oppression of any other group because it is found in so many cultures and our sheer numbers should automatically afford us quicker emancipation.

The first point quickly proved problematic that year (Welcome, Sarah Palin!) and rather surprising, since Steinem's writings preceding 2008 would have led me to believe that her anti-war leanings superseded identity politics.

The second point seems to be Steinem's trademark concern - i.e., a long-held frustration that women as a group have not yet overcome patriarchy with the awesome power of our numbers. (In 2002, envying the overwhelming majority of Democratic support among black voters, she penned an essay entitled, "Will Sex Ever Make Us As Smart As Race When It Comes Time To Vote?") But as much as the "I'm not a feminist but..." women of America drive me up the wall with their denial, women will no sooner vote as a single block than men will. (Indeed, while conservative women hold out in spite of their gender, many men are self-proclaimed feminists in spite of their gender, and that should be seen as an ideological victory.) Feminism's best hope is to spread the message of equality to people of all gender identities until the concept overwhelms the majority of voters, teachers, and parents, not the owners of a specified type of genitals.

The third point is the most problematic because it embodies the patronizing, esssentially selfish attitude of the middle class, straight, cis woman other minorities should not have to fear. I've heard every Second Waver from Gloria Steinem to Anna Quindlan to Katha Pollitt utter, "Can you imagine if x were said about a black man?" in an effort to highlight the inanity of a sexist statement. Yet such a question idiotically ignores that such a thing has MOST LIKELY been said, just not within that feminist's middle class, leftist bubble. Intersectionality works as long as all instances of social inequality are deemed unacceptable. It is betrayed the moment one group demands their emancipation first, claiming they suffer more.

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Dec 30, 2008

Nick Black rated it

· review of another edition

Not my typical cup of tea, but I found this at Goodwill for $2 and picked it up, figuring I'd get some insight into Second-Wave feminism. Ms. Steinem's a witty and engaging (if not necessarily captivating or convincing) essayist, and offers solutions to perceived problems as opposed to just whining (see bell hooks for a rather unpalatable and unhelpful alternative). Overall, while I rarely agreed with what seemed rather simplistic analysis from Ms. Steinem, I found her a unique voice speaking f...more

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Sep 21, 2011

Viola rated it

· review of another edition

I am compelled to begin my review with a rant on the status of the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA).

As I was reading this book, I came across references to the ERA quite a few times. Not knowing much about this amendment, I went online to look up its history and to see when it was ratified. I was absolutely astonished by what I found. It has not been ratified. It is 2011! It is nearly 30 years past the publication of this book. Americans live in a society that many consider (notwithstan...moreI am compelled to begin my review with a rant on the status of the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA).

As I was reading this book, I came across references to the ERA quite a few times. Not knowing much about this amendment, I went online to look up its history and to see when it was ratified. I was absolutely astonished by what I found. It has not been ratified. It is 2011! It is nearly 30 years past the publication of this book. Americans live in a society that many consider (notwithstanding those who disagree) post-feminist. And yet, women still do not have blanket legal equality.

The text of this amendment is very short and very simple:
“Equality of rights under the law shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex.”

I am outraged that this amendment is still not a part of our US Constitution!!! This is something that I assumed was completed a generation ago.

Now that I got that out of my system, let’s go back to review the book.

This book is a collection of mostly previously published essays and articles by Gloria Steinem. The pieces are loosely categorized into four sections: Learning from Experience, Other Basic Discoveries, Five Women, and Transforming Politics. The book is chock-full of smart, well-written, rational, reasonable, and engaging viewpoints. This was the first time that I had ever read any of Gloria Steinem’s work, and doing so has completely altered my opinion of her. I’m not entirely sure where my misconceptions of Gloria Steinem came from, but they were most unfavorable. I always had the impression that she was a hard-nosed, man-hating extremist. I blamed her for turning the word “feminist” into a dirty word. But, as I read through this book, I became enlightened. Based upon the pieces in this book, Gloria Steinem is an entirely reasonable and rational champion of equality. She does not hate men, and her demands do not strike me as extreme in the least bit.

In addition to my new revelation of Steinem as a reasonable person, this book offers great historical value. We can see how far we have come since the publication of this book in 1983; we have already resolved and moved past many of the issues that Steinem wrote about in this book. At the same time, we see that there are still issues that need to be addressed (like the ERA).

Pieces that I particularly enjoyed include: “I Was a Playboy Bunny”, “Ruth’s Song”, “The Importance of Work”, “Men and Women Talking”, “Erotica vs. Pornography”, “The Real Linda Lovelace”, “Jackie Reconsidered”, “The International Crime of Genital Mutilation”, and “If Men Could Menstruate”. Some of these pieces were fascinating simply for showing the growth and development of Steinem as a person. She is someone whom I could have never imagined to be unsure of herself, to have insecurities and doubts, and to be vulnerable. Yet she had her own personal journey to find her own voice, and this journey is evident through her writings.

A few pieces in the book are so irrelevant that they may be worth skipping: “Campaigning”, “Networking”, and “Far from the Opposite Shore”. “Campaigning” is a journal-like account of Steinem’s experience along the campaign trail from 1965 to 1972. I found this piece to be so irrelevant and therefore, so dull and boring that I ended up skipping it. It was the only piece I skipped. “Networking” discusses the importance of women networking with each other. With the prevalence of the internet and social networking sites, it is almost unfathomable to imagine a world where networking is difficult. Lastly, “Far from the Opposite Shore” offers ideas to continue the fight for women’s rights. Conceptually, it’s a great idea. After complaining about society’s problems and injustices, it’s nice to have concrete action items. Unfortunately, the ideas now do not seem revolutionary in the least bit.

All in all, despite a few irrelevant pieces, the book is largely a worthwhile read even today. It offers some glimpses into the personal growth and development of Gloria Steinem. It showcases her humanity, her strength, and her tireless efforts. It offers great historical value to see the challenges faced by the previous generation, to see how far we have come, and to see what work yet needs to be done (like the ERA!).(less)

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Feb 17, 2011

Sara rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: psych-womens-studies, memoir-biography

Oh my gosh, I don't even know where to begin about this book...

I've self-identified as a feminist for years, but I never really dug in deeper in a literary sense. I read a lot of Alice Walker and feminist short stories, but never read texts from the 60's-80's. This book is a collection of writings by Ms. Steinem throughout that time, and many of them are just as important as they were then, despite the fact that this book SHOULD in theory be nothing more than a time capsule.

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Jul 11, 2009

Cassandra rated it

Even the more potentially likable parts of the book were tainted with fanaticism. For instance, I was looking forward to reading Steinem's essay on transsexualism, but it was misinformed and judgmental. I doubt the woman even has any idea of how it feels to be gender dysphoric. And then there was the exposé on Playboy bunnies, which was ruined by Steinem's heavy-handedness and overstatement. The woman has the sensibilities of a Catholic nun when it comes to sexuality, if you ask me. And that's a...moreEven the more potentially likable parts of the book were tainted with fanaticism. For instance, I was looking forward to reading Steinem's essay on transsexualism, but it was misinformed and judgmental. I doubt the woman even has any idea of how it feels to be gender dysphoric. And then there was the exposé on Playboy bunnies, which was ruined by Steinem's heavy-handedness and overstatement. The woman has the sensibilities of a Catholic nun when it comes to sexuality, if you ask me. And that's a huge strike against her, in my book. A lot of the book is just flat-out boring, too. Thank goodness for feminism's Third Wave.

But it's not a total loss by any means. It helped me put the overall women's movement into perspective, and I also generally like being exposed to ideas that span the spectrum, even if I don't agree with some of them. I'm simply read the book with a proverbial grain of salt and gleaned the good stuff.

Inspirational passages
If anything, I did come away with genuine inspiration after reading a couple of passages about activism and self-empowerment in the section titled Far from the Opposite Shore:

"We are all organizers, and no organizer should ever end a meeting or a book without ideas for practical action. After all, a movement is only people moving. What are we going to do differently when we get up tomorrow?"

On the same note, Steinem later adds: " ... I now often end lectures with an organizer's deal. If each person in the room promises that in the next twenty-four hours beginning the very next day, she or he will do at least one outrageous thing in the cause of simple justice, then I promise I will. It doesn't matter if the act is as small as saying, 'Pick it up yourself' (a major step for those of us who have been the servants in our own families) or as large as organizing a strike. The point is that, if each of us does as promised, we can be pretty sure of two results. First, the world one day later won't be quite the same. Second, we will have such a good time that we will never again get up in the morning saying, 'Will I do anything outrageous?' but only 'What outrageous act will I do today?'(less)

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Aug 19, 2009

Jerome Espinosa Baladad rated it

Recommends it for: all non fiction writers

I bought my copy from a thrift shop because I was curious to know how Ms Steinem did a gig as a Playboy bunny in order to come up with an article that has at least 43 pages of this book. I was way more than satisfied by that article, and learned a lot from her. Imagine her doing the gig, and living to tell the story to all curious readers like myself. And continuing with the reading of book after putting it down in the meantime, so as to focus on my other readings, I rediscovered my copy again. ...moreI bought my copy from a thrift shop because I was curious to know how Ms Steinem did a gig as a Playboy bunny in order to come up with an article that has at least 43 pages of this book. I was way more than satisfied by that article, and learned a lot from her. Imagine her doing the gig, and living to tell the story to all curious readers like myself. And continuing with the reading of book after putting it down in the meantime, so as to focus on my other readings, I rediscovered my copy again. I decided I have to complete reading her book. And it was certainly worth the continuation. Imagine also what the late Linda Lovelace of the "deep throat" notoriety had to undergo just to be paid attention that she was a slave by her handler-husband then when those 70s vids were being shot. Well, I read all about these from Ms Steinem's book.

Writing as a way of life, she goes on to share a lot of her ideas and stories from a perspective of someone who has done a lot of research works, and did active participation in events that would have certainly eaten so much of her time just as to come up with articles as clearly written and included in this book. I told myself, "If only all writers would just write like her, or at least, be inspired by her, there would be better writing in the world these days." I meant, Ms Steinem's a writer who writes solidly from her experiences. She's never a boring writer, based on what I read in her book. These are all non-fiction works that she added in the book (except for the article on "Campaigning" which took me a while to appreciate---maybe because it's kinda dated, the rest of articles read marvelously before my eyes).

I remember tears welling in my eyes while reading her ode to her dear Mom Ruth (which is one of the best short memoirs I've read todate). "Erotica and Pornography" was certainly another one, that got me into thinking why I myself is pretty excited when I see subtle and in-your-face depiction of violence and humiliation in all kinds of pornography in the usual media around us----it's simply really dehumanizing, but nothing much being done against it, as it's really big business. Also, it functions as a money generating venue for the very structure that continues to advocate inequality among the sexes, in all realms out there. And on the other hand, things Erotica, indeed, actually soars! Know why after reading this book.

Whew! I'm convinced I must have turned into a feminist myself after reading this book. (less)

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Oct 08, 2011

AJ Conroy marked it as to-read

No 34 on Ms. Magazine's Top 100 Feminist Non-Fiction Countdown: When the second edition of this essay collection was released in 1995, Steinem expressed disappointment that its accounts of sexism didn’t yet read as dated. Point taken, but as Susan Faludi says, “Gloria Steinem’s first collection of essays is–and will always be–a required feminist reader.”

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Jun 23, 2010

Betty rated it

Shelves: 2010

A collection of essays from the mid-sixties to mid-eighties, with copious introduction and footnotes bringing things more up to date (to the late-nineties, at least). It's obvious why she's such a powerhouse; she's a brilliant, sensitive, funny writer with a wealth of knowledge. It's wonderful to see the origins of second-wave feminism- to see how far we've come and how much there is still to be done. Highly recommended.

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Nov 09, 2011

sarah rated it

There were 5 or so essays I didn't get to read because the library was begging for this book back.
But I took it to bars with me and struck up conversations (Let it be known: hot daytime bartender at Big Bar is a feminist!) with strangers as well as my friends and I would recommend these essays to anyone.

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Oct 21, 2010

Danielle rated it

Shelves: society

A terrific memoir by a feminist icon, though what made the biggest impression on me was her relationship with her mentally ill mother. I had always felt cheated that my own mother left us when I was young, but GS's experience made me realize that I may have dodged a bullet.

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Oct 08, 2011

Essie rated it

a wonderful series of essays by an engaging and persuasive writer. i'm trying to expand my understanding of the history of feminism, and this went a long way to helping me with that.

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Nov 16, 2009

Catherine rated it

Shelves: essays, feminist-stuff, memoir-autobiography, non-fiction, political-stuff

Some of the essays in this book haven't aged terribly well but most of them are still totally fantastic. Despite being 20+ years old it was still incredibly interesting and relevant.

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Dec 11, 2008

Jennifer Litchfield rated it

Loved this book. Great read, however some stories are dated, but still a great insight into the feminist movement and her life. Loved the short story "If Men Could Menstruate".

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Nov 25, 2011

Melissa Lee-tammeus rated it

Shelves: on-my-shelf-at-home

This book changed my way of looking at the world. It was assigned to me in one of my first undergrad women's studies courses. A great reminder of what women are worth.

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Nov 30, 2011

Gabrielle rated it

I enjoyed the format of this book. It contained the original articles she wrote as a young writer and contained commentary added when she compiled the articles into the book. It was interesting to see her outlook on different experiences/events from her life with more current commentary.

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Jul 23, 2007

Sara rated it

· review of another edition

This book is essential for young feminists who sometimes have a hard time articulating why feminism is still a pressing subject in the world today. Although it is a compilation of Gloria Steinem's articles from the late '60s through the early '80s, much of what is discussed is still relevant, which is both disheartening and revealing. I was especially captured by Steinem's discussion of pornography and Linda Lovelace, and I continue to discuss it at odd moments with friends (ie Saturday night ...more

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Jan 24, 2011

Jennifer Whigham rated it

Worth it for her essay on time as a Playboy Bunny.

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Sep 01, 2011

Jannell rated it

Shelves: listened-to

Great, historical perspective, engaging essays.

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Feb 24, 2011

Mckinley rated it

Shelves: non-fiction, feminism

Everyone should read a little Steinem

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Jul 31, 2011

Rhianon rated it

Gloria Steinem is a well-known name in the feminist world and I was excited to read some of her writing! As a feminist myself, it was fascinating to ready what life was like for women during the Second Wave. Admittedly, some of the essays were a bit slow and boring but for the most part, I found them intriguing. These essays were mostly written in the 70s and 80s and it was interesting to see what issues have come a long way and what issues still have a long way to go. Definitely a must read for...more

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Jan 02, 2010

Cheryl Jacobs is currently reading it

only read 1 or 2 chapters.

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Jul 17, 2007

Alex rated it

Recommends it for: women everywhere.

This book is a compilation of essays written between 1970 and 1985 or so, and while the pieces can seem outdated at times, they're also part of the canon of feminist thought. Steinam raises a million points that make you examine patriarchy in everyday life (Who leads conversations? How do we change our voices when talking to people of different genders?) The newest wave of feminism is excluded, but it's an wonderful look at our mothers' generation.

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Jul 18, 2008

Zj rated it

The author's ability to shake things up by looking at them from an angle that is only slightly different from the norm--truly eye opening. This is what books are supposed to do for us! Bravo.

And remember...the truth will set you free, but first it will piss you off.

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Oct 03, 2007

Nicole rated it

· review of another edition

I've never ceased to really enjoy this book, even though I certainly don't have an undeniable love for Steinem. It's tremendously worth it for:

1. The infamous Playboy bunny article.
2. The very moving piece on Linda Lovelace, who starred in 'Deep Throat.'

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Jun 24, 2007

Kelly rated it

a good collection of essays on a variety of topics. steinem is a good writer and she shares her observations and experiences in a way that makes you feel better about the world because someone like her is out there.

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Jan 20, 2011

Lady rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: own

A woman with quite a high opinion of herself. Florence King aptly compared her to Dickins's Mrs Jellyby. The only interesting part of the book is Steinem's expose on the Playboy Bunny clubs of the Sixties.

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Jul 01, 2007

Shannon McClure rated it

This a collection of essays by Gloria steinem--I'm not normally a Steinem fan but this book is pretty great. I especially like her essay on her Playboy Bunny expose.

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Dec 15, 2010

Kaethe rated it

Shelves: strong-smart-female-protagonist, nonfiction, feminism

Steinem is such a great proponent of feminism because she writes well, clearly and simply, which is much harder to do than writing with an obvious style.

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About Gloria Steinem

Jewish-American feminist icon, journalist and women's rights advocate.

She is the founder and original publisher of Ms. magazine, and was an influential co-convener of the National Women's Political Caucus.

More about Gloria Steinem...

Books by Gloria Steinem

Revolution from Within: A Book of Self-Esteem

Moving Beyond Words: Age, Rage, Sex, Power, Money, Muscles: Breaking the Boundries of Gender

Gloria Steinem on Outrageous Acts and Everyday Rebellions

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