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."

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 image of frivolous women who've been "radicalised" (because they're too spoilt, passive and stupid to have their own politics) reminds me of how men spoke of feminists when I was growing up. Also of anti-suffragette propaganda. Laughable to be so sexist then call for a focus on "real issues"

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/

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.

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-...

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:

(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...

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

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.

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

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…

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...

BBC Radio 4 - Start the Week, Wages for Housework – then and now Shahidha Bari with Emily Callaci, Rosie Campbell and Victoria Smith

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...

(Un)kind: How 'Be Kind' Entrenches Sexism Pre-order now

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

How the ‘Be Kind’ brigade exposed their hypocrisy The ‘just be nice to everyone’ narrative hides an uncomfortable truth – that women must be careful not to say the wrong thing

I had the privilege of speaking to Julie Bindel about some of the themes (surrogacy, sexual exploitation, raising boys - *not* "why women should be mean to everyone") www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2025/01...

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

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...

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

"I appreciate it when an older woman holds open a door for me and guides me through it by touching my back. I wouldn't know how to get through otherwise." Mark, 36.

Yes, that's what I think, too

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…

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

It's not as if they'd be exploiting women, just people with uterus owning privilege. Punching up, when you think about it.

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

Middle-class women of a certain age it is not done well; but you are surprised to find it done at all.

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...

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 》

Yeah, I would have thought the lesson from the Pelicot case is that you don't need to be rich and powerful at all to do it in a very organised way

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 ...

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 know. I think those using it to promote pro-choice arguments need to realise it works better for people arguing against them.