Customer Reviews

Feminism Unmodified: Discourses on Life and Law

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How much you appreciate this book depends on what you want to get out of it. It is accessible to a non-academic reader, and although I disagree with her thesis, the speeches are well-argued. She basically thinks that gender *is* domination, and attempts to show that the meaning of woman-ness is in subjection. I think that if you care about feminism, you must at least understand this radical claim. She has definately made me rethink some of my kneejerk assumptions, which after all is the whole point.

This eloquent book is a collection of insightful orations given by Ms. MacKinnon during the eighties with in their aggregation is a powerful text on social constructivist Radical Feminism and class analysis. Ms. MacKinnon's approaches provide needed shifts in paradigms away from patriarchy. Gender is understood in terms of the the only meaning it can have in this society: Dominance of one class over another. She provide incredible distinctions and indepth discussions on issues such as Full and Formal Equity, definitions and meaning of rape and pornography.

She has a requisite versing in philosophy as she appeals to provides epistemological shifts needed to question the meaning of difficult constructs such as gender. Being a lawyer, she is facile in illuminating basic assumptive inequities in Juris Prudence. I was most appreciative at her analysis of rape and shifting the definition of rape from penetration to violence and where rape is not an erotic act but one of dominance. She continues further and looks at how members of gendered class male define the sexuality of members of gendered class woman until we do not know what our sexuality really is.

She provides a variety of diverse topics but ties them together by pinpointing their interrelatedness in patriarchy. She skillfully examines issues of the first amendment vs pornography and aptly illustrates how the Bill of Rights is becoming a legal repository for male priviledge.

Ms. MacKinnon's messages are presented in multiple levels and at varying depths and accessibilities, one thing to know is that there is always another level of understanding to be attained from this book. The reader is assured that there is much here if she avails herself to it. Please do not short change yourself by a cursory reading. Ms. MacKinnon departs from Radical Feminist stereotypes in that she develops an experienced level of vulnerability in her speeches and the reader can actually feel the extent that she cares about women.

How fortunate that the paperback is hardy, because it travels with me often.

Feminism Unmodified Discourses on Life and Law captures what it is to be an uncompromising and at times defeated radical feminist in the latter 20th century in America. Feminism Unmodified is a compilation of speeches that McKinnon delivered during the 1980's - at a time when "feminism" was fighting with "fuck" for status of the "F-word". The speeches are easy to read, really - to hear, and the arguments are clear and concise. My favorite sound bite: Rape is not illegal, it's regulated.- How True. She seeks to eradicate not gender difference, but gender hierarchy. Anyone want to argue with that? McKinnon is a prophet

One of my law professors was a disciple of McKinnon's and recommended this book to me. After reading it I can only conclude that the author seems to be suffering from some serious unresolved conflicts.

McKinnon represents a radical, and in my opinion, unacceptable view of feminism. There are better authors in this field such as Steinem, who presents a more balanced and substantially less radical viewpoint. McKinnon is to feminism as Louis Farrakhan is to Afro culture.