Manifesta [10th Anniversary Edition]: Young Women, Feminism, and the Future [Paperback]

Jennifer Baumgardner (Author), Amy Richards (Author)

Book Description

Release date: March 2, 2010

In the year 2000, girl culture was clearly ascendant. From Lilith Fair to Buffy the Vampire Slayer to the WNBA, it seemed that female pride was the order of the day. Yet feminism was also at a crossroads; “girl power” feminists were obsessed with personal empowerment at the expense of politics, while political institutions such as Ms. and NOW had lost their ability to speak to a new generation. In Manifesta, Jennifer Baumgardner and Amy Richards brilliantly revealed the snags in each feminist hub, all the while proving that these snags had not imperiled the future of the feminist cause. The book went on to inspire a new generation of female readers, and has become a classic of contemporary feminist literature.

In the decade since Manifesta was published, the world has changed in ways both promising and disheartening for the feminist cause. Despite major strides forward, the wage gap remains vast; many feminist publications have died; shame around abortion has lingered and ’90s-style anti-abortion terrorism has reemerged. Many of the points first raised so bravely in Manifesta remain urgent—namely, why it’s still critical for today’s young women to focus on gender. This tenth anniversary edition of Manifesta, complete with updated back matter, commentary from the authors, and a provocative new preface, shows why the issues first raised by Baumgardner and Richards remain as timely as ever.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Two youthful alumnae of Ms. magazine present not a manifesto, but a talky defense of contemporary feminism, directed in part at disappointed Second Wave foremothers. Arguing that feminism is already all around us, the heart of the book is a long, unbridled paean to tough and sexy "girlie culture," as represented by Xena, Ally McBeal, the Spice Girls and little girls wearing Mia Hamm jerseys. Sporting green nail polish and Hello Kitty lunchboxes isn't infantile, the authors declare, but a "nod to our joyous youth." At the same time, they caution young women not to stop and rest on the success of cultural feminism, but to develop political lives and awareness. The book suffers mightily from its determined evenhandedness; Baumgardner and Richards typically temper any negative comments with an immediate positive note, and vice versa. Whether this feminist duo's ambivalence reflects schisms in the movement, their own fear of offending other feminists or simply the awkwardness of joint authorship, the result is shallow, both as a critique and a call to arms. Analysis of the few Third Wavers who are already visible in the media ought to have been surefire; instead, the chapter "Who's Afraid of Katie Roiphe?" comes too late (after 200-odd pages) and is too tame and indecisiveAthe authors pointedly clamp down on their own irritation with Roiphe, referring to her simply as a "controversial" figure among left-wing feminists. Fewer history lessons and more pique might have given this book more force. (Oct.)
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

From Library Journal

Baumgardner and Richards, two writers with Ms. affiliations, start their analysis of U.S. feminism with a wonderful assumption: that "girl culture," from women rock stars and athletes to female entrepreneurs and inventors, have become an integral part of the national psyche. Thanks to Second Wave feminist agitators, today's young womenDthose who grew up believing that they could be anything they wanted to beDhave unprecedented opportunities. Now, as responsibility for women's liberation falls to them, decisions about goals, strategies, and direction have to be made. Manifesta, which is far less shrill than the name suggests, urges young women to pick up where their mothers, aunts, and adult mentors left off. Their challenge? To fulfill feminism's promise of justice, equality, and sexual freedom for all. Complete with appendixes to teach novices the nuts-and-bolts of community organizing, this book is a reasoned and passionate call to action and an exciting how-to guide for both burgeoning and seasoned Third Wave feminists. Recommended for all high school, college, and public libraries.DEleanor J. Bader, Brooklyn, NY
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 464 pages
• Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux; First Edition edition (March 2, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0374532303
• ISBN-13: 978-0374532307
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.5 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (33 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #346,223 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

27 of 30 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars Good ideas, but very uneven December 4, 2001

By Amanda Marcotte

Format:Paperback

Perhaps my problem with the book came from the fact that it was written by two people working together, which probably contributed to its uneven tone. Jennifer and Amy (as they call themselves) try to encompass quite a bit of description and critique of certain youth-oriented trends in feminism, and sometimes it falls apart by the sheer width of their scope. And even though they continually point out that they are members of the Third Wave, the younger wave of feminist women, sometimes they seem strangely removed from the ideas that they purport to describe. For instance, they feel obliged to dismiss Girlie feminists as ineffectual, when this brand of feminism probably attracts more young people to the movement than any other. They were also dismissive to the huge contributions that Third Wavers have made to incorporating men to the cause. On the other hand, they were particularly adept at dismantling some of the myths that are commonly believed about feminism, which is a valuable task for anyone, Second or Third Wave. It's worth reading, but don't accept it as encompassing as a manifesta should be. Even the authors ask this of the reader.

21 of 24 people found the following review helpful

2.0 out of 5 stars Irritating May 25, 2008

By Anthony Schmitz

Format:Paperback

(This review was not actually written by Anthony Schmitz. I'm Anna Schmitz, his 15-year-old daughter.)

I suppose this book had good intentions. The writers seem smart, and the book probably rings true for their select group of dinner party friends (young, urban, in the media business). However, the research is shoddy, the authors' arguments often become long-winded whining, and the arguments themselves are occasionally absurd.

It's unclear whether the authors simply grew bored of their book, or if a deadline was rapidly approaching, or if research was unavailable, but too often the authors rely on "according-to-my-friend-Jane" in lieu of actual research. In an actual quote from the book, in an argument for Take Back the Night, Baumgardner and Richards assure you that Take Back the Night remains important because "Jennifer Gottesman, a junior at Barnard College, confirmed that her college's Take Back the Night rally and march are the most important political events on campus." Say no more! If Jennifer thinks Take Back the Night is the most important event on campus, it surely is.

However, even this she-said research is often overshadowed by the authors' whining about their lack of importance in the eyes of Second Wave feminists. As important as it is to feel approval, it seems that the best way to gain it would be to carve out one's one niche instead on relying on older feminists to advance concerns that they may not fully understand. The authors complain about feeling patronized and disrespected by Second Wavers, about not being invited to speak at panels, and although these concerns are legitimate, it's not hard to see where Second Wavers are coming from when reading "Letter to an Older Feminist". The letter is patronizing and petty. It implies that Second Wavers are no longer useful in the movement-- that although they once wrote important books and had important ideas, they are no longer needed as innovators, and should sit back and hand over all controls to Third Wave women. Second Wave feminists are not dead, and don't need to be treated as such.

On a personal level, I found the book's criticism of New Moon Magazine to be both offensive and off-base. As both a former reader of New Moon and a former Girls' Editorial Board member, the authors' shallow appraisal of the magazine struck me as laughable. The authors argue that the magazine represents feminist mothers' ideas of what girls want, and not what the girls themselves want. The authors are prone to nostalgic reflections on Sassy magazine, and its embrace of fun/funky outfits, hairstyles, and articles. They seem disappointed that New Moon is not a twin of the magazine of their youth, and is instead an outright feminist magazine, with artwork and not Kurt Cobain and Courtney Love on the cover.

Baumgardner and Richards inform the reader that New Moon is not actually what girls want. I beg to differ. New Moon is not what teen girls want-- that's true. Most girls end their subscription by the time they hit 13. But for 8 to 12-year-olds, New Moon is a great magazine. If girls are looking for what Sassy once provided, there are other magazines. New Moon does not have to provide the tips on hair, makeup, and boys that the authors of Manifesta are convinced that girls actually want. What their argument amounts to is two Third Wave feminists advancing their agenda by accusing Second Wave feminists of starting a girls' magazine to advance their agenda. Perhaps Baumgardner and Richards should follow their own advice and let girls themselves decide and control what they want, as opposed to letting Third Wave feminists tell them what they want.

19 of 22 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars a very good but limited insiders review May 6, 2004

By A Customer

Format:Paperback

This book does an excellent job of evaluating the feminist movement from an insider's perspective. However many of the threads involve women who work either in the movement or live in a liberal cultural environment. I am disappointed though that it doesn't address what I see as an important current problem: why does feminism fail to connect with a large percentage of women who are reluctant to identify themselves as feminist. Until the voices/minds of the apparently apathetic nurse/beautician/receptionist and "annoying dissentors" etc are explored (and considered "valid" not just "unliberated") I am afraid that feminism will remain in its ivory tower and not as effective as it should be, perhaps hijacked from the "ordinary" "unliberated" plebs. These women vote. (Why would a women's shelter volunteer be put off by her women's studies class?) The authors didn't explore why many women (and potentially supportive men) are totally put off by their women's studies class and never want to be associated with the feminist label after that. Where does an orthodox Jewish women fit into this picture. Is she just too stupid to know she's oppressed since she doesn't share the "agenda". What does she think? I haven't found a book who's interviews explore these marginalized, "unliberated" women's perspective with respect. The attitude of "support our troops" (feminist or otherwise) seems to pervade our society.