White Feminism ARC Review

White Feminism: From the Suffragettes to Influencers and Who They Leave Behind by Koa Beck

Publication Date: 5 January 2021

Non-fiction

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Did you know that the phrase “The Future is Female” originated with lesbian separatists?

That a number of large, female-CEO lead companies lack basic maternity leave policies?

Or that a nation-wide boycott on meat, originally organized Jewish housewives, is why basic food necessities have their prices set in the United states? 

Before reading this book, I definitely didn’t.

In her 2021 debut White Feminism: From the Suffragettes to Influencers and Who They Leave Behind, Koa Beck decenters white feminism by exploring its intricacies and how marginalized women are often left out. The term itself, white feminism, pretty much describes what it is: a form of feminism that benefits white women more than anyone else. It’s a system of thinking that is held up by books, magazines, media outlets, and, of course, white women. 

White Feminism is forward and direct. This book is a wake-up call for white feminists, who before reading this book, might not have even realized that their ideas are classified as white feminist ideology. It’s a reminder to look outside of your life experience to understand that many women who are not white, or American for that matter, are left behind by a movement that celebrates individual success while ignoring structural inequalities.

Beck’s book worked for me on many different levels. I think that it’s important for any reader to broaden their horizon and read books that might be out of their comfort zone. White Feminism is a book that for me, taught me a lot about the past and current state of the feminist movement and what I can do to be a feminist who is white, not a white feminist. While a bit of a long read, the book is far from boring and comes at an extremely relevant time. 

Rating: 5/5: After an extremely eventful 2020 that forced a lot of privileged people, including myself, to acknowledge that governmental and social structures are extremely broken, White Feminism comes at a perfect time. The book makes an interesting read for anyone who wants to become more intersectional in their feminism.