East Baton Rouge Parish Library

The H-spot, the feminist pursuit of happiness, Jill Filipovic

eng

Includes bibliographical references (pages 285-306) and index

index present

non fiction

The H-spot

bibliographydictionaries

985446205

Jill Filipovic

the feminist pursuit of happiness

"What do women want? The same thing men were promised in the Declaration of Independence: happiness, or at least the freedom to pursue it. For women, though, pursuing happiness is a complicated endeavor, and if you head out into America and talk to women one-on-one, as Jill Filipovic has done, you see that happiness is indelibly shaped by the constraints of gender, the expectations of feminine sacrifice, and the myriad ways that womanhood itself differs along lines of race, class, location, and identity. In The H-Spot, Filipovic argues that the main obstacle standing in-between women and happiness is a rigged system. In this world of unfinished feminism, men have long been able to "have it all" because of free female labor, while the bar of achievement for women has only gotten higher. Never before have women at every economic level had to work so much (whether it's to be an accomplished white-collar employee or just make ends meet). Never before have the standards of feminine perfection been so high. And never before have the requirements for being a 'good mother' been so extreme. If our laws and policies made women's happiness and fulfillment a goal in and of itself, Filipovic contends, many of our country's most contentious political issues--from reproductive rights to equal pay to welfare spending--would be swiftly resolved. Filipovic argues that it is more important than ever to prioritize women's happiness--and that doing so will make men's lives better, too. Here, she provides an outline for a feminist movement we all need and a blueprint for how policy, laws, and society can deliver on the promise of the pursuit of happiness for all.--Jacket

Outrageous acts and everyday rebellions: the history of women's unhappiness -- Summer sisters: women and the power of friendship -- Playing in the dark: sex, pleasure, and pain -- Life among the savages: finding pleasure in parenting -- Wife: the feminist transformation of marital happiness -- Bossypants: making work work for women -- The edible woman: food, fat, and feminism -- The story of a new name: identity and female sacrifice -- Goodbye to all that: a conclusion (and what comes next)