Brazilians, Botox, Babies. ‘How To Be A Woman’ is something that every female under 30 contemplates from time to time. Caitlin Moran’s book will allow you to laugh, giggle, snort, and cackle your way through the trials and tribulations of what it really means to be a modern feminist, promises Cara Novakovic.
‘How To Be A Woman’ is something that every female under 30 contemplates from time to time. Caitlin Moran’s book will allow you to laugh, giggle, snort, and cackle your way through the trials and tribulations of what it really means to be a modern feminist. Rather than sit you down for a stern talking to as Germaine Greer would, Moran instead takes you on a journey through 30-something years of experiences from her own life that add up to a short and witty feminist manifesto. This book voyages amidst everyday womanhood, comprising of the joy of bras, tiny pants, expensive handbags and shoes, getting fatter and hair removal as well as the rougher waters of career, family and relationships.
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Times Magazine spread. Source: Spiros Politis.
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Although feminists aren’t meant to be funny, the Times columnist’s sharp insights and articulations of ideas and events that all women have thought about or experienced at one time or another will throw you into fits of breathless laughter in recognition. I’m sure many could just write this off as another entertaining plight-of-the-modern-woman anecdotal book, but that isn’t to say that she doesn’t take on some of the less hysterical moments of womanhood like self esteem in youth, child birth and abortion.
Moran’s main line of argument in the book is basically “more”- more women, more female happiness, and more power; and although this appears to be an over-simplified view of feminism it truly is what modern feminists are about.
“Because the purpose of feminism isn’t to make a particular type of woman, the idea that there are inherently wrong and inherently right ‘types’ of women is what’s screwed feminism for so long – this belief that ‘we’ wouldn’t accept slaggy birds, dim birds, birds that bitch, birds that hire cleaners, birds that stay at home with their kids, birds that have pink Mini Metros with ‘Powered By Fairy Dust!’ bumper stickers, birds in burqas or birds that like to pretend, in their heads, that they’re marred to Zach Braff from Scrubs, and that you sometimes have sex in an ambulance while the rest of cast watch and, latterly, clap. You know what? Feminism will have all of you.” – Caitlin Moran, ‘How To Be A Woman’
This is a book that reminds the everyday woman that sexism and gender inequality are ever present as long as there are men and that “its repressive, tedious and stupid.” It asks the pertinent question of ‘why should women only be allowed to be seen and only heard if they are deemed acceptable – which according to Moran means “pretty and of the right age”.
“Feminism should be as exciting as rock’n’roll,” Moran says, and if the incidents described in her book are anything to go by, Moran is one rocking feminist. Her book is as much about taking drugs and being a teenage music journalist as it is an explanation of existential dilemmas of westernised womanhood.
It’s dirty, it’s sexual and it laughs in the face of power – as all good feminist writing should.
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HOW TO BE A WOMAN: 4/5
Author: Caitlin Moran
Publisher: Ebury Press
Length: 320 pages
Price: $32.95
womanontoponline 
awesome review!
hilarious.