Lauren Shields

Shields doesn't talk about clothing and modesty and the beauty suit in an abstract way, she changed how she dressed for a year to help her understand how pervasive the pressure is on women to present a certain persona in public - beauty. She talked about how freeing it was to wear some of the religious clothing. It changed her own awareness of how she was presenting herself in public, and she noticed, sometimes strikingly, how it changed other people's perceptions of her as well. I so appreciate that Lauren Shields did this...and that she wrote about it.… (lisätietoja)

I was hoping this would be more of a memoir than it starts out seeming to be. I’ve read part of it and gotten bogged down in some of its generalized musings on femininity. I’m also finding it strange that the author’s big experiment seems to involve living the way I live all the time, without even thinking about it, and I’m pretty content and have never worried about some of the things that she seems to think so deeply preoccupy every woman. I do intend to finish this, but I just haven’t managed yet.… (lisätietoja)

This book makes me sad. As a second wave feminist I have watched the movement hijacked by consumerism since its early years. If anything, the demands on women to conform to the beauty culture have increased. It is not enough to be intelligent. It is not enough to be educated. It is not even enough to be naturally attractive, i.e. symmetrical, feminine features, clear skin, thick hair, good figure--all of that must be enhanced by makeup and later botox and plastic surgery, expensive haircuts, restrictive garments, etc. while the woman balances on the line between slut and prude. The author's discussion of the religious origins of some modesty codes, and of Western projection of the need to liberate or protect Muslim women is interesting. Also her information on the self confidence of young Hasidic girls and Amish women. Unfortunately I found the writing a little unstructured for easy reading.… (lisätietoja)

If you are unaware of the article first published by this author about her religious modesty project feel free to skip the intro as it feels confusing, disjointed and in a different voice then much of the rest of the book. The dedication also feels childish and unnecessary but I urge you to overlook that and press on. While the chapters jump around chonologically and feel like a Harry Potter time turner is popping you in and out of moments in the life of this stranger the overall message is worth a look. It is an impressively well thought through look at bible verses that are often heard in church and seen as keeping all aspects of feminism locked out of worship. Shields herself, as well as by citing the work of diverse others, shows multiple new ways to think of those same verses, a little ala "God and the Gay Christian". All in all it was a worth-while read and I recommend passing it along to any young woman or person of faith in your life to keep challenging the status quo.… (lisätietoja)