A journalist who, in the early 1970s, became an ardent defender of women’s rights, Gloria Steinem has always offered her critics a good run for their money. First, her beauty and her many lovers give the lie to the old chestnut that feminist protest only masks the bitterness and frustration of plain Janes whom no man has done the honor of rescuing from the shelf. What’s more, the full and dynamic life Steinem has led and leads today, a whirlwind of travels and new vistas, of activism and writing, of love and friendship, seriously complicates the picture for those who believe a woman’s life means nothing without partnership and motherhood. To a journalist who asked why she wasn’t married, Steinem gave the justly celebrated reply: “I can’t mate in captivity.” Pese a que empecé a leer este ensayo con unas expectativas bastante altas respecto a datos históricos sobre la brujería en la Edad Moderna, me encontré con una revisión acertada y bien argumentada (aunque muy personal) de algunos de los prejuicios asociados a las brujas que siguen teniendo validez y significación hoy en día. Chollet nos coge la mano y, con ella, paseamos a través del mito de la belleza asociado a la juventud femenina, al imperativo de la maternidad si eres mujer (y el precio que pagamos aquellas que decidimos no serlo), al peso de la soltería, a las relaciones de poder en parejas con diferencia de edad y a la violencia médica y psiquiátrica que las mujeres hemos sufrido a lo largo de los siglos, entre otras problemáticas que la autora abarca no sólo desde su perspectiva y experiencia personal, sino apoyándose en multitud de fuentes que, al menos a mi parecer, me hacen tener un orgasmo con tan sólo mirar la cuidadísima y extensísima bibliografía de este libro.

In Defence of Witches by Mona Chollet - Pan Macmillan In Defence of Witches by Mona Chollet - Pan Macmillan

Mona Chollet is a Franco-Swiss writer and journalist. She is the chief editor for Le Monde diplomatique and has also written for Charlie Hebdo. She lives in Paris, France. Chollet comes out of the gate swinging with her introduction that delves into historical witch-hunts. Offering informative statistics and a general overview on how they came about, fun details like Pope Gregory IX declaring cats the "devil's servants" and executing so many cats along with witches that the rat population grew and spread disease (subsequently blamed on witches), and examining issues such as criminalization of contraception and abortions occurring during the same period as witch-hunts. ‘ Witch-hunters are revealed as both obsessed with and terrified by female sexuality,’ she observes in her discussion of historical documents such as The Malleus Maleficarum. ‘ When for ‘witches’ we read ‘women,’ we gain fuller comprehension of the cruelties inflicted by the church upon this portion of humanity,’ said women’s activist Matilda Joslyn Gage, and while Chollet examines how men, too, were accused and murdered (though in far fewer numbers with significantly higher acquittals and tended to be accused to their intimacy with accused witches), she explains how Gage’s statement is in line with the book to come. Chollet’s introduction also serves as a criticism of the already well-trodden path of witch-hunt history books, pointing out how even those that attempt sensitivity tend to do a fair amount of victim blaming, often even asking why the groups accused of witchcraft ‘ attracted to itself the scapegoating mechanism,’ while also scapegoating any reason except for misogyny and control as to why these hunts occurred. Boys are encouraged to map out their adult trajectory in the most adventurous manner possible. Conquering the world all alone is the most romantic path possible for a guy, and he can only pray that some lady doesn’t slow him down along the way, thereby ruining everything. But for women, the romance of forging out into the world is painted as pathetic and dreary if there’s no dude there. […] And Jesus, does it take hard work to reinvent the world outside those narrow conventions!22 Ongoing Covid restrictions, reduced air and freight capacity, high volumes and winter weather conditions are all impacting transportation and local delivery across the globe.We are experiencing delays with deliveries to many countries, but in most cases local services have now resumed. For more details, please consult the latest information provided by Royal Mail's International Incident Bulletin. This is a user generated post from our wider Voice community and was not edited by the Voice team. We would love to hear your views too! Centuries after the infamous witch hunts that swept through Europe and America, witches continue to hold a unique fascination for as fairy tale villains, practitioners of pagan religion, as well as feminist icons. Witches are both the ultimate victim and the stubborn, elusive rebel. But who were the women who were accused and often killed for witchcraft? What types of women have centuries of terror censored, eliminated, and repressed? Renowned journalist Mona Chollet recasts the witch as a powerful role model: an emblem of strength, free to exist beyond the narrow limits society imposes on women.

In Defence of Witches: The women who dared to simply exist In Defence of Witches: The women who dared to simply exist

Rehabilitates the figure of the witch, this dangerously independent, educated and strong woman.” — Slate Il n'y parle pas "que" de sorcières, mais il en fait le point de départ de réflexions toutes intéressantes et liées par la même oppression systémique contre les femmes.MyHome.ie (Opens in new window) • Top 1000 • The Gloss (Opens in new window) • Recruit Ireland (Opens in new window) • Irish Times Training (Opens in new window) Edit : je rajoute ma grogne sur l'invisibilisation des sorcières queer que j'ai développé dans les commentaires