Outrageous Acts and Everyday Rebellions

Rating:
Summary: good book
Review: Gloria is a witty woman who tells it like it is. Her adventures are funny and thought-provoking. I particularly enjoyed the story in which she was a Playboy bunny back when there were PLayboy clubs with bunny waitresses and coatgirls. She encourages women to step outside the box and think for themselves.

Rating:
Summary: Changed the way I view life.
Review: Had this book been published prior to 1917, the Bolsheviks would never have overthrown our government. Being one of the founders of Menshivism, I was not aware of many of the OUTRAGEOUS ACTS and EVERYDAY REBELLIONS, that this superior intellect Steinem outlines in her wonderful book. My erstwhile colleagues, Lenin and Stalin, are quite right when they say Steinem could have suggested other methods of insurrection, such as pamphlets, or manifestoes, but regardless of this mssing element, I found her book to be very entertaining. Before reading this book, I felt a sense of dejection, I couldn't think of any OUTRAGEOUS ACTS AND EVERYDAY REBELLIONS to display to my frinds and family, but then I browsed Amazon.com, and found Steinem's book. Now, my friends and family ask, "why do you act so outrageous everyday?", then I have to tell them, "because many of the tips that the superior intellect Gloria Steinem showed me in her wonderful book". If you're like the Martov before reading this book, droll and inactive, then read this excellent work of scholarship, and you will become like the martov after reading the book, active and interesting.

Rating:
Summary: Essay collection that will make you think
Review: Heard the taped version of Gloria Steineim's OUTRAGEOUS
ACTS AND EVERYDAY REBELLIONS, a diverse and timeless
collection of essays . . . I've admired bits and pieces of Steineim's work over the years, but never got to really appreciate her view of the world "as if women mattered" until now.

It got me thinking. And isn't that a key indication of great writing?

For example, I knew she had been a Playboy Bunny . . . but
listening to her humorous expose, "I Was a Playboy Bunny" got

me shaking my head in amazement that women were and
are being treated rather poorly (at least by Hugh Heffner) . . . her moving tribute to her mother, "Ruth's Song," made me realize how fortunate I've been to have my mother's love and support.

Lastly, her satirical "If Men Could Menstruate" is a classic that will have you near tears.

Rating:
Summary: Unfair perspective on our social climate
Review: I came across this book on my wife's bookshelf and out of curiosity I picked it up and read a good half of it and skimmed the second half. I just can't agree with Steinem's perspective that women are treated so unfairly in America. Granted, there have been problems in the past with jobs and pay scale, but these days young attractive women have just as many opportunities in the job market as men. Instead of highlighting her percieved injustices in America, it would have been great if Steinem could have provided more solutions for women to achieve success in today's business world. I am a liberated male and I want nothing more than to see more women around my workplace.

Rating:
Summary: Excellent
Review: I love this book, it is by far the best book about rebellion ever. I recommend it to all my special friends. Huggs and kisses to my friend Gloria.

Rating:
Summary: A Page Out of History
Review: In the introduction to "Outrageous Acts and Everyday Rebellions," Gloria Steinem says that feminism is for people who "dream of a justice that is yet to come and live on the edge of history." In essence, Steinem was also describing what this book is about -- transforming history through activism. I absolutely loved reading "Outrageous Acts and Everyday Rebellions" because I got to sit at the feet of the "Queen" of feminism herself as she describes her battle for women and her struggle for a society of integrity, love, and equality. Her book consists of a collection of essays written from 1963-1983 on a plethora of topics from her childhood to her work in national politics. Steinem also writes on other topics such as time, food, college reunions, sisterhood, women's sexuality, and, in addition to all of that, she profiles the lives of five famous women. Gloria says it best herself, "There is no subject that feminism doesn't transform."

My favorite essay from this book is "I Was a Playboy Bunny," in which Steinem gives her account of infiltrating the Playboy Club to investigate what goes on "behind the scenes." Although it was shocking to read about how the "Bunnies" are treated, it was also funny to hear about Steinem's wacky experiences while running the hat check or serving drinks. She also managed to socialize with the other Bunnies in the back room, discovering that women are lured into the club with promises of high wages, but many were making barely enough to get by. Steinem ridicules the way that the Bunnies are treated by both the patrons and the management, pointing out that the women are being used as objects without regard to their personal feelings or sense of dignity. A poignant comment made at the end of the article casts some light on the bigger picture -- Steinem says that feminism has helped her to realize that "all women are Bunnies." After having read about her "job" in the Playboy Club and then comparing it to the way that women in general are treated, I couldn't agree more. While I was reading it, I thought that this was a funny essay that intended to poke fun, but after reading Steinem's correlation to society, I realize that the article should serve a sobering reminder of why feminism is so important. "I Was a Playboy Bunny" is a wake-up call to men and women everywhere.

Overall, I thought that "Outrageous Acts and Everyday Rebellions" was an awesome book. Steinem's lucid writing about how much feminism grew during just two decades should serve as an inspiration to feminists and other activists of the future. I wish I could say that the Feminist Revolution is over and that we can move on to other issues, but the fact remains that feminism has only just begun -- so much of what Steinem writes about is still relevant today. As we look ahead, we can use this book as a tool for producing change -- one only needs to remember the title, "Outrageous Acts and Everyday Rebellions." With these two principles, we will indeed live on the edge of history and not only dream, but take an active role in creating the justice that is yet to come.

Rating:
Summary: A Page Out of History
Review: In the introduction to "Outrageous Acts and Everyday Rebellions," Gloria Steinem says that feminism is for people who "dream of a justice that is yet to come and live on the edge of history." In essence, Steinem was also describing what this book is about -- transforming history through activism. I absolutely loved reading "Outrageous Acts and Everyday Rebellions" because I got to sit at the feet of the "Queen" of feminism herself as she describes her battle for women and her struggle for a society of integrity, love, and equality. Her book consists of a collection of essays written from 1963-1983 on a plethora of topics from her childhood to her work in national politics. Steinem also writes on other topics such as time, food, college reunions, sisterhood, women's sexuality, and, in addition to all of that, she profiles the lives of five famous women. Gloria says it best herself, "There is no subject that feminism doesn't transform."

My favorite essay from this book is "I Was a Playboy Bunny," in which Steinem gives her account of infiltrating the Playboy Club to investigate what goes on "behind the scenes." Although it was shocking to read about how the "Bunnies" are treated, it was also funny to hear about Steinem's wacky experiences while running the hat check or serving drinks. She also managed to socialize with the other Bunnies in the back room, discovering that women are lured into the club with promises of high wages, but many were making barely enough to get by. Steinem ridicules the way that the Bunnies are treated by both the patrons and the management, pointing out that the women are being used as objects without regard to their personal feelings or sense of dignity. A poignant comment made at the end of the article casts some light on the bigger picture -- Steinem says that feminism has helped her to realize that "all women are Bunnies." After having read about her "job" in the Playboy Club and then comparing it to the way that women in general are treated, I couldn't agree more. While I was reading it, I thought that this was a funny essay that intended to poke fun, but after reading Steinem's correlation to society, I realize that the article should serve a sobering reminder of why feminism is so important. "I Was a Playboy Bunny" is a wake-up call to men and women everywhere.

Overall, I thought that "Outrageous Acts and Everyday Rebellions" was an awesome book. Steinem's lucid writing about how much feminism grew during just two decades should serve as an inspiration to feminists and other activists of the future. I wish I could say that the Feminist Revolution is over and that we can move on to other issues, but the fact remains that feminism has only just begun -- so much of what Steinem writes about is still relevant today. As we look ahead, we can use this book as a tool for producing change -- one only needs to remember the title, "Outrageous Acts and Everyday Rebellions." With these two principles, we will indeed live on the edge of history and not only dream, but take an active role in creating the justice that is yet to come.

Rating:
Summary: A Mixed Bag
Review: Like so much feminist writing, Gloria Stienem's Outrageous Acts and Everyday Rebellions is a very mixed bag of thought. On the one hand, there are many important issues addressed in this book. Equal pay for equal work, sexual harrassment, the glass ceiling, good health care, and the objectification of women are among some of the topics covered. As this book was written more than a decade ago, it is a shame to see that these issues are still as relevant as they ever were. Gloria Steinem does an excellent job in illustrating these issues with her personal stories. She also has the ability to be very funny as an author, making her reader laugh at the sad ridiculousness of so many things.

Unfortunately, like most feminist literature, this work confuses the liberation and equality with doing whatever one wants. Abortion, of course, is the worst example of this. The author is always careful to defend a woman's right 'to choose' but never actually comes out to say what she is 'choosing'. The choice is to end a human life - even science argees with that! An embryo (because pro-abortionists claim that an embryo is not a fetus, and therefore not human, until after the first trimester(and even that they cannot agree upon, some say it is earlier some say later)) has a separate DNA code from either it's mother or it's father, or any other human being on the planet. Using high-resolution imaging, at three weeks from conception (when most women would be finding out that they are pregnant and arranging for thier abortion, if that is their 'choice') you can visibly see a head, eyes, ears, body, spine, and the beginning of hands and feet. Scientists have tried, and failed, to come up with a specific date at which the fetus becomes human (therefore creating a date at which it is inhuman before that). There is no longer any scientific doubt as to whether a conception is human. Clearly abortion is killing. Feminism will never do women any good until we stop this evil thing. Abortion does not only kill babies, it hurts women. Over and over studies have shown that women who have had abortions wish that they had not. Many are seriously damaged both mentally and emotionally. Abortion also hurts women's bodies. Every abortion a woman has doubles her chance of premature birth with subsequent pregnancies. Abortion also damages the uterus and can make it impossible for a woman to conceive. Abortion is also implicated in some types of reproductive cancers. How can this be good for women?

This book, like much feminine work, also encourages a 'do what you wanna do' type philosophy. Anything that makes a woman feel good is no longer disallowed. Sex outside of marriage, working when you have small children, easy divorce, etc. The author's justifications for these things seem to be two-fold 1.The 'everyone else is doing it' mentality. Didn't our mothers teach us better than that? 2.Men have been getting away with it, so we should, too! I would like to hope that just because men do something that is wrong (like have sex outside of marriage) that this doesn't make it ok. Doing something bad, just because we can, doesn't help us. It only brings us down to their level.

Finally, one of the most disturbing things about this book is the question that isn't asked - What rights to children have? In the midst of battling so hard for women's rights (which is a good thing) we don't ask what right our children have. Don't children have a right to a safe development before birth? Don't children have a right to be cared for by their mothers, instead of by daycares and schools (which we know to be substandard at best, and dangerous at worst)? This book, in it's excellent quest for women's liberation, and it's horrible desire to free women from any sort of moral code or responsibility what-so-ever, NEVER stops to think about what children are entitled to expect. They are so unimportant that they are never mentioned. Whatever feminists think should be done with children, you cannot realistically address women's issues without addressing children's issues - they are inseparable!

I appreciate the work of the suffargists, the early feminists, and the later/current feminists as well. I even appreciate what Gloria Steinem and others of her ilk believe they are doing to 'help' women. But I am beginning to wonder if the time hasn't come to create a new word to replace feminist. A word that women like myself can use proudly, without the squirmy feeling that we are aligning ourselves with those who kill babies, toss out all morality, and have zero care for the rights of children. Until feminists like Gloria Steinem learn to hear these issues, many women will never be able to proudly call ourselves feminists. That is the real tradgedy of this book.

Rating:
Summary: Thank god for Gloria.
Review: There was often grumbling in certain circles that Gloria Steinem had so much attention paid to her because she was pretty. If that was the only factor, Steinem's popularity would have waned, not because she lost her looks (she never did) but because of the fickleness of the media and the "next pretty face." Steinem is smart, brave, funny and a damn good writer. "Outrageous Acts and Everyday Rebellions", her 1983 book of collected essays proves it in spades.

In early 1993, I had the privilege of seeing Gloria Steinem speak at Mount Holyoke College. I had to take the bus from UMASS to get there, and the place was packed. They closed the doors at one point saying it was too full, but they ended up letting most people in. When Ms. Steinem took the stage, she urged all those who were standing in the back to come up and join her onstage so that they could sit. This is the kindness and warmth that Steinem raidates. Many people in the audience were clutching copies of her books for her to sign. As this was the era of "Revolution from Within," that book was everywhere. But I also saw many copies of "Outrageous Acts and Everyday Rebellions" as well. By then the book was 10 years old, but I can understand why people held onto it. This is a great book of essays written over the years. The book touches upon topics such as abortion rights, Jackie Onassis, Alice Walker, Steinem's college reunion, Steinem's own relationship with her mother and the famous expose of Steinem's undercover work at the Playboy Club in the early 60's. Having a journalism background, Steinem's prose is clear and concise. This is no rhetoric-filled theory-based polemic, but a balanced and fair look at the world from the perspective of an extraordinary woman. Also included in this collection is the wonderfully wry, "If Men Could Menstruate." The second edition of this book has some updated comments from Steinem that reflect on the essays more than a decade after the book was published.

For all those who condemn feminism yet really know nothing about it, read this book. For those who are looking for a book of unique, well-written and enlightening essays, read this book. For those of us who discovered this book long ago and have fond memories, read it again.

Rating:
Summary: Written with wit and knowledge
Review: This collection of Gloria Steinem essays spanning 20 years (from 1962-1982)is entertaining, expertly written, and socially important. I don't know too much about feminism and social issues, but this pioneer of feminism writes in a language accessible to regular people, but with such a strong grasp of issues and knowledge base that it satisfies intellectuals as well. Some standout essays include the famous "I Was A Playboy Bunny" which examines the seedy side of the overglamorized playboy bunny job in the 1960's with a lot of wryness and criticism, but compassion and respect for those unfortunate women who made a living out of humiliation and discomfort. I also found Steinem's thoughts about "Transexualism" intriguing. To her, it's completely unwarranted. Whether or not you believe that, her opinion is interesting nonetheless. "Marilyn Monroe: The Women Who Died Too Soon" recounts Steinem's brief encounter with the late sex symbol, and offers a quick character sketch of a more complicated, intelligent woman than one might expect. "Erotica vs. Pornography" "If Men Could Menstruate" and "Why Young Women Are More Conservative" are all excellent essays with eye catching titles and even more introspective content. My absolute favorite essay though is "If Hitler were Alive, What Side Would He Be On" referring to the abortion debate. It is a well researched, well devised essay that examines the propaganda of the right wing and comes up with a convincing conclusion, which states, predictably, that Hitler would be on the pro-life side. All in all, this is an excellent book. Although it's rather old, it's not dated in the least, a telling sign that perhaps feminism hasn't come as far as we'd like to think. Still, let's hope that Steinem's efforts, as exemplified in this collection, have made some progress in ourselves and our society.