Are Women Human?: And Other International Dialogues [Paperback]

This book is an excellent, but very depressing dose of reality.

This is not a bunch of hate-filled, venom-fuelled invective, as the work of others who deal with and confront similar subject matter has been called (notably, MacKinnon's friend and collaborator, the late Andrea Dworkin). It is an excellently written fact-based examination of the extent, and causes and effects of the systematic mistreatment of women on a global scale (for which the evidence is indisputable).

I found it a very depressing read, because it is dealing with subject matter so upsetting and depressing that it is more comfortable to look away and not think about it. On the positive side, MacKinnon's rationally-argued approach does provide a modicum of hope that the insidious and flawed beliefs that underly the perpetuation of the daily atrocities committed against women can be combatted in some measure by applying logical argument to the law, in particular human rights law. If we were brave enough to face the facts, we wouldn't need MacKinnon to question whether women are human - the facts of how women are treated by men, but also by governments and legal systems speak for themselves. Her argument is essentially that torture and murder is no way to treat a human being, that pornography, prostitution, rape, trafficking and so forth deny the humanity of those to whom it is done, and that these things are overwhelmingly (though not solely) done to women by men. It is simply not consistent to effectively condone these things by inaction, while at the same time claiming to seriously believe that women are human.

I found this book intellectually challenging - in particular, MacKinnon introduces and elucidates a (to me) novel approach to the notion of equality, which I am not smart enough to sum up adequately here, but which definitely makes the price of the book worthwhile. Essentially, she argues that the prevailing Aristotelian concept of equality (and its flip-side, difference) is inadequate, flawed and biased. Difference, of course, is relative, but historically, it is women who have systematically been viewed as "different" to the male norm - the fact that men are, by the same token "different" to the female norm has gone largely ignored, and this has formed the underpinning of what constitutes equality in prevailing thought - treating likes alike and unalikes unalike.

I liked too the mention of those who died on 9/11 in reference to the daily death toll of women killed by men in the USA alone. The number is the same. Round about 3000. She gives an interesting analysis of why it is that one set of 3000 deaths gets one massive unified response, and 365 others get very little effective response at all.

I fear I am not doing justice to this book - this review is a paltry shadow of a totally excellent mind-blowing read for those who have the courage and stamina to face an unpleasant and uncomfortable reality and seek to understand it, and/or who hope to effect change.

This book could change the world for the better, it's a must-read read.

Very well written, well-researched book which tackles a very sensitive subject. Useful for information only or for academic use.

Very easy to read too.