Feminist Book

Reading a book of essays from modern women and girls, their thoughts on feminism. First one, a young girl, age 15, very optimistic. That's what she's being taught. Thinking she's deviating from the norm with her job and boyfriend and working mom, she's happy that she knows she doesn't have to be thin (but secretly wants wants wants wants wants it)
I wish it were as simple as that.
The second essay, as far as I've gotten so far, is much more real. The political aspects of our personal lives as women, the double bind. Our obligation to be pure and expose ourselves to men, our obsessions with beauty and physical appearance. Female tennis players are described physically before their skills are assessed.
It's everythign I've been trying to sink into the head of the woman I work for, who thinks everything is this "personal choice" and women who don't turn down sex when they dont' want it because they can't figure out "why not" are stupid. They're not stupid, they're pressured by every surface area of society, pressured to be something and something else again. Pressured to be so many things to men men men.
Women are sexual objects first and foremost, even powerful women, even women claiming to be feminists. Women are concerned with physical appearance before anythign else, distracting them from going out and being productive innovative people.
It's on purpose.
This isn't some new conspiracy theory joke. It's for real. Keeping women focused on one thing detracts from everything else they could be doing.
15 year old girls who feel enlightened because they know they don't have to be skinny or stay home with babies is not enough.
What about EQUALITY?
What the hell is equal about the way women are treated. What is equal in any facet of our society directed towards women? Jobs, expectations, treatment, respect.
So there are lots of women in government now. Well, if we align ourselves with the proper view of democracy, where the ruling body accurately reflects it's citizens, women should be more than half of the government.
That's fair.
Not ready to review this book.
Will do it when I've engulfed the rest of it.