Believe Me

November 18, 2019
In this urgent essay collection, feminist activists Valenti and Friedman (Yes Means Yes!) bring together a diverse range of contributors to address the backlash to the #MeToo movement and make the case for “a simple but radical trust in women.” Noting that the Polaroid camera helped to decrease domestic violence rates by providing victims with immediate and tangible proof to take to police, Valenti argues that the internet is enacting a “cultural shift” around sexual abuse by allowing women to share and affirm their personal experiences. Moira Donegan, creator of the Shitty Media Men list, contends that Sigmund Freud’s disavowal of his initial findings on the links between hysteria and widespread sexual abuse set the template for the public’s reaction to rape accusations. Slate editor Dahlia Lithwick describes the dueling congressional testimonies of Christine Blasey Ford and Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh, while Rolling Stone writer Jamil Smith explores intersections between rape culture and racism in the outing of Bill Cosby as a serial rapist. Many contributors, including Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley, note the importance of not just believing abuse survivors, but achieving credible justice for them as well. Consistently well-written and soundly reasoned, these essays persuasively cast the tendency to doubt women as one of America’s greatest social ills. This illuminating call to action deserves a wide readership.

Starred review from January 1, 2020

Valenti and Friedman (coauthors, Yes Means Yes!) invite activists to share the impact of people having confidence in women and their stories. In this collection, writers such as comedian Samantha Irby, Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley, author Matt Lubchansky, and activist Yanar Mohammed do not soften their message but tell, unequivocally, stories of their own experiences with not being believed and the stories of others, whether about sexual assault, medical need, or the lack of safety in their home. Standout essays include Friedman's, which names the reasons why these stories matter; Tina Horn's meditation on sex work; and Jamil Smith's on his awakening to his own behavior and its contribution to violence against women. To select only three top essays does this excellent collection, however, a disservice. Each piece stands robustly on its own, drawing readers in. The writers make their arguments in accessible, compelling prose. VERDICT Though this collection ultimately preaches to its own choir, the book easily arms feminist activists with valuable content with which to stride forward in engaging misogyny in the world. An inclusive and essential choice following We Should All Be Feminists, and a must-have for the modern reader.--Abby Hargreaves, District of Columbia P.L.

Copyright 2020 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

December 15, 2019
Feminist writers Valenti and Friedman's (Yes Means Yes! Visions of Female Sexual Power and a World Without Rape, 2009) second collaboration is a collection of essays about the varied ways that women's voices have been excluded, often due to shame and violence, and how that narrative must change and is changing. A diverse group of writers tackles the book's subtitle in a multitude of ways. Essayist Samantha Irby discusses doctors' dismissal of black women's pain; Slate editor Dahlia Lithwick parses through the testimonies of Christine Blasey Ford and Brett Kavanaugh; former marine Anuradha Bhagwati writes of the military, PTSD, and her service dog; and Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley speaks to the importance of listening to sexual abuse and assault survivors in the name of justice. Much of the collection revolves around communities, both in person and virtual, that provide affirmation and support but can also be a form of retribution in the face of disregard from law enforcement. This is a varied, timely, and accessible collection that will garner attention.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2019, American Library Association.)