Material Girls cover art

Material Girls

Why Reality Matters for Feminism

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Material Girls

By: Kathleen Stock
Narrated by: Kathleen Stock
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About this listen

Material Girls is a timely and trenchant critique of the influential theory that we all have an inner feeling known as a gender identity, and that this feeling is more socially significant than our biological sex.

Professor Kathleen Stock surveys the philosophical ideas that led to this point, and closely interrogates each one, from De Beauvoir's statement that, 'One is not born, but rather becomes a woman' (an assertion she contends has been misinterpreted and repurposed), to Judith Butler's claim that language creates biological reality, rather than describing it. She looks at biological sex in a range of important contexts, including women-only spaces and resources, healthcare, epidemiology, political organisation and data collection.

Material Girls makes a clear, humane and feminist case for our retaining the ability to discuss reality, and concludes with a positive vision for the future, in which trans rights activists and feminists can collaborate to achieve some of their political aims.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.

©2021 Kathleen Stock (P)2021 Hachette Audio UK Gender Studies LGBTQ+ Studies Social Sciences Discrimination Thought-Provoking Mental Health Inspiring Health

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Critic reviews

"A clear, concise, easy-to-read account of the issues between sex, gender and feminism...an important book." (Evening Standard)

"A call for cool heads at a time of great heat and a vital reminder that revolutions don't always end well." (Sunday Times)
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Kathleen Stock clearly explains, backed up by philosophical argument, what gender identity theory is and how it is changing our world. She dismantles the arguments of gender identity theorists whilst retaining sympathy with trans people, and explains why feminists embracing trans activism are doing their own cause damage. She reads it carefully and clearly. I plan to buy it in paper- it is the kind of book where you need to refer back, and would definitely warrant several readings. It is a refreshing, unhysterical and incisive dismantling of theories and trends which are taking over our institutions in unexamined ways, with consequences we mostly have our eyes shut to, in the laudable name of tolerance and liberalism. Ignore the shrill cries of transphobic! TERF! levelled by trans activists - this is a must read for anyone who cares about the future of liberal society.

A really important book for our age

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As a cis-gendered heterosexual male with a generally centre-right (but socially liberal) political persuasion, safe to say I am probably not the books predominant demographic.

I became interested to seek an answer to why two progressive ideas (namely some strands of feminism and trans activism) seem to be attacking each other so viciously when those on the right would expect them to be natural bedfellows. This book provided a great introduction to the debate to me, although still left me questioning why it has generated such vitriol (not a question the book sets out to answer).

I found Stock's argument for a real basis of biological sex persuasive, particularly the use of the 'cluster model of sex' which has good parallels in the way which biologists (my field) think about species. I once argued the idea of a species was a made up construct to a university tutor, because of edge cases like ring species which don't fit the mould. But he argued back persuasively that species were real with the concept of cluster models. I also find Stock's argument persuasive about cases where 'sex' as a concept as opposed to gender identity continues to be important, particularly in the case of sport, and safe spaces for women.

One criticism I have is the assertion that most cis-gendered people don't have a strong gender identity. I would argue from person experience that I do. I am male, I feel male, masculinity feels part of my identity. Shaving, driving, shooting, working out. All these things make me feel a sense of maleness, But I'm not trans, my identity matches my sex. So I would assert I do feel a gender identify even though I am cis-gendered.

On reflection, I think the debate forms part of a wider tendency on the left to shut down debate by labelling opponents in such a way that what ever they say is delegitimised. You criticise Israeli government policy? You must be anti-Semitic. You support Brexit? You must harbour racist views. You critique gender identify theory, you must be a TERF. I commend this book for refusing to to be cancelled.

A great introduction for an outsider to the debate

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Thorough, well-researched and well reasoned. Absolutely demolished modern genderist / transgenderist theory and rhetoric in a way which, if you actually read it, there is no coming back from. The only possible excuse for continued belief in that cultish set of ideas is an ignorance of the existence of this book.

Essential reading

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This book carefully and calmly explains how currently popular, unproven theories are encouraging actions which can be dangerous for women and which rollback decades of progress in equality of opportunity and rights for females.

A helpful map for the navigation of confusing theories

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A must read book for anybody interested in woman's rights, politics , education and health.

epitomises academic rigour and integrity

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