Material Girls cover art

Material Girls

Why Reality Matters for Feminism

 Preview

Get 30 days of Standard free

£5.99/mo after trial. Cancel monthly.
Try for £0.00
More purchase options

Material Girls

By: Kathleen Stock
Narrated by: Kathleen Stock
Try for £0.00

£5.99 a month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy Now for £14.35

Buy Now for £14.35

LIMITED TIME OFFER

£0.99/mo for 3 months - terms apply. Offer ends 24 August 2026.
'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

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 organization 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.©2021 Kathleen Stock Gender Studies LGBTQ+ Studies Social Sciences Discrimination Thought-Provoking Mental Health Inspiring Health
adbl_web_anon_alc_button_suppression_t1

Critic reviews

[Material Girls] pack[s] a punch . . . A call for cool heads at a time of great heat and a vital reminder that revolutions don't always end well
Reading the book I felt an intense sense of relief that finally a comprehensive account of gender identity theory was presented and explored with both clarity and depth . . . a clear, concise, easy-to-read account of the issues between sex, gender and feminism . . . an important book, and it is the middle ground who need to read it as it shows how, if we are to live in a world where gender identity trumps biological sex, then it will be women - the physically weaker sex - who lose out
In her commitment to free speech, good-faith debate, clear and careful argument and upholding reason over dogma, Stock writes faithfully in the tradition of the Enlightenment
A fearless, rigorous study of gender identity . . . [Material Girls is] a brave, enlightening, closely argued book
A clear-sighted analysis in tricky territory
Anyone who has felt confounded by the shifting debate about sex and gender will find some clarity here. More importantly, you will find a curious mind and a generous spirit (Sarah Ditum)
All stars
Most relevant
This should be legally required reading particularly for law makers who go anywhere near the legal side of this subject but it would also be good for all women to read. It is misleadingly titled as it has little or nothing to do with the extremely popular song by Madonna although much more to do with Madonna herself who is a strong leader and icon for women. It shows how the trans movement inspired by reckless and morally questionable motives are trying to make a global movement which effectively would drag many aspects of women's rights back into the dark ages. While it can and should be argued that any person has the right to see themself as they want to and to ask others to show support and sensitivity to what they need in order to feel part of society this should never be allowed to come before the security, equity and rights of every sexually female person. Allowing a trans woman access to a women's refuge should never be legally permitted. Equally allowing a trans woman into a women's prison is supporting potential abuse and allowing a trans woman into women's sports should only be allowed when it can be demonstrated that this will not put them at a material advantage. This book shows the arguments, the practices, the laws and other aspects of this subject with great clarity. It was read a bit fast for my liking becasue there is so much of real value that I wanted to understand and assimilate.

Required reading for every woman

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
I think that you strongest point of this book is how it lays out and defines the concepts. Showing how they fall short, with the solution being to come up with better ones as opposed to "therefore trans people don't exist".
I think, or at least it came off sometimes, that it could be seen as being against the current medical treatment of trans people. Being charitable I think the author would be for whatever gets the best health outcomes so that's only a minor issue for me.

Well written and interesting

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
Kathleen Stock gives an invaluable, clear-headed analysis of the immersive fiction of gender theory and how it has come to dominate. This is in terms of the history of theory, the use of concepts and beliefs to humans but also the material reality of sex and why that matters.

Crucial reading on current issue of gender

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
A heavy hitting, well researched and eloquently written essay on everything that is wrong with gender ideology. Required reading for parents and anyone remotely interested in children’s safety or women’s rights.

Required reading

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
No wonder this woman is hounded, they fear she'll open the eyes of many people to what's going on.

Absolutely brilliant.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
See more reviews