Femininity by Susan Brownmiller

Like most works of feminist literature–and I have read quite a few–I can find little to argue with in this book. Brownmiller’s arguments make sense to me…but that is because I am a man, and as a man I can readily agree that functionality is superior to ornamentality, that reason is superior to emotion, that intelligence is superior to beauty, that strength is superior to weakness. She’s preaching to the choir. The only criticism I have to make is that feminists like Brownmiller, who clearly resent the feminine roles they feel have been forced on women, are not, from what I can see, representative of the vast majority of women I seen in the world around me. Most women I am in contact with are not content to be second-class citizens, but at the same time they seem thoroughly comfortable in their own skins and comfortable with being feminine. For good or for ill, femininity shows no sign of disappearing.