Book Review: Caitlin Moran’s ‘How To Be A Woman.’

July 10, 2012
By: Jo Spencer

An enlightening, comical and intelligently observational book. Caitlin Moran has bravely opened up new ways of looking at women of today. She has pushed forward subconscious thoughts to make them a reality: why do women have to always be asked ‘when are you having a baby?’ or, ‘what made you put on weight?’ These are not all what women strive towards or care about.

Moran calls herself a ‘strident feminist.’ Yes, she believes in equality for women, but this is in every way fair to males too, looking at it from an outward angle. All women must be hard working, nurturing, happy and obviously look sexy all the time. This is something that is near impossible for so many women, but why can there be no exceptions? Moran looks into all these issues and the underlying meanings to them through anecdotes and small amounts of research. This helps her find a solution or opinion towards what society pushes at women: how salary inequality should be dealt with, or how women should really value themselves as human beings.

Cherry Healey—TV presenter and writer—and Caitlin Moran should meet.  Both of them explore and challenge social norms and expectations of women, such as raising families (or not) to the way they ‘should’ look according to men, other women and magazines.

Moran’s book prominently looks into her own experiences growing up through the end of the 20th century to the present day. How To Be A Woman does not do the book justice; it doesn’t specifically ever tells the reader how to be a woman. Rather, it challenges the stereotypes that women are seen under. A book found on the shelf in a bookshop has now become a must read for all ladies looking for an alternative to the everyday reading material. it’s up to date, real, relevant and a revelation.