Sexual Revolution: Modern Fascism and the Feminist Fightback

by Laurie Penny

An urgent, hopeful, and unapologetically radical new book about consent, democracy, desire, and the future of sexual politics from award-winning writer Laurie Penny.

"I can't really think of another writer who so consistently and bravely keeps thinking and talking and learning and trying to make the world better." -Caitlin Moran

We are in the middle of a sexual revolution.

In our era of crisis, collapse, and reactionary tyrants, we are also witnessing a productive transformation: profound and permanent changes in how we define gender, sex, consent, and whose bodies matter. It's a time of creative disobedience, of reimagining ways of organizing care, reproduction, and the work of building and sustaining the human species. These changes threaten the social and economic certainties that form our world; they threaten existing power structures, and they undermine the authority of institutions from the waged workplace to the nuclear family. No wonder the far right is fighting so hard. A shakeup in sexual and gender relations is a shakeup in political, economic, and social life as well. The stakes could not be higher.

Based on Laurie Penny's celebrated, Ellie-award nominated Longreads series about rape culture, Sexual Revolution is the culmination of years of journalistic research, written for a broad audience, drawing on the work of Shulamith Firestone, Kimberlé Crenshaw, Silvia Federici, Wilhelm Reich and Michel Foucault. This is a hand grenade of a book, a manifesto of social change, and a story of how feminism can save the world.

Genres: Feminism, Nonfiction, Politics, Social Justice, Gender, Sexuality, Audiobook

302 pages, Hardcover

First published January 11, 2022

About the author

Laurie Penny is a journalist, an author, a feminist and a net denizen. She is Contributing Editor at New Statesman magazine, and writes and speaks on social justice, pop culture, gender issues and digital politics for The Guardian, The Independent, Vice, Salon, The Nation, The New Inquiry and many more. She is the author of Cybersexism, Penny Red and Meat Market: Female Flesh Under Capitalism, as well as Discordia: Six Nights in Crisis Athens, co-authored with Molly Crabapple. Her book, Unspeakable Things, was published by Bloomsbury in 2014. In 2010, at the age of 23, she was shortlisted for the Orwell Prize for political writing. She is a frequent guest on national television and radio, has appeared on Question Time, Any Questions and Newsnight for the BBC, as well as Al-Jazeera and Democracy Now, and has given talks at the Oxford Union and the London School of Economics.

Reviews

[Siobhan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sexual Revolution is a book about the current state of sex and power, particularly in politics, culture, and heterosexual relationships, and where feminism can question this and fight back. It looks particularly at women's experiences and treatment relating to a variety of themes, including bodily autonomy, work, consent, and sex, and later looks at some of the rise of right-wing ideas about sex and women.

I found the book had some good broad points, though mostly points I had heard or read about before, in relation to areas like abortion, but in general I felt the way a lot of the book was phrased and sometimes explained didn't work for me. I also felt like despite selling itself as a book about modern masculinity, there wasn't actually much exploration of masculinity, especially when it exists outside of a white, cis, straight viewpoint. As the book was almost entirely focused on heterosexual relationships and cis straight women, it would've been interesting to bring in more models for relationships, sex, consent, and power that differ from the norm, as a counterpoint and to explore possible alternatives and futures. It felt a lot of the time that terms like "queer" were thrown in occasionally to include people in a list, but actual queer people weren't really part of what was being discussed.

Seeing as labour and work and consent were important in the book, I also felt like the content around sex work was quite weirdly phrased, often trying to tread a line between feminists (and others) who are anti-sex work and people who are more supportive of sex workers and their own varied discussions of their own experiences. This didn't quite work and I think people who don't know much about issues around sex work might come away confused. I also, as I have been in other books, was distracted from the text when it cited Naomi Wolf, considering her current position as a conspiracy theorist, and I think books do need to start being a bit more critical about how they cite The Beauty Myth.

This book is probably best an introduction for people very new to learning about ideas of sex and power in modern society, and I'd say much more aimed at straight cis women than men as it is quite unrelentingly angry at men, often with good reason. There's plenty of good points in the book, but I felt like the nods towards experiences of non-white, non-straight, and non-cis people weren't enough to really explore the topics of sex and masculinity.

[Bob Hughes · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've read a few books by Laurie Penny before, and this one does not disappoint.

Armed with a razor-sharp critique of our current political situation, and its roots in the past, Penny focuses on how issues of consent, exploitation and security are complicated and problematised by the political and economic structures we are in. For example, Penny details how abuse and assault often goes unreported or un(der)-punished because of certain double standards, i.e. how we are led to wonder what will happen to a man's career if he commits assault, and to see it as a mere 'mistake', but how their victims' actions are presented as evidence of their guilt and/or complicity.

This is a powerful and vital book, and Penny argues powerfully against the 'accepted' notions of how we as a society let certain people get away with certain actions.

I received an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Terence Eden · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a difficult and unrelenting book.

If you're already tapped-in to the modern feminist movement, there's little here that's new. But, if this is all new to you (welcome!), it's an excellent starting point. Although sprinkled with footnotes, it isn't a dense academic tome. As with many modern books, it blends together the author's personal experiences with more a more objective history.

I found some of the themes it discussed deeply uncomfortable. That's, in part, by design. There's no easy way to talk about sexual and emotional assault. But it also reflects my obliviousness to some of the things that feminism is fighting.

Sadly, I don't think it quite hits the mark on tying the fight for feminism as the fight against fascism. It makes several large logical leaps which I found difficult to follow. Yes, there is a pervasive strand of sexism within the far right. And the book touches on why some women are attracted to that. But it doesn't quite make the case for embracing feminism to vanquish fascism.

There's an excellent chapter focussing on men, and how we're often socialised into sexism as a default. But, weirdly, the chapter ends by exonerating men as individuals and blaming the culture we're raised in. I found that an unhelpful and (dare I say it) slightly patronising viewpoint. Yes, we all live in a patriarchy and suffer the consequences. But there has to be some level of personal responsibility - both to change ourselves and the wider society.

I doubt you'll agree with all of it. It may even make you angry. But this is important. It is a rallying cry for the profound - and sometimes scary - freedom that feminism promises. It is clear that the hyper-machismo world-view we're stuck in isn't working for the majority of people. I hope this book convinces you that change is coming. It is inevitable, slightly messy, sometimes confusing, and utterly liberating.

[Heidi · Rating 1 out of 5]

I have no idea who the target audience for this was, aside from the author's own circle of offline friends and online sycophants. It's certainly not aimed at convincing reluctant feminists to join "the right side of history", because it is sorely lacking in convincing and logical arguments.

Penny focuses on the political and social situation in the US and the UK over the past decade or so, often conflating the two into an amorphous blob. Sadly, the author never actually defines any of the topics that are discussed in this book. I have no idea what definition of feminism she is working from, and I have even less of an idea what she understands to be fascism. So that leaves me to filter out a definition for these words from what she has actually written. And it seems like Penny thinks fascism is a catch-all term for "people who do not 100% agree with me all of the time".

The writing was messy. The tone was grating. The arguments were illogical and repetitive. As a reader, you're simply expected to trust Penny's judgements and let her guide you through the intersectional maze of a modern feminism that is supposedly under threat from fascism. Except the author fails at multiple stages to make a convincing case.

If you just want a longer version of a badly informed Twitter rant, then this book is perfect for you. If, however, you're slightly more aware of contemporary feminism and the hot-button issues feminists are struggling with today, give this book a swerve and find something better. It won't be hard.

(I received a copy from the publisher via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.)

[Ruth · Rating 2 out of 5]

This wouldn't be a bad book if you were someone completely new to the idea of the concept of power and feminism. However, there's absolutely nothing new here. And, as it's a polemic, it doesn't meaningfully consider different views within feminism and there are too many inconsistencies in the arguments.

I lost patience with Penny in the end as they just seemed to ignore evidence that didn't fit the essentially liberal arguments. It's started off as a 3/5 (useful for someone but not me) but ultimately I don't think it's a useful book for anyone.

[Jane · Rating 5 out of 5]

So gut! Für Feminist:Innen wird nichts neues in Pennys Buch stehen, aber sie rückt Perspektiven so treffend zurecht und bringt Dinge auf den Punkt, dass ich glaub ich seit dem Studium nicht mehr so viel in einem Buch unterstrichen habe.

[Annenas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rezi folgt. Kurz und knapp vorweg: super Themen, leicht zugänglich, einzig störend waren die Wiederholungen

[Bhanu Dhir · Rating 5 out of 5]

Everyone should read this

Just after I bought this book but before I read it, I saw and read a review in the press highly critical of this book: all bile and no answers. Having read the book, I urge everyone to read it. I've highlighted half the book. It us excellent: passionate, thought provoking and FULL of ideas. All we have to do to stop the terrible outcomes driven by patriarchy is to stop turning a blind eye. Violence against women isn't an unfortunate by-product. It is a atrategy created by resentful, greedy men to maintain status and power. Stop them. Stop them all

[Kärt]

See raamat ajas mind vihaseks ja täiesti valel põhjusel. KUIDAS saab anda välja raamatu sellisena, et lugedes jääb tunne, nagu seda poleks mitte keegi toimetanud!? Uskumatu 🙈

[Julie Creighton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fav book of 2022!! Loved it! You know it’s a good one, when as soon as you finish the last page, you want to start all over again

[Jana C · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's a good starting point to dive into what feminism is actually about, but if you're already acquainted with the basic ideas there is not that much to gain from it knowledgewise. However, some of the chapters are really on point (Chapter 7!) and Penny's writing style allows them to effortlessly connect several concepts and to explain them while also making an argument, which I very much admire. Towards the end, many of the ideas get very repetitive, which is of course a stylistic device particularly in this type of writing but it's still a bit overdone, and at times the concepts and terms they use are not as differentiated as they should have been. Overall, it's a good read if you want to get really pissed at everything.

[SprachlichesSein · Rating 3 out of 5]

Gute Zusammenfassung wichtiger Themen, für mich jedoch nur wenig Neues! Zudem zieht es sich an Schluss, durch einige Wiederholungen, sehr.

[Grete Maria]

DNF 60 lk pealt. KOHUTAV tõlge, OLEMATU toimetamine. Google Translatest otse trükikotta saadetud vist. Ma isegi ei tea, millest need 60 lk rääkisid, sest tõlkes läks sõnum kaduma.

[Guilherme Smee · Rating 4 out of 5]

O subtítulo deste livro me chamou muito a atenção quando o encontrei num mostruário na Livraria da Vila, em São Paulo, afinal ele vai bastante na direção daquilo que estou pesquisando na minha tese de doutorado. O livro de Laurie Penny tem aquela verve de linguagem do New Journalism que eu não gosto muito, prefiro livros que se assumem como acadêmicos mesmo e pronto. Mas isso, diferente de outros livros que li, não depõe contra a qualidade do texto e das informações trazidas por Penny. São discussões extremamente importantes para criarmos um mundo menos machista, tóxico e autoritário. Claro, na minha opinião teriam assuntos ainda mais extensos para serem debatidos ali, que tangem a Revolução Sexual que o título clama. A teoria queer e o espectro ACE da sexualidade são dois pontos que a autora se furta de comentar e que fazem parte de novos paradigmas sexuais que a humanidade tem encarado. O livro também assume uma perspectiva bastante feminina dessa revolução sexual deixando de lado as masculinidades e a não-binariedade. De toda forma, é um bom começo de discussão e que vale a pena para leitores leigos e entendidos.

[Adam · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you are INFP-y enough to be on board with Laurie Penny's descriptive flourishes, this is powerful polemic. Some of the middle chapters rework previous journalistic pieces by Penny so they don't feel fully integrated into the body of the text, but the final few chapters are so barnstorming in speaking truth to power that they justify any repetitions. Like bell hooks, Penny is unafraid to write emotionally and to use rhetoric, but the stakes are high enough that taking serious issue with occasional lack of academic rigour would be pedantry - likely made in bad faith.

A lot of men inclined to read this book will be wrestling with self-loathing. Penny makes a convincing argument that discomfort, pain and distress over past behaviours are necessary, even useful, as long as they don't ossify into despair and self-pity. She doesn't often articulate what precisely justice should look like... there is a tension here between abolitionist rhetoric and the call to //not// forgive and //not// forget... She acknowledges that co-called restorative justice processes rarely achieve their aims and that private suffering is inadequate, but simultaneously sees more violent forms of retribution as ultimately patriarchal.

However, Penny's job isn't to articulate a perfect vision of the future, but to insist upon not closing down this liminal, uncomfortable space that seems to have opened up in the wake of MeToo. A space in which men are forced to acknowledge that the past is never past, that "mistakes" they committed as teenagers and young men cannot be neatly filed away. I'm not going to write about myself here (or many men I know and have known) because that would be to somewhat miss the point... Rather, I want to acknowledge for other [largely male] readers, that if parts of this book hurt and provoke, that's okay, I think they're meant to, and I think we're meant to sit with that.

[Hanne G · Rating 2 out of 5]

Promising but very disappointing. I just wanted to read this to see how completely this author too had swallowed contemporary gender ideology which is actually completely patriarchal in nature, and yes, the author has swallowed it hook line and sinker and this not only leads to the erasure of the female as is part of this ideology, but also a confused argument that neglects or denies reality of sex-based violence and oppression. It further commodifies the female body and pushes what is in fact an anti science position on biology as well as the realities of female abuse, murder, rape and rape slavery, reproductive coercion and control, etc which is all based on the SEX of the person’s body, not what they wear, how they act, or who or what they identify with or as. Gender has always been a cultural construct, and the author remains as blind to the influence of patriarchal ideology as is required to think that in fact ‘woman’ does not mean person, that women are not inherently people, but that our personhood needs to be explicitly stated. This is part of patriarchal culture, and part of patriarchal gender ideology, which incidentally arose as a direct backlash against the rise of “nasty women” in Women’s Studies departments at universities the world over. Such feminists were replaced by less “challenging” people who went on to develop this ideology that has in short order aggressively pushed the roll back of very hard won female human rights and public protections, without the knowledge, consultation or consent of women and girls. And if this author believes she has been subject to nasty online treatment, perhaps she should also consider the gross behaviour and violence of people in her ideology that brook not even the slightest question, let alone anyone having the audacity to stand up for female human rights. Which rather says a lot.

In short, while some of this book had important things to say, the argument was often confused, frequently actually sexist , and pushing an ideology that rejects science. Very disappointing. Yes we need feminism and toxic masculinity is destroying the world, but erasing the female and pretending that cultural stereotypes and constructs are somehow more real than hard biology is absolutely not the way to go about anything. Not to mention that this ideology is also homophobic. There can be no homosexuality if one pushes the nonsense that sex is meaningless, and this is why this ideology is also behind the most widespread and harmful version of conversion therapy the world has ever seen. More young homosexuals are being cut up and given sterilising hormones than ever before. This ideology is in fact toxic, and its very sad that books like this can be published but at this point one that does not follow the ideology would probably lead to the author and publisher receiving death threats and worse. This is definitely one for those who’ve swallowed the Kool Aid, which is real shame. Because toxic masculinity really does need to end.

[Jacquy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Die Bewertung des Buchs fällt mir schwer, deshalb vergebe ich hier keine Sterne.
Im Grunde finde ich den Inhalt wirklich gut. Jedes Essay hat ein wichtiges Thema und sie sind größtenteils auch gut umgesetzt, aber mir fehlt einfach der rote Faden und die Verbindung zum Ursprungsthema. Dazu kommt, dass einem sehr große Teile des Inhalts bereits sehr bekannt vorkommen sollten, wenn man bereits Bücher von Laurie Penny gelesen hat. Es sollte einfach nicht sein, dass es sich fast nur noch für neue Leser*innen lohnt, weil der Rest schon zu viele der Argumente bereits kennt. Hätte ich bisher nichts von ihr gelesen, würde meine Bewertung anders ausfallen, aber so bin ich einfach wirklich enttäuscht.

Ausführlichere Rezension folgt demnächst auf dem Blog.

[Robynne Williams · Rating 4 out of 5]

TW: r**e, sexual abuse, abortion, racism.

This is such a hard hitting, but essential, read. Overall I did enjoy it, and Laurie definitely makes some very vital points. It was a difficult read, and I did have to skip some sections due to trigger warnings, but it’s definitely a message that needs to be heard.

4 stars.


Instagram: @robynne_reads

[Stephanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very thorough, unflinching, and well-written, but a little too heavy on the cisgender/heteronormative trip.

[Morgan Holdsworth · Rating 3 out of 5]

i managed to fly through this, it’s very assertive in the way that it’s written which makes it a much easier read. however, i would’ve enjoyed more testimonies included within the book. instead of mentioning that the experiences of non-white, lgbt and transgender are different, i would’ve liked more insight. it’s a powerful book which will likely stand as a time capsule for the current era of feminism.

[S. Wigget]

Page 39: This is one of those books that I end up reading only a little bit at a time, because I go into a rage and chant, "Kill all misogynists!" regularly.

#killallmisogynists
#killallrapists
#killallrapeapologists
#chopupmisogynists
#headsonpikes
#gaslighting
#victimblaming
#mindfuckers

[Rose Stanley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Anyone still in doubt as to whether Laurie Penny's writing is
(a) utterly brilliant
and
(b) depressingly necessary
...you need to read this. Right now.

[Beverly Diehl · Rating 4 out of 5]

There's much good info in here, though she's preaching to the choir, in my case. I am afraid that for those who most need to read this, both the subject and the tone may be a bit off-putting. Mind you, I am often incandescent with rage about misogyny myself, so I find it highly relatable. But that's not going to persuade those who think differently, even though there's plenty of evidence shown here.

Spoonful of sugar and all that. That said, if you're as ready to challenge the status quo as I am, you'll probably appreciate this work, as is.

[Lena Rehmann · Rating 3 out of 5]

- Super Inhalt, hätte man aber auch auf 150 Seiten schreiben können
- Sprachlich 10/10
- Stark angefangen, stark nachgelassen

[Lucky · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thanks to Netgalley and Bloomsbury for the advance copy.

Laurie covers a range of topics, including #MeToo, feminism, sexism, racism, beauty and body image, misogyny, relationships. It gives a lot to think about; however some of how the book has been edited made somewhat difficult to read in parts - a fair bit of repetition, and quite a few grammatical and punctuation errors.

[aissela.s · Rating 1 out of 5]

i had high expectations for this book, but every chapter kept being disappointing. It is poorly researched, not structured, Penny doesn’t give a clear understanding of what she means with fascism and how it is related to feminism.

I wouldn’t recommend this book to anyone, especially if it’s a first approach to the dynamics between sex and power. Most of the argument are illogical, the reader is simply expected to trust and take for real what she says. She doesn’t make a convincing case.

It’s like reading a liberal white feminist’s rant on Twitter

[Vitaly · Rating 2 out of 5]

Frankly speaking, this book should have been a podcast. The book has the promise of making a case for an ongoing sexual revolution. 
Unfortunately, the book never delivers any arguments besides some vague references. I believe that Penny’s approach to framing consent as a baseline for the execution of power on the collective level and state coercion deserves more attention. We certainly need more conversations about the notion of sexual authoritarianism they seek to explore. Yet, this book deals with modern masculinity and cis-hetero patriarchy rather than with the feminist fightback against modern fascism. And the problem is that we have already read that before. Usually, I do enjoy Penny’s writings and their powerfully evocative voice. However, this highly repetitive book didn’t work for me. I spent last month trying to finish it and got stuck in the reading slump. Maybe I just should have picked up another book written by bell hooks instead.

[books4chess · Rating 2 out of 5]

"Pain is political, and so is pleasure. The greatest delusion of modern sexuality is that one has to come at the cost of the other".

TW: Rape.

Laurie Penny is clearly clued up on so many issues - but the book reads as almost too many issues are trying to be addressed in one setting. As the conversation flits, the nuances get lost and issues of intersectionality - although mentioned at points - still feels lacking from the mass generalisations.

A lot of points also read as a somewhat angry, radical commentary on the treatment on women. I've heard these discussions in passing commentary but was almost surprised to see the haphazard placement of such pressing issues, instead of a better spaced out structure.

The book reads as a weaker version of Rough by Rachel Thompson. I think there's a lot the author needs to work through before publishing again.

[Antje Schrupp · Rating 4 out of 5]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JGYsK...

[Isham Cook · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was prepared to go along with, even endorse, Laurie Penny's contention that white male entitlement is almost exclusively to blame for our society's burden of sexism and sexual violence because, well, if we are honest about it, there's much truth to it, and if her thesis is rather simplistically and brutally prosecuted for rhetorical purposes, then again so is male violence. But one passage in this otherwise cogently argued book, fiery polemics aside, stuck out like a jagged edge, so unbelievable are its implications. Penny is careful to differentiate between the worst of male offenders and the rest of the male population, the majority of whom after all do not offend. Yet when she queried her male friends "what exactly it was that stopped them going down that road" and "manage to retain their grip on human decency," as if the only thing holding them back was their triumphant self-control, the reasons they gave are nonetheless unwittingly shocking:

"It was my mother, one man wrote. She raised me to respect women. It was my father, said another. I saw how he treated my mother and sisters. I swore to be different. I escaped an oppressive Evangelist background, another man told me, and that led me to question everything. It was the love of Jesus, said another. My college girlfriend was patient with me. My wife had had enough. I have a daughter. I am a son. It was the girls in my online gaming group. It was my karate teacher. I got sober. I got dumped. I got better."

So that means, if I don't have a good mother, or a good father, I'm more liable to hate and kill women? Or it's only because I "swear" to be "different" from the common killer that prevents me from becoming one? If I don't love Jesus, I will inevitably assault or kill? If my college girlfriend is impatient with me, I will have to kill her? Or only having a child can prevent me from becoming violent? If the females in my gaming group aren't friendly enough, that will cause me to kill them? Alternatively, to prevent myself from becoming a murderer, I can try distracting myself with martial arts? Or stop drinking? Or behave just obnoxiously enough to get dumped so that I don’t do anything worse?

Wow. Who the hell are these guys? I suppose I've met a smattering of types over the years who may have expressed such dimwitted sentiments but I don't recall any. Equally bewildering is Penny's implicit assumption that these represent the best of men, her evident admiration for their courage in facing their darkest impulses: "Every answer was different. The common thing was that they all had one. There was a moment, or a number of moments, where they decided to rewrite the story of their own lives. The difference between sexist and non-sexist men is not how depressed they are but how good their skills are for dealing with it."

If struggling against the implacable inner compulsion toward violence represents some kind of model behavior or skillfulness in handling male despair, I'm not sure where that leaves me, as I, inexplicably, do not feel any such compulsion. Perhaps I must be in some kind of denial and if I were honest with myself I would have to recognize and come to terms with my own killer instinct?

No. I am sorry, but although I am a white male, I am not one of them. The reason I don't assault or kill women is not that something is holding me back. Quite simply, the very idea of hurting another person is repugnant and unimaginable irrespective of the circumstances! And of course it's morally wrong and evil. No other reason is needed. I can no more comprehend the mentality of violent men than any (nonviolent) woman can.

If Penny truly believes it's only men's mastery of their violent tendencies that keeps them from harming women, hers is indeed a grim, dark, pessimistic view of men. It's clear from Penny's account that she does not hate men; she claims to have loved many men in her life. She reminds us that the sexual revolution she believes is presently gathering force can restore male-female sexual relations to a state of equality and consent rather than coercion and fear: "Men who mouth the language of erotic liberation are often secretly terrified of women’s sexual agency." While she does express a nice paradox here, it doesn't ring true for me. I am not at all intimidated by women who boldly declare their desire; it's quite a turn-on in fact. I am sure many men long to see a society where women could display their sexual agency as freely and safely as they themselves can.

I'm afraid men are more complex and the world more complicated than Penny makes it out to be. The problem is not her depiction of awful men, legions of whom unfortunately do exist. It's the absence of any truly positive examples of men that confounds, or not even that, just ordinary men I see around me and deal with on a regular basis who are living constructively and creatively and have better things to do than live lives "predicated on violence."