Bold and Brazen Women
A review of ‘Badly Behaved Women’ by Anna-Marie Crowhurst
Badly Behaved Women by Anna-Marie Crowhurst was a revelation. It details the story of modern feminism, from its inception in the early 1900s till now. Each section covers a decade of the feminist movement, interspersed with interviews, conducted by the author, with women who define what feminism means to them.
I found Hibo Wardere’s personal testimony to be moving. She spoke about Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) and how it is a 3,000-year-old tradition in Somalia that signifies a woman’s purity because “if you aren’t cut, you are seen as unclean and impure — you can’t make a good marriage,” Hibo explained. In the community she hails from, 97% of girls and women have been — and are stilI being — cut and mutilated. She has made it her personal mission to end FGM through the grassroots movement of education. As Hibo put it, “Education is key; knowledge is freedom. I think we will see FGM end within a generation if we continue with education.”
I found this book to be an exceptional piece of literature for the overall feminist genre and especially riveting as someone who doesn’t know much about the feminist movement, except for the parts where women of color were excluded. This book invoked a feeling of pride in me, especially when it came to wearing pants. I got to learn about the history of fashion, art, architecture, tradition, sports, and home making activities as it relates to the feminist movement. For example, the Women’s Institute (WI) In the UK was first formed during the First World War to unite women, but by the time the 2000s came around, it was revived as a place where women could discuss feminist discourse and politics, all while knitting a hat.
There is so much to cover and go into depth about, but for brevity’s sake, this book had to condense a lot of moments into the decade they occurred in. The author provides enough information about pivotal events in each decade to pique your interest; it is enough for you, the reader, to further explore each decade on your own time.
In the section on the 90s, what stood out to me was the author’s coverage of the 1999 Women’s World Cup and how the picture of Brandi Chastain ripping off her top and dropping to her knees, after her penalty kick that cinched the win for USA, became iconic. In the author’s words, “Chastain’s celebration punctuated a pivotal decade that was to put women’s football on the map.” Until I read this chapter, I had no clue that women’s group sports didn’t have an established platform for a long time, unlike individualized sports, such as tennis and golf, even though women’s group sports went all the way back to World War One.
I couldn’t get enough of this book, and I haven’t even finished it yet! I highly recommend it to anyone that is interested in a quick history of modern feminism. You can find the book here if you are interested in getting your own copy. I recommend you always check your local library first before purchasing.
