Amia Srinivasan

A compilation of SIX extremely strong essays surrounding the politics and social aspects of sex, The Right to Sex talks about prostitution, rape, misogyny, adultery and several other wrapped up issues.

It is extremely well researched and stunningly written, not that anything less is expected from Amia Srinivasan.

I would be lying if I said that the read was a breeze. I did have to force myself through a few parts not just because I am not usually a non-fiction reader but also a few of the topics discussed were hard to get through.

I also had to pause and do my own research to be better informed. I had to take breaks in order to digest the information and read further.

I may not agree with everything that was said but we all have our different opinions on things as we experience them differently. However, I definitely feel better capable of judging things in a more informed manner.

'Talking to my students about porn' was the strongest of the 6 essays for me.

Thank you Bloomsbury India for the review copy.… (meer)

Ugh, this book is a perfect example of why I don't like philosophy. There's on the one hand, then on the other hand, then on a further hand. How do you help sex workers, abused women, or harassed students or workers? Everything you try ends up harming the poor, women of color, or immigrants. The ultimate solution is abolition - the abolition of policing and jails. In its place, we substitute guaranteed health care, housing, nutrition, and a liveable wage. Then in this utopia, there will be no need for crime. If you inhabit that utopia with robots, you'd be right. There would be no crime. Humans, on the other hand, just aren't perfectible. People devoted themselves to communism or Donald Trump because of ideals. Philosophy seems to be about unachievable ideals but has little to do with reality.… (meer)

I loved this series of five essays which holds feminism accountable for its failures and vagaries. Using specific examples, Srinivasan is able to show the ways in which intersectionality affects individuals. Among the themes that particularly held my attention: the way in which black men were overly negatively impacted by policies; the way economically disadvantaged and women of colour were left behind; the tension between personal preferences and political expression.
It's not all finger pointing: the author gives credit where it is due and builds on the theories tested through the decades, while showing opportunities for new leadership.
Original and thought-provoking… (meer)