Book Review: Destroying the Joint, Why Women Have To Change the World

This is new for me, reviewing a non-fiction book, and a book of essays by some of the most renowned female writers of the country at this time. It all began as a response to comments made by radio host, Alan Jones, who said in regards to women in power that "Women are destroying the joint". What followed these comments was a Twitter-fest of women tweeting about how they are #destroyingthejoint! This book really impacted my views on 'destroying the joint' and how it can be something simple like trying to explain to a child what destroying the joint is (as Monica Dux does in A Complex Problem), or simply challenging the power strures around us. Some highlights for me included: ~ A Fairer Country - Where Michelle Law discusses the differences of life for a female in Hong Kong versus Australia ~ Girl Talk - Lily Edelstein speaks of being a teenager and being unable to define herself. ~ Women Destroy the Joint - Tara moss speaks of the dangerous female in myths and the under-representation of women in areas where decisions on women's issues are being made ~ Politics of Exclusion - Stella Young speaks of being unable to attend feminist events because they are inaccessible to those who use mobile aids to travel, and the under-representation of disabled adults in pop culture ~ Beyond Jeering: An Unapologetic Love Letter to Teen Girls - Dannielle Miller shows that despite the negative portrayal of teen girls in the media that there are teenage women making positive movements in this country. This book will challenge you to think about your views of the world and if it is possible for you to #destroythejoint in some way. Rating 4/5