My Thoughts on The Female Persuasion

When I read, I don’t just read. I imagine. I break the barrier between the page and life and fully immerse myself in the experience. A part of me becomes the character, understanding the struggle the character has while developing. Understanding with the deepest sympathy each roller coaster of emotions. I wonder what it would be like to be in their shoes. Would I react the same as them? Would I do something completely different?

The newest book I’ve read is The Female Persuasion by Meg Wolitzer. It follows the story of a shy and timid girl who learns more about what it means to be a woman in the United States. She goes through trauma at the hands of a boy at her college. Having gone through something similar, as have a majority of the women population, it struck outrage within me. Why as girls, as women, as anyone with a vagina, are we at a disadvantage over men?

She spoke out regarding this outrage and it landed her as a feminist. Her inner spiral of what happened speaks to me. She chose a path of righteousness, helping women stabilize any type of equality she could. How is it that the year is 2022 and women are still seen as unequal? Our rights are at the hand of men, just as it was in the book.

Men have overstayed their welcome in the bodies of women. No longer should a man have control of the rights of a woman. They speak about things women go through as if mansplaining it to the public. A woman doesn’t need the voice of a man, her voice is strong enough.

This book taught me the importance of a voice and not letting a man make my voice a whisper. How do we shape a world where things are different? Is it just like this in the United States or in the world too? Why do we pride ourselves on how “free” a country this is when women have to ask permission from men for birth control, access to safe abortions, and equal pay or opportunity (which we still don’t have despite popular- or easy- belief)?