Title of the Book: FEMINIST FIGHT CLUB

Author: Jessica Bennett

Number of Pages:336
Published Date: September 13, 2016
Publisher: Harper Wave
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Who Run the World? Girls, Girls!
Discrimination. Feeling of inferiority and biased. Unequal treatment. These are some
issues women and people of race experience in their respective workplaces. The sentiments
and pains brought about by these issues paved the way for Jessica Bennett, a contributor to
the New York Times and an editorial advisor at Sheryl Sandberg’s LeanIn.org., to write and
publish her first book entitled Feminist Fight Club: An Office Survival Manual for a Sexist
Workplace. The book generally serves as a guide and provides tips for women on how to
counter behaviors and trends in the workplace that disproportionately damage their ability
to succeed.
The book was inspired by an underground group named Feminist Fight Club (FFC)
joined by Bennett and is composed of “office – oppressed and – abused” women of the
creative industry (which includes the media and arts industries) wherein they all have their
own fair share of opinions and sentiments regarding their work. Bennett incorporates
personal examples from the members of FFC and also records from the history of women’s
fight for equal opportunity and from gender bias or discrimination.

What’s in it for me?

The book was divided into six (6) parts with creative titles namely: (1) Know the
Enemy; (2) Know Thyself; (3) Booby Traps; (4) Get Your Speak On; (5) F You, Pay Me; and (6)
WWJD – What Would Josh Do?. Several important points and lessons are talked about in the
book.
First is that manifestations of sexism have changed over the last decades. As Bennett
talked to a journalist named Gail Collins, the first woman to head the New York Times’
editorial page, who was also victimized and was told that “women don’t write at
Newsweek” and that this kind of workplace are to be generally composed of men. In fact,
Bennett was able to identify and name some of these people (which can be thoroughly
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understood by reading the book) : The Manterrupter; The Bropropriator; the
Stenographucker; the Mansplainer; the Menstruhater; the Lacthater; the Undermine-her;
the Frat Social Chair; the Sexual Harasser; and the Slackluster. Bennett also did not forget to
give “The Fight Moves” for each of these frenemies of women. However, there are also
instances where women are the ones discriminates their fellow women. Bennett suggests
that women should understand and help each other in fighting workplace discrimination.
Another is the unequal compensation that are given to women compared to their
male counterparts. Bennett described that “In their first year out of college,
even after accounting for all the things that could affect one’s wages—job choice, hours
worked, taking time off, and so forth—women still (still!) earn just 93 percent what their
male peers do.”
However, despite the changes and improvements implemented in the workforce
composition – including the recognition of some women at all tiers of the job ladder – male
superiority and entitlement still prevails. Bennett describes host of underlying suppositions
and stereotypes in boardrooms and conferences, wherein women are to take charge of
taking notes, preparing and refilling coffee and food, cleaning up afterwards, and serving as
assistants rather than managers or presenters.
There are also other ways where women are mistreated, and Bennett describes it as:
“It’s knowing that a colleague calling a woman ‘ambitious’ is the opposite of a compliment.
It’s having to be nice (because women are nice!) but not too nice (don’t wanna be a
pushover); maternal (a natural caretaker!) but not actually a mother (lest you be viewed as
uncommitted to the job). It’s having to be confident so you can command respect but not too
confident (because we don’t like cocky women.) It’s having to work twice as hard to prove
you’re once as good, or three, four, five times as hard if you happen to be female and of
color.”

Life Lessons and Learnings

After reading the book, one thing I realized is that the situations described are not
only experienced in the office or workplace. In fact, it is also evident even in schools and in
households. As a student, these learnings opened my mind and prepare myself on the
possibilities of having such encounters with these kind of people and will also make me

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Ma. Angeli L. Gomez
BSM – IV

better understand why they behave in such manner and how to cope up with these
challenges.
Another is that although there are a lot of protests and legislations made to help
elevate the sector of women in the society in terms of equality, these are still not enough.
There is the urgent need for re-education to make everyone understand and inculcate in
themselves the importance of equality and equity in the society. That as the society
progresses, we must help each other be successful in our chosen careers and passions. To
truly achieve equality is through working together hand in hand. Each of us should
acknowledge women’s and other people’s differences, and not instinctively shut each other
out. It is high time for feminists to stand up and voice out for everyone; to fight sexism and
unequal treatment. But for it to be done effectively requires everybody to stop fighting silly
battles against each other but to fight altogether for one ultimate goal.
This book is highly recommended for women, and men, who felt demeaning
experiences in their respective jobs because this book provides a guide on how to
strategically “fight back” oppression. I also recommend this book to men, most especially
those with authority, so that they will be informed and become more vigilant and sensitive
with the situation of their female co-workers and subordinates.

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