Wordslut: A Feminist Guide to Taking Back the English Language by Amanda Montell

Amy    

nonfiction

Wordslut: A Feminist Guide to Taking Back the English Language looks at the many ways language is used to perpetuate cis male dominance in society.

I had read another novel by Amanda Montell, Cultish, which I enjoyed very much even though it was educational nonfiction. So when a friend recommended this earlier book of Montell’s to me, I assumed I would like it just as much. While this book covered a very interesting topic, it felt very textbookish at times. Therefore, it wasn’t as enjoyable for me. It was filled with language examples, study and survey findings, and word definitions. I think most people could read the introduction (Chapter 0) and get the gist of the contents of the book. It’s a good summary. If I had been reading the book instead of listening to the audiobook, I probably would’ve skimmed when sections got long-winded.

Some things I learned:

• Word choices influence gender stereotypes. I will be much more conscious of my selection of words in the future.
• Insults and slurs referring to women are much more prevalent than those to men. It has had to do with how society has historically been male dominated and how women were (and still are, by some) viewed as only being here to serve the men. 
• Language changes are usually associated with social change and it is the social change itself that makes some people uncomfortable with the related vocabulary. For example, gender-inclusive language upsets some people not because of their inability to adapt to using new words but because of their disagreement or political difference with the concept that is prompting these words.

The audiobook was narrated by the author. Montell is an engaging speaker and managed to imbibe her fun personality into academic findings which is great. However, the sound of her postnasal congestion grossed me out sometimes. I give her a B+.