In this thought-provoking book, feminist Victoria Bateman explores the connection between women's status and economic prosperity. She argues that understanding key economic issues requires placing sex and gender at the forefront. Bateman critiques modern feminism's double standards and advocates for genuine female empowerment to enhance economic policies.
Exploring the intricate connections between wealth, inequality, and market freedom, this book delves into the historical and social factors that have shaped Western prosperity. It challenges conventional economic narratives by introducing unexpected elements, such as the role of sexuality in economic systems. By examining these themes, the author provides a thought-provoking analysis of how various forces interact to influence wealth distribution and market dynamics in contemporary society.
Is it right that, despite the promises of feminism, women’s bodies remain at the mercy of state, society and religion? Should a scantily clad woman, or a promiscuous one, be worth less than a fully covered woman, or a chaste one? Are being sexy and being smart really mutually exclusive? Can a woman be both body and brain? Victoria Bateman has confronted these questions with actions as well as words. She has appeared naked on national television, on stage, in art and at protests – using her body, as well as her brain, to deliver her message. In Naked Feminism, Bateman makes a compelling case for women’s bodily freedom, and explains why the current puritanical revival is so dangerous for women. Illustrating the swinging pendulum of bodily modesty through the ages, she takes us on a journey from the ancient civilisations of Egypt and Babylon, through the birth of Christianity and Islam, to the lax morals of the medieval period and the bawdiness of Chaucer and Shakespeare; to the clampdowns of the Puritans and later the Victorians and, more recently, to the re-veiling of the Middle East and the purity pledges of modern-day America. She ends with a plea: feminists must unite to challenge the repression of the female body, as only then can women be truly free.