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shu_long's review against another edition
5.0
An extremely readable introduction to the state of female bisexual politics and experience in the recent decades. Personal, yet backed by research.
lolaleviathan's review against another edition
3.0
I can't really disagree with a lot of the criticism leveled against this book. I find Baumgardner's thesis to be valuable and enlightening, but it is largely based on her own sexual and romantic experiences, which were largely dysfunctional, it seems: she seems to simultaneously give more weight to relationships with men while contending that women make better partners and much better lovers.
I was drawn to this book because my sexual history is, on paper, pretty similar to Baumgardner's, and, although I have not come to the same conclusions she has about those genders, this personal connection is what makes me love it. She says a lot of things that you really don't hear in the everyday public discourse on sexuality, which in my experience is just, "you are who you fuck now, therefore you either realize you're really a lesbian or that was just a phase and now you are a hasbian." This dilemma is why it makes sense that Baumgardner focuses on women--male bisexuality is lived very differently, and that book should be written by a bisexual man.
Baumgardner offers a lot of ways that bisexuality could be used politically, which is awesome. One argument here that really resonated with me is that bisexuality is useful precisely because many of us do tend to be "invisible" and thus can't claim to be oppressed in the same way (although there are bisexual butches out there, etc.). This is something I struggle with and often an excuse for me not coming out as bi-or-whatever, because I don't want to sound like I'm claiming a marginal status that I don't actually share. But I digress.
Hey, if you slept with Amy Ray, you'd write about it in every chapter, too.
I was drawn to this book because my sexual history is, on paper, pretty similar to Baumgardner's, and, although I have not come to the same conclusions she has about those genders, this personal connection is what makes me love it. She says a lot of things that you really don't hear in the everyday public discourse on sexuality, which in my experience is just, "you are who you fuck now, therefore you either realize you're really a lesbian or that was just a phase and now you are a hasbian." This dilemma is why it makes sense that Baumgardner focuses on women--male bisexuality is lived very differently, and that book should be written by a bisexual man.
Baumgardner offers a lot of ways that bisexuality could be used politically, which is awesome. One argument here that really resonated with me is that bisexuality is useful precisely because many of us do tend to be "invisible" and thus can't claim to be oppressed in the same way (although there are bisexual butches out there, etc.). This is something I struggle with and often an excuse for me not coming out as bi-or-whatever, because I don't want to sound like I'm claiming a marginal status that I don't actually share. But I digress.
Hey, if you slept with Amy Ray, you'd write about it in every chapter, too.
loverlyreads's review
3.0
I found this book as a source for a paper I was doing on biphobia. While not a good source for that particular paper, it was an okay read.
asimoni's review
3.0
Not the most well-written book that I've ever read - in fact at many points throughout I found myself wondering: "what's her point." It could have been 100 pages shorter and better for it. Finally in the last several pages Baumgardner gets to the crux of her point (or at least she finally articulates it in a concise way) - clearly making the link with feminism. That is, that accepting who women choose to have relationships with is ultimately about embracing the notion that sexuality is always complex, it is always fluid and that we all have a right to equality, inclusion and to live our individual truth. There is alot about what she writes that I am not sure I agree with but it was nonetheless thought-provoking and worth the read.
jodi_b's review against another edition
3.0
Jennifer Baumgardner is a good writer. She weaves together narratives from interviews and other writings and connects them to her larger argument about bisexuality. Since Baumgardner was a writer for Ms. Magazine, the book reads like a who's who in the feminist movement. She interviews feminist theorists, musicians, and more. I have to admit her pop culture references left this TV-less woman googling (embarrassingly, I didn't know who Anne Heche is).
I read the book, because I tend to think of bisexuality as a dirty word. So I was particularly struck by her argument that bisexuality was 'a term we used to deal with our fear of sexual fluidity and the dynamic nature of attraction'(203).
I read the book, because I tend to think of bisexuality as a dirty word. So I was particularly struck by her argument that bisexuality was 'a term we used to deal with our fear of sexual fluidity and the dynamic nature of attraction'(203).
bowienerd_82's review against another edition
2.0
I really wish I could give 2.5 stars, because I don't think this one deserves 3, but it isn't as bad as a plain 2.
I went into this one aware of a lot of the criticism, but still wanting to give it a shot, because I feel like there's a dearth of good books on bisexuality. (Also, I enjoyed [b:Manifesta: Young Women, Feminism, and the Future|98521|Manifesta Young Women, Feminism, and the Future|Jennifer Baumgardner|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1311983118s/98521.jpg|94974] when I read it for a class in college.)
Unfortunately, this book has two huge problems. First (and worst) of all, as mentioned in many of the reviews, Baumgardner privileges bisexuality over all other sexualities, which is extremely problematic in of itself, but which also makes the book come off as smug and self-congratulatory. (The fact that the author is something of a name-dropper does not help.) Second of all, the author apparently never made up her mind as to whether she was writing a memoir or a critical analysis. To be perfectly honest, there was not enough research for the latter, and not enough depth for the former.
And yet, the book was accessible, readable, and had some good points. Ultimately, though, I think it's also pretty forgettable.
I went into this one aware of a lot of the criticism, but still wanting to give it a shot, because I feel like there's a dearth of good books on bisexuality. (Also, I enjoyed [b:Manifesta: Young Women, Feminism, and the Future|98521|Manifesta Young Women, Feminism, and the Future|Jennifer Baumgardner|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1311983118s/98521.jpg|94974] when I read it for a class in college.)
Unfortunately, this book has two huge problems. First (and worst) of all, as mentioned in many of the reviews, Baumgardner privileges bisexuality over all other sexualities, which is extremely problematic in of itself, but which also makes the book come off as smug and self-congratulatory. (The fact that the author is something of a name-dropper does not help.) Second of all, the author apparently never made up her mind as to whether she was writing a memoir or a critical analysis. To be perfectly honest, there was not enough research for the latter, and not enough depth for the former.
And yet, the book was accessible, readable, and had some good points. Ultimately, though, I think it's also pretty forgettable.
library_lurker's review against another edition
3.0
i agree with both the criticisms & the praises that other goodreads reviewers have said. not gonna rehash them here, but instead present you with my favorite quote from this book. on the appeal of butch women: "they're like the bad boy you always wanted, but in a girl who believes in recycling." i had to put down the book and laugh. that's so true!!!
rdebner's review against another edition
2.0
I was a little disappointed by this book. I've read some of Baumgardner's previous writings. As someone who has read a lot of literature, popular to scholarly, on sex, gender, and sexuality, this book was a fluffier read than reviews had led me to believe. Marketing it as more of a memoir would have been a more accurate representation of the writing in the book. It works as a memoir; as a treatise on current bisexual politics, or a bisexual state of the union, not so much.
katbond's review against another edition
5.0
This book really resonated with me; I felt a lot of the time like she could have been describing my feelings and confusions about being a woman, bisexual, and struggling feminist. It's not a book that is big on politics, except as they've intersected in her life--in other words, it's a memoir. But, it was a very powerful one for me.