Wordslut

A Feminist Guide to Taking Back the English Language

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Amanda Montell: Wordslut (2019, Schwartz Publishing Pty, Limited)

304 pages

English language

Published Jan. 5, 2019 by Schwartz Publishing Pty, Limited.

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5 stars (1 review)

4 editions

Ace slut-shaming shaming

5 stars

Read this for a history of The Man holding women down with a dictionary; an explanation of vocal fry and upspeak, the roles they fill in female communication, and how vilifying them is part of a hate as old as time; the many grammatical roles that an f-bomb can play; why gay guys often sound gay but lesbians don't sound 'lesbian'; and the word 'slut'. A lot. Just read it.

Edit: I originally rated Wordslut at four stars, but on reflection, its combination of outrage and history, delivered with disarming humor, sets a bar that should be considered the gold standard, not the silver standard.